Cheddar is the main cheese ingredient in pimento cheese. The classic spread combines grated cheddar with mayonnaise and chopped pimentos, creating a creamy, tangy mixture closely associated with Southern American cooking.
Pimento cheese actually began in the Northern United States in the early 20th century. A 1908 Good Housekeeping recipe used soft cream cheese and minced pimentos, while later recipes increasingly favored cheddar. Southern cooks helped popularize the version most familiar today, often using locally available cheese and mayonnaise.
Recipes vary widely. Some include cream cheese, hot sauce, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, jalapeños, onions, or pickles, and commercial versions may use processed cheese. Those variations do not change the usual answer to this question: cheddar is the standard cheese associated with pimento cheese.
The spread may be served on crackers, celery, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, or even grits. Its popularity at Georgia’s Masters Tournament has also helped make the pimento-cheese sandwich a nationally recognized Southern food.