Southern Pimiento Cheese Spread

Thanksgiving. I cooked my first whole turkey and it was perfect.

I drove to Gloria's at eight in the morning with the turkey already brined and patted dry from the night before, and I roasted it at her house while she directed from her chair and James watched football and the house filled with the smell of herbs and butter and something good happening. The bird came out golden, the skin crackling, the meat the most consistently juicy turkey I have ever eaten. I stood over it after it came out of the oven and I was so proud I forgot for a moment that I had to carve it.

The full spread: turkey, mac and cheese with the three-cheese blend, green bean casserole with crispy shallots, collard greens with the smoked turkey neck and my small modifications, sweet potato pie with the cardamom touch, rolls that I had made from scratch for the first time this year and that were almost as good as the canned kind except considerably more impressive. Gloria was satisfied. James was very satisfied. I ate two plates and thought about who I was the first Thanksgiving I spent at this table and who I am now.

After the dishes were washed I sat at the kitchen table with Gloria and she showed me a new index card she had made. It had my turkey brine on it, written in her handwriting, with a note at the bottom that said Savannah's brine. She said it belongs in the box with the others. I had to look at the ceiling for a moment before I could say anything. I said thank you. She said it is yours. You earned it.

When Gloria wrote my turkey brine on that index card in her own handwriting and told me it belongs in the box, I understood that some recipes are not just instructions—they are declarations. The spread that always came out before the big meal at Gloria’s table was her Southern Pimiento Cheese, and after this Thanksgiving, I finally asked her to walk me through it properly. It is the kind of recipe that belongs on a card too: simple, honest, and better than it has any right to be. I’m sharing it here because if you are going to earn your place at the table, you might as well start with the thing that brings everyone to it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 10

Ingredients

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 (4 oz) jar diced pimientos, drained well
3/4 cup mayonnaise (Duke’s preferred)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Crackers, celery, or white bread for serving

Instructions

Soften and combine. Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add the cheeses. Fold in both shredded cheddars, mixing until incorporated. Freshly shredded cheese melts into the spread more evenly than pre-shredded—don’t skip this step.
Mix in the mayonnaise. Add mayonnaise one spoonful at a time, stirring until the spread reaches a thick, creamy consistency. You may use slightly less depending on your preferred texture.
Fold in the pimientos. Add the drained diced pimientos and stir gently to distribute throughout the mixture without breaking them down completely.
Season. Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The spread will firm up slightly as it chills.
Serve. Bring to room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving alongside crackers, celery sticks, or sliced white bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Southern Pimiento Cheese Spread — The Recipe That Belongs in the Box