Chunky Pimento Melt

Name: Chunky Pimento Melt
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 21 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded; 4 ounces softened cream cheese; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1/3 cup diced pimento peppers drained; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 4 slices cooked bacon crumbled; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 8 slices sturdy sandwich bread; butter enough for spreading on bread

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 14 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Sharp cheddar melds with tangy cream cheese, mayo, pimentos, and smoky bacon for a chunky, pink-hued spread. Buttered bread crisps golden. Medium heat grilling locks in gooey texture with just the right crunch.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 9 min

Total: 21 min

Servings: 4 servings

#American cuisine #grilled cheese #sandwich recipes #bacon sandwiches #pimento cheese

Before You Start

Cheese blends not just textures but moods. Sharp cheddar bites hard, cream cheese smooths the ride, mayo binds, pimentos bring unexpected tang and color, and bacon storms in with smoky crunch. Buttered bread crust sets the stage. Cooking over medium heat demands patience — wait for that golden-brown shout-out, ignore clocks. Too fast and you burn crust, too slow and bread dries out. Learned the hard way — every flip, a sensory check. Press just right so filling clings, doesn’t escape. Creamy pink spread, chunky but inviting. Aroma: bacon, garlic, cheddar funk all wrapped in buttery crisp. Best eaten hot. When you get it, simple ingredients play a perfect messy symphony.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
4 ounces softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup diced pimento peppers drained
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 slices cooked bacon crumbled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 slices sturdy sandwich bread
butter enough for spreading on bread

About the ingredients

Cream cheese texture is crucial. Too cold and it won’t combine, too warm and spread gets runny. Mayo adds moisture and slight tang, sub with Greek yogurt or sour cream if preferred. Pimentos aren’t just a color pop; they provide mild sweetness and acidity balancing cheese richness. Crumbled cooked bacon introduces smoky saltiness absent from original. Kosher salt here—not table salt—provides crunch hint and better control over saltiness. Bread choice sets the foundation; sturdy, hearty sandwich loaf better than thin, soft white bread. Buttering the bread before pan is non-negotiable for even browning. Avoid margarine or blends with low smoke points. Food processor pulses, not purees, keep spread rustic chunks. Adjust garlic powder; too much dulls sharp cheddar notes.

Method

Spread assembly

Start by roughly chopping cooked bacon. Combine cheddar, cream cheese softened, mayo, diced pimentos, garlic powder, bacon, and kosher salt in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts. Mixture should turn pale pink, chunks still visible. Don’t over-process — texture matters.

Bread prep

Butter one side of each bread slice thoroughly but don’t saturate. This side hits the skillet for a golden crust.
Smear the pimento spread thick and even on the other side of each bread slice. Avoid edging the spread right to crust to keep it inside during cooking.

Cooking

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. You want enough space for two sandwiches but not overcrowded.
Place a buttered side of bread down on skillet, spread side up. Top with another slice spread side down, butter up to the pan. Sandwich assembly butters outside for perfect crust.
Listen for gentle sizzle. Watch edges carefully. Wait for the bottom to turn golden brown and crisp — usually around 4 minutes, but eyes and touch rule. If it burns quick, lower heat.
Flip the sandwich carefully. Use a spatula to gently press sandwich, helping bond bread and filling but not crushing so pimento bulges out. Pressing too hard? Messy filling escape.
Cook second side another 3–4 minutes till golden. The filling rarely melts fully but warms and softens into pockets of gooeyness. Visually, edges crisp up; smell is rich bacon, sharp cheddar, roasted garlic.
Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Keep finished ones loosely tented with foil to maintain crunch and warmth without sogginess.
Cut each sandwich diagonally. Bite in. Cream cheese tang, bright pimento bites, crunchy bacon fuse with sharp cheddar funk. Bread crunch sings through.
If spread too thick, sandwich becomes sloppy. If too thin, loses character. Balance is key.
Easy fix for mayo allergies: swap out mayo for sour cream or Greek yogurt, less fat but similar tang and moisture.
No pimentos? Roast a red bell pepper and finely chop as substitute. Adds sweetness but less tang.
Don’t use super soft sandwich bread — it’ll get soggy fast and lacks structural integrity here.
Butter should be near room temperature for easy spreading. Cold butter tears bread. Melted butter in pan sometimes burns faster — so, spread it on bread, not skillet.
If bacon isn’t an option, smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke works to mimic that savory depth. Just a little. Too much overpowers.
This spread doubles as a dip. Try it warmed with tortilla chips for late-night snack riff.
Leftover spread? Keeps well covered in fridge 3 days. Bring to room temp or gentle microwave zap before use.
Key is medium heat, patience. Too hot, bread chars, filling stays cold inside. Too low, bread dry and pale.
Use a heavy skillet or cast iron for even heat distribution. Thin pans create hotspots and uneven crust.
Press sandwich with a spatula, not hand. Hand pressure is uneven and tends to squeeze too hard, squeezing out filling.
Try an extra slice of cheese inside if you want a more molten melt effect. This spread itself doesn’t melt fully but adding melty cheese boosts goo factor.
Wearing socks? You’ll be craving this sometime soon. The smell alone is a sucker punch.
Kitchen soundscape: soft sizzle, gentle flip splash, faint crackle of crisp buttered crust.
Every cook needs this in their arsenal if they treasure serious grilled cheese but crave something different, carnivore-approved, with texture punches and smoky hints.

Cooking tips

Food processor settings matter: quick pulses, short bursts. Watch mixture transform from orange to pale pink but chunky. Overprocessing makes spread gluey. Butter one side of bread evenly with room temp butter — tearing ruins final crust texture. Spread pimento evenly on unbuttered side to keep balance. Medium heat on skillet—check by flicking water drops; if they dance instead of sizzling away instantly, temperature’s right. Place sandwiches butter-side down for golden crunch. Flip when edges show deep golden contrast and crust resists light lift. Press gently after flipping to bond slices but avoid bulging filling. Timing is visual and sound-based. Do two sandwiches max per batch. Keep finished sandwiches loosely covered with foil to retain warmth yet avoid sogginess. Cleanup trick: soak skillet while sandwiches finish second batch. Adjust seasoning last if needed with salt or extra garlic powder after tasting.

Chef's notes

💡 Chop bacon roughly, no fines unless you want gluey spread. Pulse food processor short bursts only. Watch color shift orange to pale pink. Chunky bits remain. Over-process, spread gloopy mess. Butter bread side evenly; cold butter tears bread, melt butter in pan burns fast. Spread pimento on unbuttered side avoid crust edges or spill during cook.
💡 Medium heat on skillet key. Flick water drop, if dance on surface, temp right. Too hot? Burns crust fast. Too low? Dry bread, cold filling still square in middle. Sizzle soft, not roar. Flip when edges turn golden-brown deep, crust resists light lift from pan. Press sandwich gently with spatula only, too much crushes and filling squeezes out messy.
💡 Adjust pimento quantity cautiously. Less pimento means cheddar dominance but drier spread. More? Risk mushy, hard to handle. Bacon moisture affects spread texture; for dry bacon, fold strips in paper towel prior. No bacon? Smoked paprika or liquid smoke dash mimics smoky profiles. Mayo sub Greek yogurt or sour cream keeps tang, less fat. Swap pimentos with roasted red bell pepper chopped fine for milder acidity.
💡 Sandwich assembly matters. Butter side down on skillet, spread side up. Top slice spread down, butter out. Crust golden from outside butter, inside filling warms. Avoid overcrowding pan. Two sandwiches max or temp drop, uneven cooking. Rest cooked sandwiches loosely covered with foil, keeps crunch but avoids soggy trap. Edges crisp, interior gooey pockets; smell garlic, bacon, cheddar funk lingers in air.
💡 Try extra cheese slice inside for more molten melt effect. Pimento spread melts only partially, gooey pockets form not full liquefy. Press after flip helps bond but don’t squeeze hard. Thin bread tears, collapses during cook; sturdy sandwich loaf better for structure. Butter near room temperature applies smooth. If rush, finish sandwiches in oven (350F) wrapped foil keeps warmth melts filling some more without crust burns.

Common questions

How to avoid soggy bread?

Butter bread one side only. Spread pimento on opposite side. Buttered side goes down on skillet. Helps crust develop. Medium heat, no rush. Check edges golden, not too dark. Thin bread worst culprit; folds, collapses.

What if no food processor?

Mash with fork. Chunkier texture, less uniform but okay. Mix crumbled bacon last. Avoid over mixing to keep spread rustic chunky. No bacon? Add smoky spices. Substitute mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt for moisture and tang.

How to know when sandwich is done?

Listen soft sizzle not loud pop. Edges turn deep gold, crust resists when lifted lightly. Finger feel crust firmness. Flip carefully, press gently with spatula after flip. Filling never fully melts; forms gooey pockets. Smell rich bacon, roasted garlic, sharp cheddar funk signals readiness.

How long keep leftover spread?

Up to 3 days covered in fridge. Bring to room temp or gentle microwave zap before use. Spread thickens cold. Stir if separated. Use also as dip warmed with chips. No freezer recommended; texture suffers.