If You Haven't Tried a Grilled Pimiento Cheese Sandwich, You've Been Missing Out on a Whole Lot of Heaven

Kaitlyn Yarborough
·3 min read
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Whoever thought up the first batch of homemade pimiento cheese—the classic Southern spread made with cheese, mayonnaise, and jarred pimientos—surely did not know the magnitude of the discovery. The versatile recipe can be served as an appetizer with crackers, made into a meal on two slices of pillowy bread, thrown on top of a salad as an attempt to get your greens in, or even scooped straight out of the container with a spoon as you pass by the refrigerator. (A rumor we haven't tried personally, of course.)

What people don't do with pimiento cheese nearly enough? Warm it up. The spread is characteristically served cold, but whoever feels adamantly about that has clearly never had a grilled pimiento cheese sandwich. The melted, toasted delicacy is a delight you'll want to indulge in on the most special of days, from now until Dolly Parton shows us her real hair and bare face. And we all know that'll never happen. She said so herself. Think of it like a grilled cheese, but so much better, thanks to the extra flair of the pimiento cheese itself.

Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich
Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Getty Images/LauriPatterson

How does a grilled pimiento cheese come about? Simple. Follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Start with a batch of delicious pimiento cheese. This is one of our favorite recipes.

Step 2: Pull out two slices of bread of your choice. You really can't go wrong with basic white bread, just like the great tomato sandwich taught us.

Step 3: Put a shallow skillet on the stovetop at medium heat. When hot, melt a little bit of butter in the skillet.

Step 4: Slather one side of each slice with mayonnaise. Put one slice into the skillet, mayonnaise side down into the hot butter.

Step 5: Add the pimiento cheese delicately on top of the slice that's currently in the skillet, making sure not to burn yourself. (Only do small spoonfuls or slatherings at a time to help keep things tidy.) This is why it's important to use a shallow skillet or griddle. It's also helpful to spread a scoop out on parchment paper and flip it onto the slice. Feel free to add a couple slices of cooked bacon. Hey, why not?

Step 6: Top with the bare side of the second slice, mayonnaise side up. Press down a little to ensure the pimiento cheese is evenly distributed, but not overflowing out of the sides.

Step 7: After about 4 to 5 minutes, flip the sandwich carefully. Press down on the sandwich gently with a spatula. You want to get the cheese nice and melted on the inside.

Step 8: After about 3 to 4 minutes, you should have a golden-brown pimiento cheese sandwich to enjoy with chips, soup, or alone because it's that good.

Once you bite into the crunchy, buttery outside and meet the gooey, melty, cheesy inside, you'll be sold. Mark our words. It's like the creamy mayonnaise and soft grated cheese were just waiting to be warmed up. Imagine that!