Sherry Sheppard, a middle school teacher friend, first introduced me to the idea of pineapple in pimento cheese. I had never heard of it or, frankly, thought of it at all. Sherry’s pimento cheese is one of her best recipes, and when she let me in on her secret ingredient, I was shocked to learn it was canned pineapple. When I mentioned this unexpected ingredient to a dear friend from St. Simons Island, Shelley Renner, she told me how her mother would add pineapple to pimento cheese to fancy it up for special occasions, calling it Easter Pimento Cheese.
I was amazed how beautifully the flavors work together in the extra creamy version. This is now one of my favorite ways to eat pimento cheese. The pineapple flavor is sweeter on the second day.
Pineapple Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) block extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
- ⅓ cup roasted red bell pepper strips, drained and roughly chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 TBSP mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, plus extra for garnish
- Dash of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Grate the cheddar using the large holes of a box grater. Place the cheddar, pineapple, bell pepper, cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Garnish with crushed red pepper.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.