Healthy Pimento Cheese

As a California girl, I did not grow up eating pimento cheese, but my boyfriend Grant is from the South, and this is one of his favorite foods! Classic pimento cheese is made with cream cheese and mayo and while that is DEFINITELY tasty, I wanted to make a slightly lighter version for those who might be a little more sensitive to dairy or heavy foods. I had him taste test this to make sure it was up to his standards, and good news — it passed the test with flying colors!

The history of pimento cheese is a fun one. We associate it with Southern food now, but it actually got its start in New York! You can read more about it here.

The KEY to this pimento cheese is the labneh (strained yogurt). I replaced the sour cream and yogurt with my favorite creamy substitute Greek yogurt, but I didn’t want the dip to be too loose or watery. Then it hit me: I needed to strain the Greek yogurt to make it thicker, which really did the trick for this dip. PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU USE GREEK YOGURT. I know it adds to the prep time, but it’s what’s going to give you the best consistency for this dip!

Ingredients

• 1 cup labneh or Greek yogurt (if you only have Greek yogurt, follow instructions below)

• 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 4 oz pimiento peppers, drained and chopped

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 small jalapeño, finely chopped (use whole if you want it to be spicier!)

1. If you’re using Greek yogurt, you’ll want to prepare it the night before. Don’t skip this step, because it’s key to get the right texture. You’ll want to strain the yogurt to turn it into labneh. Place a strainer over a bowl, and line with cheesecloth or coffee filters. Add the Greek yogurt, and wrap the cheesecloth around it (or cover with another coffee filter. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours.

2. Mix everything together in a medium bowl. Serve with veggies and crackers!