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 quick, easy, and delicious to make. Serve it over Rye Bread, Pumpernickel, French Bread, or crackers.
"Thank you for sharing, I too, love passed down recipes. I made the spread, I like mine with a kick so I just added a little cayenne pepper and it is simply delicious!" - ★★★★★ Lynn
Traditionally, Southern 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. These additions add a sharp bite and tons of flavor. It is also thicker and richer than the typical pimento cheese spread.
The olive cheese spread is AMAZING all over my Cheesy Jalapeño Cheddar Beer Bread. If you are on a low carb diet, eat this on veggies. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Xoxo-Katie.
Jump to:
Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make homemade pimento cheese with green olives.
- cheddar cheese-I like to use sharp cheddar. For a milder flavor, you can use medium sharp cheddar.
- mayonnaise-Do not use low fat mayonnaise.
- green olives
- onion-Use white or yellow onions.
Steps
Making this homemade pimento cheese is easy. Follow these steps:
- Freshly shred cheddar cheese.
- Add chopped green olives, grated onions mayonnaise, and olive juice.
- Mix until creamy and cheese has broken down to chunky a spread.
Watch how to make
Cheese Tip
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.
Flavor Tip
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.
About the recipe
Growing up, my mother didn't often indulge my brothers and I with sweets or junk food. We ate rather healthy most of the time.
But the holidays were the exception. She would fill the table with desserts, appetizers, and homemade snacks, making enough special dishes to last the whole week.
This olive pimento cheese spread was one of the little holiday goodies and it remains one of my favorite childhood treats.
The recipe itself originated from my Great-Grandmother Marie Kriz, who's pictured on the right, in my Grandmother Bonnie's wedding photo. I never had the chance to meet her - she passed away before I was born - but I've always heard she was a kind, loving, and thoughtful woman.
My mother spent countless hours in the kitchen with her, cooking and baking. As the oldest of six children, my mother often felt overlooked, but her grandmother made her feel truly seen, special, and loved. Those moments became some of my mother's most treasured memories and to this day, Great Grandma Marie remains one of her favorite people.
Isn't it wonderful to make family recipes that bring back happy memories? I hope this becomes one of your family traditions too!
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!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Pimento Cheese with Olives
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ jar 5.75 green olives with pimentos drain juice, reserve 2 tbs of olive juice
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated onion
Instructions
- Freshly shred cheddar cheese. (This really makes a difference in taste versus buying it pre-shredded.)16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- Chop ½ jar of green olives.½ jar 5.75 green olives with pimentos
- Mix and blend cheese, mayonnaise, olives, 2 tbs olive juice, and freshly grated onion until creamy.¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons freshly grated onion
- Store in refrigerator 2 or more hours. Serve.
Connie says
Loved this recipe!!
Mary says
Thanks for publishing this. I have made similar and it’s great. I looking for a Keto friendly dip. I’ll probably skip working with the onions and use onion powder instead.
Lynn M says
Thank you for sharing, I too, love passed down recipes. I made the spread, I like mine with a kick so I just added a little cayenne pepper and it is simply delicious!
Tanya Harris says
A perfectly delicious appetizer to serve with crackers this holiday season! I would love some right now to snack on.
Jacque Hastert says
This would be the perfect spread to have on my holiday or game day table.
Karen says
I also have an heirloom olive/cheese recipe from my mother-in-law. The only big difference is mine calls for toasted pecans chopped roughly. It is so delicious!
Caroline says
I love that this recipe has been handed down through the generations and it sounds great to serve as part of a party appetizer spread.
Catherine Brown says
This was one of my grandma's favorites too! Including the Ritz crackers. I haven't made this in such a while, but it brings back many fond memories. I think I'd like to try your version. Thanks for sharing it.
Amanda says
mmm anything with olives and cheese sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Geetha Priyanka says
This recipe sounds so simple and easy to make, yet taste delicious. Such heirloom recipes are priceless treasures!! Family picture is lovely. Have a great weekend..
Jane says
The recipe ingredient does not call for pimentos? Even the picture looks like it has pimentos in it
Katie Crenshaw says
Great question. This recipe uses olives stuffed with pimentos, so when you chop the olives, the little red pimentos naturally mix into the cheese. IF you prefer more pimento flavor or want a softer texture, you can add extra pimentos. Totally up to you. The recipe will still turn out delicious either way.