Spicy Pimento Cheese Stuffed Potato Bites

You won’t be able to resist popping two or twelve of these spicy stuffed potato bites. Petite red potatoes are stuffed with spicy pimento cheese and topped with sharp shredded cheddar.

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Southerners love some “pimentacheese.” But using it to elevate another dish? Yes, please! Spicy pimento cheese stuffed potato bites are a great appetizer on game day, but the night I made these cheesy potato bites, The Husband and I served them as a tasty side dish with a nice juicy steak. The options are endless!

Store bought or homemade pimento cheese?

I wanted this easy appetizer to have a little kick. The secret ingredient is this delicious recipe for Chipotle Pepper Spicy Pimento Cheese. It has been a personal favorite of mine for several years.  You only need half the recipe for the potato bites. But if you are serving a crowd and need something yummy to spread on crackers or crudité, feel free to make the full recipe. It won’t go to waste because your guests will love it.

Best type of potato to use

I used petite small red potatoes. They are smaller than the standard red potatoes and they are the perfect potato because you can easily pop one in your mouth. I’ve also seen these called baby potatoes. Red potatoes have a firm, waxy texture which allow them to hold up well during baking and keep their shape when it’s time to hollow them out. If you can’t find baby potatoes, you can search through bulk bin for regular red potatoes and select the small potatoes. Other thin skinned potato varieties such as yellow or purple potatoes will also work.

Ingredients and tools you will need

To make this perfect appetizer recipe, you will need:

• 1/2 pound smoked cheddar, grated
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked, crumbled
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• 1 green onion, white and green parts chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon diced pimentos
• 20 petite red potatoes, washed 
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Additional sliced green onions for garnish, optional

How to make spicy pimento cheese stuffed potato bites

First, let’s make the pimento cheese. Make sure to set out the cream cheese (which is half a bar if you’re only making enough to fill the potatoes) about 30 minutes beforehand so it will be good and soft when you’re ready to go. Combine everything in a large mixing bowl and mix until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Cover the pimento cheese and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Bake the potatoes

We will need to bake off the potatoes first. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. I prefer a sheet pan with sides, sometimes called a jelly roll pan, so the potatoes don’t accidentally go rolling off the sides while you’re trying to put them in the oven. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Brush the potato skins with olive oil. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Don’t forget to turn them over and get the bottom!

Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until you can easily pierce them with a fork. They should still be a little firm. Overbaking the potatoes will make it harder to scoop out the insides later. Set the potatoes aside until they are cool enough to touch.

Assemble the potatoes

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degree oven. Gently slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the middle of each potato half. I recommend hollowing out the potatoes while they are still soft and warm.  Some people like to use a melon baller for this. I like to use just a plain old teaspoon.

We’re not going to be mixing the potato centers with the pimento cheese. No, no, I don’t want anything diluting that cheesy goodness. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw the scooped-out potatoes away. Find another use for them – like including them in a batch of Red Skin Garlic Mashed Potatoes or this Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole.

Once the potatoes are hollowed out, scoop one heaping teaspoon of pimento cheese into the center of each one. Doesn’t have to be exact. Place shredded cheddar cheese on the top of the potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve hot garnished with additional sliced green onions.

Prepping ahead

The pimento cheese can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. That is, if you think you can muster enough willpower not to eat the entire bowl before then. I don’t.

The potato bites can be made up to a day in advance. Bake, hollow and fill the potatoes with the pimento cheese, but don’t put the shredded cheese on top yet. Wait and do that right before baking. Cover the potatoes loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge. Let the potatoes come to room temperature first before putting them in the oven.

Storage, freezing and reheating

Storage. Let the potato bites cool, then transfer the leftover potatoes to an airtight container with a lid. If you need to stack them, place a piece of waxed or parchment paper between them. Consume within 5-7 days.

Freezing. Cooked potato bites can be frozen for up to three months. Let them cool, then put the entire baking sheet on a level surface in the freezer. Once the potatoes are frozen, you can transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. Allow the potatoes to thaw completely before baking.

Reheating. Let the thawed potato bites come to room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes until heated through. You could also reheat these in an air fryer at 350 degrees for five minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Serve these with

• Steak Oscar
• Air Fryer Steak Tips
• Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

More potato recipes

• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Southern Potato Salad
• Cheesy Ranch Roasted Potatoes