Jalapeño Pimento Cheese is high-protein with no mayo, cream cheese, or yogurt. Spicy pimento cheese recipe made with jalapenos and cottage cheese.
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About Jalapeño Pimento Cheese
Pimento cheese is a creamy spread or dip that's made with pimentos (or pimientos) and shredded cheese. It's a southern staple for game days, baby showers, or any gathering.
Typically, mayo and occasionally cream cheese or sour cream, holds the mixture together.
Sometimes people try to make it "healthier" by using Greek yogurt, but I don't like the tanginess of the yogurt for pimento cheese.
That being said, cottage cheese binds together this no mayo pimento cheese.
This homemade pimento cheese recipe has an extra step of blending the cottage cheese with onion and a little liquid, but it's worth it to get a creamy and flavorful sauce.
Plus, the cottage cheese base boosts the protein in this pimento cheese dip recipe.
For extra flavor and a little kick, add jalapeno peppers, but they are optional. I just love a slightly spicy pimento cheese.
Ingredients
Cheese: Cheddar is typically used for pimento cheese; I like white cheddar, sharp cheddar, or extra sharp cheddar cheese. The block of cheese is highly recommended. Pimento cheese doesn't taste as good when made with pre-shredded cheddar cheese.
Other types of cheese that work include Monterey Jack, Pepperjack, Colby, and mozzarella (from a block, not from the fresh ball of mozzarella).
Cottage Cheese: Blended cottage cheese binds the jalapeno pimento cheese recipe together. It is used in place of mayo typically used for pimento cheese.
Liquid: To help thin the sauce just a little bit, you'll add liquid. You can use water, milk, or the liquid in the pimento jar. That being said, be sure to drain the pimentos well so the pimento cheese isn't runny.
Jalapeño: For a spicy pimento cheese, add jalapeno. Any spicy pepper will also work well.
Onion: A little bit of grated or diced onion is added to give it flavor. It's important to measure the onion because too much will overpower the other flavors. Because you add the onion to the food processor, you'll be able to blend it into the sauce to prevent big onion chunks in your pimento cheese spread.
Cayenne Pepper: If the jalapeno isn't very spicy, you can add a little cayenne pepper for more heat. However, it's optional.
Pimentos: Diced or sliced pimentos can be used for this healthy pimento cheese. You can find them in the canned veggie aisle of the store, near the jarred olives. They are sometimes labeled "pimiento peppers" in the grocery store.
Recipe Cost
- Cheese 16 ounces: $3.98
- Cottage cheese 6 ounces: $0.65
- Jalapeno 1 medium: $0.14
- Onion 3 tablespoons: $0.12
- Cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
- Pimentos 4-ounce jar: $1.78
TOTAL COST: $6.68 or $0.42/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2025)
Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.
How to Make Pimento Cheese
Using cottage cheese as a binder, you can easily make this delicious, high protein, no mayo pimento cheese with jalapenos.
- Step 1: Grate cheese into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Step 2: Add cottage cheese, liquid, and diced onion to a mini food processor.
- Step 3: Blend together.
- Step 4: Pour sauce over the cheese, diced jalapenos, and diced pimentos.
- Step 5: Stir it all together.
- Step 6: Refrigerate for at least an hour. Enjoy!
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Tip
Use a box grater to shred your cheese. It makes infinitely better pimento cheese over using pre-shredded cheese.
Recipe Tips
How to Fix a Mistake
- Too runny: Add a little extra cottage cheese to the sauce, and blend. This should thicken it. However, if you have already stirred together everything, you can add some more grated cheese or blot it dry with a towel.
- Too thick: Add a splash of water and stir well.
- Lacking flavor: Wait to add seasoning until after at least 1 hour after preparing. If needed, add extra spice from diced jalapeños, black pepper, or hot sauce. Or try sprinkling in some garlic powder or onion powder.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese is best made ahead of time, so the jalapeno and onion flavors have time to infuse the cheese.
Storage Suggestions
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. If you use a softer cheese like Monterey Jack or mozzarella, it will have a higher moisture content, so it will not last as long in the fridge.
Variations
Ingredient Options
Cheese: In place of cheddar, use Monterey Jack, Pepperjack, Colby, or mozzarella (in a block, not fresh form).
Pimentos: If you can't find pimentos, diced roasted red bell peppers can work in a pinch.
To decrease spiciness: Use less jalapenos or omit them. Also, skip the additional cayenne pepper.
Alternative Prep and Cooking
If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can mash the cottage cheese with a fork and mince the onion. Then stir everything together.
The texture might be a little chunkier, but it will still be tasty.
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
This pimento cheese with jalapeno recipe is naturally gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
Pimento cheese usually has mayo so it is not egg-free. But thanks to the cottage cheese, this no mayo pimento cheese recipe is egg-free.
It obviously has a lot of dairy, but if you can find a good dairy-free alternative for cottage cheese and shredded cheese, you can try it. However, I have not found any suitable options to recommend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pimento cheese is a creamy, versatile, and flavorful dip or spread. This beloved appetizer or snack can be enjoyed so many ways, and it's easy to prepare.
Freezing pimento cheese is not recommended. The cheese does not freeze well and the texture will change undesirably once defrosted.
However, you can freeze it to add to something later like a casserole.
Depending on how you define healthy, this pimento cheese can be a nutritious option. Most pimento cheese is made with mayo. Yet, this no-mayo pimento cheese is made using cottage cheese to increase the protein.
Plus, if you're trying to eat more veggies, you can use serve them with this tasty simple jalapeño pimento cheese recipe.
Leftover homemade pimento cheese spread can be turned into the filling for the best grilled cheese sandwich. Cut it into small squares as a high-protein topping for easy tomato soup with canned tomatoes.
Nutrition Benefits
Not only is this creamy pimento cheese delicious, it's also higher in protein and lower in fat than typical pimento cheese recipes. That is thanks to using cottage cheese as the base and no cream cheese or mayonnaise.
With a few simple ingredients, you get a tasty dip where each serving provides 8 grams of protein, 21% daily value of calcium, 11% of Vitamin C, and 10% of Vitamin A.
With 8 grams of protein per serving, this is a great recipe for high-protein snack meal prep.
What to Serve with Pimento Cheese
There are so many different ways to enjoy pimento cheese.
Make a quick sandwich on whole wheat bread for a nutritious option, or spread pimento cheese on slices of white bread (crusts removed) for a southern classic party snack of pimento cheese sandwiches.
It's great to serve on top of a burger.
Enjoy with butter crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, cucumber slices, celery sticks, and/or wheat crackers like Wheat Thins or Triscuits.
Serving Tip
Pimento Cheese is best served at room temperature, so it's easier to spread.
Final thoughts:
There's a reason southern pimento cheese is so popular, and this easy pimento cheese recipe has no mayonnaise or cream cheese.
In my humble opinion, this is the best pimento cheese recipe, and everyone who tries it agrees. The creamy texture and spicy kick from the jalapenos keeps people coming back for more.
Plus, pimiento cheese is versatile, budget-friendly, and lasts for at least a week in the fridge.
MORE PIMENTO CHEESE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounce cheddar cheese shredded
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 medium jalapeño minced
- 3 tablespoons onion grated
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 4 ounce jar diced pimentos drained
Instructions
- Grate the cheese into a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, blend cottage cheese, onion, and liquid in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Stir blended cottage cheese into grated cheese. Stir in jalapeño, pimentos, and cayenne pepper, if using.
- Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.
- Enjoy with sliced veggies or crackers. Keeps in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
Notes
What to Use in This Recipe
Meme
This post was originally published on September 4, 2012. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Nutrition Facts
Carbs in Pimento Cheese
There are 2 grams of carbohydrates in this Jalapeno Pimento Cheese recipe.
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Calories
In ¼ cup of No Mayo Pimento Cheese, there are 126 calories.
betty hope
Do you also add gluten free recipes? I just found out about you.
betty hope
memeinge
I'm so glad you found my blog!!
I do have a lot of gluten-free recipes; you can find them here: Gluten-free recipes
Let me know if you need help finding anything else
Michelle
Wow, this looks super yummy! I haven't ever made Pimento Cheese but I will now. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Michelle
memeinge
Thanks! This was my first time to make pimento cheese, and I will definitely be making it again soon