Pimento Cheese

Name: Pimento Cheese
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: Mature cheddar; Cottage cheese; Mayonnaise; Jarred pimentos; Black pepper; Smoked paprika; Salt

226 kcal a serving, against 361 for the traditional version. That is 135 kcal off, or 37%, with 10.1g of protein. Serves 6. 15 minutes.

What the traditional version is

The proper thing is simple: 300g strong cheddar, grated, folded together with 150g mayonnaise and 80g drained jarred pimentos (the red peppers that are neither very hot nor entirely bland). A bit of black pepper, a dash of salt if your cheddar isn't salty enough, and some people insist on a pinch of garlic powder or a splash of Worcestershire. Mix it all until it's creamy, then chill. Spread thickly on thin white bread, celery sticks, or whatever you've got.

What changed, and what each change costs

Half the mayonnaise swapped for cottage cheese, blended until smooth(ish)

Mayonnaise is the calorie beast here, and swapping half for cottage cheese knocks the fat and overall load down sharply. Cottage cheese is much higher in protein, so you aren't left with a sad spread. Blend the cottage cheese to break up curds, but don't believe anyone who says it goes truly smooth.

What it costs you. Texture takes the hit. It isn't creamy-silky, it's a little grainy, almost like it wants to be ricotta and can't manage it. The cheese and pimento flavour still shine, but the original wins on mouthfeel.

Cheddar cut by a third, replaced with extra black pepper and a little more pimento

Pulling the cheddar back to 200g means less fat and salt, but to keep it tasting of something I've gone in heavier on the pimento and pepper. It keeps the colour and tang, so you can still fool yourself for one bite.

What it costs you. Flavour is a smidge less full-on. If you're one of those who likes a faceful of strong cheddar, add 10g more and look away while you do it.

Pinch of smoked paprika added for personality

With less cheese and mayonnaise, the whole thing risks sliding towards bland. A little smoked paprika boosts the aroma and makes it feel less like diet food.

What it costs you. You'll know it's there, though it's more a distraction than a full substitution. Think of it as a Southern wink.

What goes in it

The ingredients, without the quantities. The weights are what the figures below are computed from, and they are in the book.

Mature cheddar
Cottage cheese
Mayonnaise
Jarred pimentos
Black pepper
Smoked paprika
Salt

How it starts

Tip the cottage cheese into a food processor or use a stick blender and give it a proper blitz.
Grate the cheddar on the coarse side of the box grater so it holds some texture in the mix.
Chop the drained pimentos quite small.

The rest of the method, and every weight, is in Authentic-ish Southern.

The numbers

Per serving	Traditional	Lightened
Calories	361	226
Protein	12.6g	10.1g
Fat	33.9g	19.7g
Saturated fat	12.5g	7.9g
Carbohydrate	1.5g	2.5g
Protein per 100 kcal	3.5g	4.5g

Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked. How every number is computed sets out the method.

Allergens. eggs, milk, mustard.

The method is in the book

Look, you lose the creamy swoop you get from proper mayonnaise, and cottage cheese can't fix that. The spread is still tangy and sharp, with the pimento and cheddar front and centre. If you don't mind a grainier finish, you get a hit of protein and a tub you can attack without much regret. The original is better on texture, but unless you're serving Southerners with high standards, most people will only notice it's different after it's gone.

The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. Buy the paperback