This bacon pimento grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food sandwich. Homemade pimento cheese and bacon is stuffed between buttered bread slices and cooked until golden brown and melty.
We all know and love a classic grilled cheese sandwich. Sliced cheese sandwiched between two pieces of buttered bread, cooked until golden brown and melty.
Want to mix things up? Give this bacon pimento grilled cheese a try. It's gooey, rich, extra melty, and filled with flavor from the addition of diced pimentos, onions, and hot sauce.
Never had pimento cheese before? It's a creamy, flavorful spread made with cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, diced pimentos, along with a few other ingredients.
Serve this melty grilled cheese on its own, or with a side salad or a bowl of soup. Sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings!
Ingredients and substitutions
I used sharp cheddar cheese and extra sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. However, one or the other will work fine - you don't need both. I suggest using a higher quality brand of cheese if possible (I used Cabot brand). Since cheese is the star of this recipe, the higher the quality, the better the flavor.
I highly recommend grating your own cheese from the block. It has a creamier texture when melted and isn't coated in anti-clumping powders like bagged cheeses.
Use your favorite brand of sandwich bread - simple sliced white bread will work.
Pimentos should be diced. Pimentos are often found near the pickles at the grocery store - they're sold in small jars. If you have whole or sliced pimentos (long strips), make sure to give them a quick dice before adding to your spread.
The minced onion can be omitted, but adds a great amount of flavor and texture to the pimento cheese.
Hot sauce adds just enough flavor without making it 'spicy'. You're welcome to add more hot sauce to taste if you'd like a spicy cheese.
What is pimento cheese?
The base ingredients of pimento cheese include shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and diced pimentos. It's kind of a mix between a spread and a relish.
Pimentos are a sweet, aromatic cherry pepper, and one of the lowest peppers on the scoville scale.
Another common ingredient includes cream cheese, which adds a rich, creamy, and smooth texture.
Other optional flavor additions include ingredients like worcestershire sauce, horseradish, jalapenos, hot sauce, onions, or diced pickles.
What to serve with pimento grilled cheese
Want to make your pimento grilled cheese into a complete meal? Here are a few of my favorite additions:
- Tomato soup (a classic pairing!)
- Hash Brown Potato Broccoli Soup
- Summer Corn Chowder
- Winter Chopped Salad
- Oven Roasted Cajun Sweet Potato Wedges
- Kale Apple Slaw
- Ranch Roasted Potatoes
Bacon Pimento Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 ounces jarred pimentos, diced
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 8 slices cooked bacon
- 8 slices sandwich bread
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your pimento cheese ingredients: shredded cheese, mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimentos, onion, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or a wooden spoon, beat until evenly combined. Taste and add more hot sauce, salt, and pepper as desired.
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread butter onto one side of each bread slice. Place a bread slice, buttered side down, into skillet. Top with ½ cup of pimento cheese, spreading into an even layer. Top with bacon and another bread slice, buttered side up. Repeat for each additional sandwich.
- Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and melty.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Prepared pimento cheese will keep for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator, and can easily be made ahead of time.
- Serve grilled cheese paired with a side salad or soup for a complete meal.
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