Filipino Cheese Pimiento Spread (Pimento Cheese)

Cheese Pimiento is a creamy Filipino-style spread made with savory Queso de Bola (also known as Edam), cheddar, chopped pimento, and good-quality mayonnaise! Similar to its cousin, Southern pimento cheese, Filipino cheese pimiento is creamy, slightly tangy, and a beautiful blend of cheese flavor and sweet roasted pimento pepper. My family recipe was a staple for holiday gatherings with family or for merienda (afternoon snack), and served on warm pan de sal or homemade bread.

I have fond memories of my mom creating holiday magic in our tiny kitchen in New York. Already exhausted from hospital shifts, she would continue the “home shift” in the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s, prepping and cooking dishes that brought back the nostalgic flavors of her childhood holidays in the Philippines. She would bake trays of homemade pan de sal, order extra salty Virginia ham, and shred rounds of queso de bola to make her favorite cheese pimiento.

Growing up, I didn’t know anyone else in our neighborhood who made cheese pimiento, and for years, I thought our tradition was purely Filipino. There was nothing better than bites of the creamy, tangy cheese spread on warm, freshly baked pan de sal, alternated with nibbles of salty ham. I would secretly hope for leftovers so she could pack me sandwiches for school!

But imagine my surprise when I learned that there is a very strong pimento cheese tradition in the southern states! These days, I encounter it often, whether it’s the buzz around Master’s tournaments or on a southern-inspired menu at a restaurant. All these years, and it turns out that these cousin condiments share the same delicious flavors.

About Filipino Cheese Pimiento

The colonial history of cheese pimiento in the Philippines has been explored and explained by Trinidad Escobar and Malaka Gharib, and points to both the Spanish and American colonization and introduction of ingredients. This included Queso de Bola, the wax-wrapped Edam cheese, along with pimiento peppers. 

It is generally agreed that queso de bola was introduced by the Spaniards, and aside from this spread, has a beloved place on the Noche Buena table, alongside jamon and pan de sal — a tradition that my family has kept alive for our Christmas gatherings. This was the cheese of choice when my mother would make her cheese pimiento, but sometimes she added a very sharp cheddar to add a little complexity to the flavor.

As for the pimiento, many attribute this ingredient to the Spanish as well. However, there is also an American storyline here: the introduction of pimento to the United States also developed their love for pimento cheese made with cream cheese, which was introduced in the Philippines during the American occupation.

By the time my mother was a young lady growing up in Manila, pimiento cheese was a staple for merienda (snack), entertaining, and holidays. She had such a special love for the condiment and passed it on to us! Looking back, I think she secretly made pimiento cheese all for herself, since she was the one most excited about its presence on the table.

How to Make Filipino Cheese Pimiento

These days, I find myself sharing my mother’s love – and when we have queso de bola in the refrigerator, I have to set some aside to make my mom’s recipe. It is so very easy!

I like to finely mince the pimento cheese and shred both the queso de bola and cheddar cheese by hand. This little bit of work is the hardest part (which is to say, it’s not hard at all!). Simply combine the ingredients with an electric mixer, then add the mayonnaise and mix until smooth. You will see other versions of pimiento cheese that look quite thin, but I like to keep it thick, like my mother’s.

More Cheesy Filipino Recipes

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Bibingka: Filipino Coconut-Rice Cake

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