Name: Baked Pimento Cheese Dip
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese; ⅔ cup mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 8 ounces yellow extra-sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups); 2 (4-ounce) jars pimentos , drained, patted dry, and minced

Why This Recipe Works

Pimento cheese, often called the caviar of the South, is the ultimate refrigerator condiment for snacking or slathering on bread or crackers. It's been adapted into many variations, including a hot, melty dip. Because such a cheesy mixture has the potential to curdle or exude excess oil when heated, we made a few adjustments to ensure a cohesive, smooth result. For one, we microwaved the cream cheese to jump-start the warming process, which helped maintain a creamy, cohesive consistency. We opted for extra-sharp cheddar for a strong, cheesy flavor, along with a generous amount of pimento peppers to permeate the dip. Mayonnaise kept the mixture creamy, and Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper added subtle heat and savoriness. We baked the dip just briefly at a high temperature, which gently warmed it without overcooking it and browned the edges. After the dip has rested, serve it with tortilla chips, crackers, and/or pickle spears for a craveable, shareable Southern snack.

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Before You Begin

We prefer the flavor of extra-sharp cheddar in this recipe, but sharp cheddar also works. Serve this dip with crackers, tortilla chips, or pickle spears.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave cream cheese in large bowl until warmed and very soft, about 1 minute, stirring with silicone spatula halfway through microwaving.

Using silicone spatula, fold mayonnaise, Worcestershire, and cayenne into softened cream cheese until evenly combined and no lumps remain. Fold in cheddar and pimentos. Transfer mixture to 1-quart baking dish and smooth top with silicone spatula.

Bake until mixture is browned at edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.TO MAKE AHEAD: After transferring pimento cheese mixture to dish in step 2, cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Increase baking time to 30 to 35 minutes.