Many people, including the vegans, are wondering is pimento cheese gluten free. The spread has gained its own popularity over the years. Many have stated that it is also super tasty and delicious, but those vegan people are upset because they think they can’t consume it. So, is the spread gluten free? If it isn’t, can it be made into a gluten free version?
Is Pimento Cheese Gluten Free? Getting to Know the Spread
In case you are clueless about it, you should know that pimento cheese refers to a spread (the cheesy type, naturally) that is made from mayonnaise, pimento, cheddar cheese, and other types of extra ingredients and additions. It’s a popular and also favorable Southern dish, often served on sandwiches and crackers during potlucks and picnics.
For vegans or people with gluten sensitive issue, having a pimento cheese can be an issue. They aren’t sure whether it’s safe to consume, and yet, they want to try it because of its good reputation as an extremely tasty dish. If you are one of those curious souls, you won’t have to worry. Pimento cheese is safe to consume for those gluten sensitive people because it’s gluten free.
Made from gluten free ingredients, it’s quite logical if the dish is also free of glutens. The main ingredients would be pimento and cheddar cheese. Both of them are naturally free of gluten. Depending on the recipes, other ingredients can also be ‘made’ gluten free. For instance, sour cream or cream cheese is gluten free, and so is the mayonnaise. However, you need to check the ingredient label to really understand the basic ingredients. Some products may use not-so-gluten-free mayonnaise, so be careful about it.
Making the Spread
You can have the store-bought spread or the homemade type. If you go with the latter, you can even make it yourself quite easily. This (cheese) spread is made by mixing up diced pimento, mayonnaise, and cheese. When they are mixed and stirred together, you can add up other ingredients, like garlic powder, mustard, and vinegar. Feel free to add up other spices to create a creamy spread.
As you can see, the basic ingredients are all gluten free, so there is no need to worry about it. The steps to make one are also pretty straightforward. You just need to grate the cheese, mix it up with the mayo, add the pimento, and then add up other seasonings and spices. There is no specific cheese type either. You can use Velveeta, Colby, or regular cheddar type.
Final Consideration
If you are worried that the store-bought pimento cheese has gluten in it, always check the label. Some people even go further by contacting the manufacturer to confirm whether the product contains gluten or not.
Of course, the easiest and simplest way to make sure that it’s gluten free is to make one by yourself. You know what you include in the mix and you can be sure that it’s completely hygienic – with as minimal contamination as possible. But in general, if you are wondering is pimento cheese gluten free, now you know the real answer.
