Pimento Cheese-Style Spread
Pimento cheese is the sharp, orange spread of the American South, a mix of grated cheese, mayonnaise, and diced pimento peppers eaten on crackers, celery, and sandwiches. This version rebuilds it from whole plants: cannellini beans and soaked cashews blend into a body that is rich and spreadable without any dairy, nutritional yeast brings the cheesy savor, and two kinds of paprika plus a little cayenne give the color and the low warm heat. Roasting your own red pepper is worth the few minutes, since the sweetness of properly charred and peeled flesh is the whole point of a pimento. Fold the pepper in by hand so it stays flecked, chill it to firm up, and it holds for several days, which makes it a natural for a potluck spread.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Cannellini beans, cooked and drained
- 1/2 cup Raw cashews, soaked 2 hours and drained
- 1 whole Bell peppers, red, roasted and peeled
- 3 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Roast the red pepper over a flame or under a broiler until the skin is blackened and blistered, then let it steam in a covered bowl and rub the skin away. Roasting is what makes it a pimento: the flesh turns sweet and soft, and peeling off the charred skin keeps the spread smooth.
- Blend the cannellini beans, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, Dijon, vinegar, garlic, both paprikas, and cayenne until completely smooth. Beans and cashews together build the rich, fatty, sliceable body that cheese would give, with no dairy, while the nutritional yeast supplies the savory, cheesy note.
- Dice half the roasted pepper and fold it in by hand, leaving the pieces visible. Pimento cheese is defined by its flecks of red pepper running through a smooth base, so keep this part chunky rather than blending it in.
- Chill at least an hour before serving. The spread firms up as the cashews and beans set, turning it from a loose puree into something you can spread thick or scoop, and the flavors bloom and sharpen as it sits.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 8 g protein, 4 g fiber, 120 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
