This easy homemade pimento cheese recipe has been passed down to me from my Great Grandmother. Unlike other pimento cheese spreads, this recipe includes olives.
It is simple, delicious, and quick. Serve it over Rye Bread, Pumpernickel, French Bread, or crackers.
The spread is AMAZING all over my Cheesy Jalapeño Cheddar Beer Bread. If you are on a low carb diet, eat this on veggies.
What is Pimento Cheese Made Of?
Traditionally, pimento cheese is made with cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos. It is mixed and blended into a creamy spread.
Some recipes add onion and a little sugar. Some recipes add cream cheese.
This recipe adds onion and olives. The additions make this spread pop with flavor.
How to Make It
Making this homemade pimento cheese is easy. Follow these steps:
- Freshly shred medium cheddar cheese. (Photo 1)
- Add chopped green olives, grated onions mayonnaise, and olive juice. (Photo 2)
- Mix until creamy and cheese has broken down to chunky a spread. (Photo 3)
Tips:
Tip 1: ALWAYS freshly shred your cheese for this recipe. The pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it dry that prevents it from breaking down properly to absorb the flavors.
Tip 2: Resist the temptation to eat cheese spread immediately! This Pimento cheese spread with olives tastes better the longer you let it set. Set in refrigerator at least 2 or more hours before serving.
Holiday Traditions
Growing up, my mother typically did not indulge my brothers and I with lots of sweets and junk food. We ate rather healthy.
On the holidays however, she would make tons of desserts, appetizers, and homemade snacks. Special dishes were part of every holiday celebration. She would make enough to eat throughout the whole week.
This olive pimento cheese spread recipe was one of the little goodies that she would make. It is one of my favorite childhood memories.
It is AMAZING! It is thicker and richer than the typical pimento cheese spread. It also has little sharp bite with tons of flavor.
Family Recipe
The pimento cheese spread recipe came from my Great Grandmother Marie Kriz pictured in the right of my Grandmother Bonnie Kriz's wedding picture.
I never had the opportunity to meet my Great Grandmother Kriz because she passed away before I was born. But I am told that she was a kind, loving, thoughtful woman.
My mother would spend hours with her cooking and baking. Being the first child in a family of six children, my mother often felt missed and looked over as a child. However, my Great Grandmother Marie made my mother feel loved, special, and important.
My mother treasures those moments and memories. My mother loved her grandmother dearly and she remains one of my mother's favorite people.
Isn't it wonderful to make family recipes that bring back happy memories? I hope this becomes one of your family recipes too!
When I make this easy recipe it disappears.... So BEWARE! You may want to double the recipe.
If you liked this easy homemade olive pimento cheese spread recipe, please leave me a comment and tell me how it went. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your homemade pimento cheese on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
If you like this recipe, check out a few of my other family recipes:
- Easy Spicy Taco Dip
- Baked Calico Beans
- Easy Chicken and Pastry Recipe
- Granny Moore's Dressing
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Beer Cheese Dip
Recipe
Homemade Pimento Cheese with Olives
Ingredients
- 16 oz medium cheddar cheese
- ½ jar 5.75 green olives with pimentos drain juice, reserve 2 tbs of olive juice
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbs freshly grated onion
Instructions
- Freshly shred 16oz medium cheddar cheese. (This really makes a difference in taste versus buying it pre-shredded.)
- Chop ½ jar of 5.75 oz jar of green olives.
- Mix and blend cheese, ¾ cup mayonnaise, olives, 2 tbs olive juice, and 2 tbs freshly grated onion until creamy.
- Store in refrigerator 2 or more hours. Serve.
