Here's everything worth knowing about pimiento strips and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 9 recipes to cook tonight.

What are pimiento strips?

Pimiento strips are jarred sweet red peppers, sliced into ribbons and packed in brine or their own juices. The pimiento (also spelled pimento) is a small, heart-shaped chili that ripens deep red and tastes mild and sweet, with none of the heat of a hot pepper.

In the jar they are already roasted and peeled, so they arrive soft and silky, ready to use straight from the brine. That convenience is the point: they add a pop of color and gentle sweetness to a dish without any prep.

You will find them shelved with olives and pickles, not with fresh produce.

Using Pimiento Strips

Their most famous job is in pimiento cheese, the Southern spread of grated cheddar and mayonnaise bound with chopped pimientos. The same diced peppers are what fill the hollow of a green cocktail olive.

Drained and chopped, they fold into rice and casserole dishes for color and a touch of sweetness. They lend sweetness and red flecks to Aunt Julia's Paella and both versions of Arroz Amarillo Con Camarones (Yellow Rice & Shrimp), and they stir easily into a Crock Pot Chicken & Rice.

They also work cold as a garnish or in a marinade, slivered over deviled eggs, tucked into the Chinese Quiche, or tossed through Marinated Broccoli Chunks for a flash of red.

Because they are already cooked, add them near the end of cooking. They only need to warm through, and long simmering turns them mushy and washes out their color.

Flavor and Common Mistakes

Pimientos are sweet and slightly tangy from the brine, with a soft, tender texture. They go naturally with sharp cheddar, eggs, briny olives, and smoky paprika, and they add color to pale dishes like rice and creamy soups.

The mistake to watch is liquid. Jarred pimientos hold a lot of brine, so always drain and pat them dry before they go into a cheese spread or a casserole, or the extra moisture turns the dish loose and waters down the flavor.

A second misstep is treating them as spicy. They contribute no heat at all, so if a recipe wants warmth you need a separate chili or a pinch of cayenne; the pimiento is there for sweetness and color.

Substitutes

The closest swap is a jarred roasted red pepper, cut into strips. It is the same idea in a larger pepper, a little smokier and less uniformly sweet, and works at a one-for-one measure.

Fresh roasted red bell pepper also stands in. Roast and peel it yourself for a fresher, firmer result, though you lose the soft brined texture and the pre-cooked convenience. Use the same volume once peeled.

In a casserole where the pepper is mostly for color, a few spoonfuls of chopped raw red bell pepper work, but add them earlier so they soften, since raw they are crunchier and grassier than the silky jarred version.

Buying and Storing

Pimientos are sold in small glass jars, whole, sliced into strips, or diced, usually near the olives and canned vegetables. Sliced and diced are the most useful for cooking; whole pimientos give you the most control if you want to cut them yourself.

An unopened jar keeps in the pantry until its best-by date, often a year or more thanks to the brine. Check that the lid is sealed and the liquid is clear, not cloudy.

Once opened, keep the peppers submerged in their liquid and refrigerated, where they last about 1 to 2 weeks. If the brine runs low, top it with a little water so the strips stay covered. Discard them if the liquid turns cloudy or smells sour.

Quick facts

In Chinese

甜椒条

British (UK) term

Pimiento strips

en français

bandes de piment

en español

tiras de pimiento

Recipes using pimiento strips

There are 9 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 9 recipes