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Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese

This Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese recipe will blow you away. It’s spicy, comforting, satisfying, cheesy, delicious, healthy – your new favorite vegan cheese to dip in!

Bowl of the Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese garnished with diced bell pepper.

Recently, there was a small party at the home of my new buddy Sem. I was happy to realize that a potluck event is something popular here as well.

Everyone comes and brings some of their creations. Some people bring appetizers like pinwheels while others are up to bringing desserts.

I took the opportunity to try out my newest creation with my friends: my new Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese recipe. So versatile as a dip and spread – a perfect party food.

Don’t you think so?

I created this recipe while I was in something like a phase of re-inventing my favorite foods in vegan style.

And I remembered that I had once tried something at a party years ago that really impressed me at the time. Pimento Cheese. To make this vegan and gluten-free was definitely a challenge for me.

The idea had been floating in my mind for some time before. Do you know what? This party was to be the day!

Closeup of Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese.

Traditionally, Pimento cheese is made from mayonnaise, cheddar and cream cheese – which is obviously not vegan, dairy free or plant based. I have to admit that the thought of having to give up cheese when I was going vegan was tough.

And when you move to a place like the Netherlands which is absolutely a land of cheese, in which people are addicted to cheese, it’s not getting any easier.

What a fun situation you might think? Going to a party with a lot of cheese lover people and bring something completely unexpected. Yes, this was definitely a challenge for sure. First: I want to recreate one of my favorite recipes without sacrificing any taste.

And when I serve this no one should realize it’s vegan. It should be delicious, satisfying, creamy – nothing would give away that it wasn’t “real”.

So I headed to Sem’s house with a bowl of my Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese! It took some trial and error but in the final version, no one could taste it was vegan or gluten free.

The whole bowl was empty in no time. There were loads of appetizers and scrumptious desserts – a whole lot of variety, you got the picture. But the Vegan Pimento Cheese was the star and I got a lot of requests during this gathering about the recipe.

It shows: Serve this to your friends or family and you will be the star at any occasion. 🙂

Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese closeup.

Why my Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese is a stunner!

Some time ago I came across an interesting article on One Green Planet about vegan cheese and why you don’t have to miss cheese with a plant-based diet. I have not only this Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese recipe for you but also my Vegan Cheese Sauce. If you want more variety, then go and read  “These 25 Vegan Cheeses Will Make You Quit Dairy Forever“.

Let’s have a look at the ingredients I chose for the Pimento Cheese: I went with chickpeas here, which I find provide the best texture in my recipe.

They are not too firm or too soft, somewhat fluffy –  just what this recipe should be.  I keep it really simple for you and just used some nutritional yeast to add a cheesy flavor. As you know Contentedness Cooking is all about healthy vegan recipes in easy steps.

 

Dipping a radicchio into the Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese.

And besides the chickpeas and nutritional yeast, all it takes is 2 more ingredients: veganaise and pimentos, obviously.

All the ingredients work absolutely fantastic: the chickpeas add texture, the pimentos add spiciness, the nutritional yeast gives a cheesy flavor and the veganaise adds creaminess.

Simple, isn’t it?  It also means this is so much easier that the real deal and for sure healthier for you. You only need one simple step to make this, no cooking, baking or other cooking steps required.

One piece of advice: if you bring this to a party, do yourself a favor and don’t make just one bowl. This was such a big hit and the bowl was empty in no time. What I learned for the next time, yes I have to double or triple the ingredients!

Collage of two pictures of the Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese with recipe title text.

If you try this Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese, I hope you will snap a picture and let me know on FacebookPinterest, or Instagram.

I love to see everything you do.

Cheers, Florian.

Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese | #vegan #glutenfree www.contentednesscooking.com

Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese

Yield: 16
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes

This Easy Vegan Pimento Cheese recipe will blow you away. It’s spicy, comforting, satisfying, cheesy, delicious, healthy – your new favorite vegan cheese to dip in!

Ingredients

  • 1 14 oz (400 g) can chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup (110 ml) veganaise
  • 1 4 oz (120 g) jar sliced pimentos
  • 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
  • salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Drain the chickpeas and pimentos. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Garnish with some pimento dices.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 Tbsp
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 65Total Fat: 6.5gSaturated Fat: 1.9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3.7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 0.4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 1.7g

serena serafin

Tuesday 28th of September 2021

Not a fan of "mayo." Do you think vegan sour cream would work?

Florian

Wednesday 29th of September 2021

Hi Serena! It will work, but the result will be really different. Hope that helps.

Pat

Tuesday 23rd of January 2018

Yummy. Way to go Florian. I made this tonight and added onion & garlic powder and hot sauce!!! Taking to office tomorrow.

Florian

Tuesday 23rd of January 2018

Hi Pat! One of my favorites! So good! Thanks for your amazing feedback!

nicolestovall

Friday 24th of February 2017

Amazing, thankyou, you absolute awesome of all awesome person!

Florian @ContentednessCooking

Friday 24th of February 2017

Happy to help!

Peter Block

Thursday 17th of March 2016

I love pimento cheese. I am really keeping my eye open for more vegan recipes to try. This is on my list.

Florian @ContentednessCooking

Friday 18th of March 2016

Awesome! Let me know what you think, Peter!

Tara

Wednesday 16th of March 2016

How pretty is that, you make the best recipes!!

Florian @ContentednessCooking

Friday 18th of March 2016

Thanks, Tara!

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