This Pimento Cheese Sandwich will spice up your lunch!
Move over, grilled cheese; there’s a new sandwich in town. If you’re a lover of all things hot and spicy like me, you’re going to want to ditch your classic cheese sandwich for this pimento cheese sandwich ASAP.
Although the Southern-inspired pimento cheese sandwich is typically considered a good lunch order for warmer days in the spring and summer, I personally never think to enjoy it until fall rolls around. That’s because this spicy sandwich pairs so well with a warming tomato soup, which I exclusively start to serve up when the weather cools down. This soup-and-sandwich duo is the perfect light lunch option on days when I don’t feel like doing too much or when I don’t feel like eating too much.
All you really need to bring this pimento cheese sandwich to life is a combination of cheeses (including cream cheese, Monterey Jack, and sharp cheddar), a few key spices to spice up the mixture, and, of course, pimentos. Mix it all together, slather it over two slices of your favorite bread, and enjoy your new favorite sammy. Or, if you want to do it my way, grill your sandwich to serve it warm for an extra cozy feeling this fall!
This pimento cheese sandwich balances all the best tastes: It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s spicy, and somehow, it’s light and decadent all at the same time. When you pair it with your favorite salad, you get a refreshing and light lunch, and when you pair it with your favorite soup, you get a warm comfort meal with a little extra heat.
Is This Pimento Cheese Sandwich Healthy?
The pimento cheese sandwich is definitely in comfort food territory, as it’s heavy on the dairy, fat, and calories. If you’re on a dairy-free, keto, or otherwise cautious diet, this might not be the sandwich for you. You can, however, substitute the mayo for Greek yogurt and choose less heavy cheeses for your mixture to lighten this recipe up a bit.
What Are Pimentos?
A lot of people (my past self included) think pimento is a type of spicy cheese because pimento cheese is a popular spread. Pimentos are actually a type of pepper, and they are what give this cheese its palatable heat, having a Scoville heat score between 100 and 500 units.
You might also recognize pimentos from your favorite green olives! That little red thing stuffed inside? Yep, that’s a pimento pepper. They’re often used to cut the bitterness of the olive.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
You can make a batch of pimento cheese and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Serving Suggestions
Like I mentioned before, this pimento cheese sandwich is the perfect half to your own “you pick two” lunch duo! If you’re pairing it with a salad, pick something savory and light like a Tomato Basil Salad. If you’re getting in the spirit of the season with a soup pairing, try something that’s not too creamy and includes a good protein to balance the meal, like a classic Chicken Soup or even Chicken Tomato Soup.
If you want to use the filling of your pimento cheese sandwich as a dip or spread instead, I highly encourage it! Just check out these Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup pimentos drained and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 8 slices white bread
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, mayonnaise, pimentos, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until well combined.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Spread a generous amount of pimento cheese on 4 slices of bread.
- Top each with another slice to form sandwiches.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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