Not being a Southerner I came to the pimento cheese party late…. but then I never left. If pimento cheese were a bar someone would have in fact said to me by now, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
What is Pimento Cheese?
Pimento cheese (for those of you who like me did not grow up with it as part of the culinary vernacular), is a mixture of mayonnaise, grated cheese and chopped pimentos. Other things get added sometimes, like maybe something oniony, or a little spicy, but essentially it is a cheese pate, usually served on crackers, maybe with celery sticks, and a beloved Southern staple.
So, as part of my ongoing partnership with Roth, makers of delicious Wisconsin cheeses, I decided to take some liberties and introduce the pimento cheese concept to my slow cooker. The words “hot dip” make a lot of people happy, myself included. The words “hot cheese dip” make some of us clap our hands.
The Roth cheeses I picked for this hot cheese dip (see how effective that phrase is?) are Grand Cru, for its nutty and slightly fruity flavor, and havarti, for its soft meltiness. Mixing the two cheeses together brought so much flavor to this dip, and also gave it that insanely appealing cheese pull thing when you scoop up a bit.
The first time I made this was for a small group, so we didn’t finish it, and it actually warmed up beautifully in the microwave later in the week. Which is very good to know, especially during the holidays, when relatives and guests are hanging out and gatherings seem to spontaneously erupt. This has made so many people happy in my world—a crowd-pleaser of epic proportions.
The words ‘hot dip’ make a lot of people happy, myself included. The words ‘hot cheese dip’ make some of us clap our hands.
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For a casual gathering I would serve this right out of the slow cooker or crock pot, with a spoon for people to ladle some onto their plates if desired, and an assortment of things to dip into it. You could also transfer some to a bowl, and then as it disappears replenish with hot dip from the slow cooker. Serve this with pretzels, tortilla or other chips, carrot and celery sticks, sliced bell pepper, or crackers.
More Appetizer Recipes for a Crowd:
- Parmesan Feta Spinach Dip
- Caramelized Onion and Spinach Crostini
- Corn and Zucchini Fritters
- How to Make Deviled Eggs
- Hot Hatch Chile Dip
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Easy Slow Cooker Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce to taste
- 1 shallot finely minced
- 8 ounces grated Roth Grand Cru
- 8 ounces grated Roth Original Havarti
- 2 7-ounce jars pimentos, drained and minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions white and green parts
Directions
- In a slow cooker, combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Sriracha sauce, shallot, Grand Cru, havarti, pimentos, Worcestershire sauce, and bourbon. Heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until all of the cheese is melted and everything is fairly smooth. Turn the heat to “warm,” and serve right out of the slow cooker, or transfer to a bowl.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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What size slow cooker did you use?
you can use a small or medium one for this!