Tasty Cheese Paste Recipe with Fresh Caribbean Herbs

This is not a traditional Trini cheese paste recipe; but it is a tasty one.

It has the classic flavors of Caribbean herbs plus the saltiness of the cheddar cheese.

What is in this cheese paste recipe

For this recipe, you will need:

  • cheddar cheese (New Zealand cheddar)
  • butter
  • chive
  • cilantro leaves (we call it celery in Trinidad)
  • pepper like pimento

Optional add-ons include:

  • mustard
  • mayonnaise
  • ketchup
  • grated carrots
cheese paste recipe ingredients

How to make this cheese paste recipe

Step 1: Remove the butter from the fridge and leave on the counter to get to room temperature.

Step 2: Wash the chive, cilantro leaves and pimento. Finely chop everything. By the way, I didn’t have pimentos today so it’s not here in the photo.

Step 3: Grate the cheddar cheese.

prepped cheese paste ingredients

Step 4: Mix the softened butter, herbs, pepper and cheese altogether. The softer the butter, the better the cheese paste can be incorporated and mixed. The soft mixture will also be easy to spread.

mix herbs into butter

Step 5: At this point you can add whatever other flavorings you enjoy like mustard or garlic powder. Personally, I love the cheese paste with just the fresh herbs and nothing else but you should definitely make it your own. There is no right or wrong way when it comes to cheese paste!

Anyway, this is my uncomplicated, simple and tasty Trini cheese paste recipe. Here’s a super close up.

finished trini cheese paste closeup

Tips for making cheese paste

Trini cheese comes from New Zealand cheddar cheese brands. It is very creamy and salty. It’s a bit tough to find outside of T&T but if you’re looking for a substitute try using a salty sharp cheddar.

The butter should be at room temperature so it can be spreadable and mixable. Or you can use a food processor.

Mayonnaise can help improve the spreadable nature of the cheese paste; but I’m not a big fan of using mayonnaise, so I don’t usually add it in.

Besides chive and cilantro, you can use some of your other favorite herbs like basil or rosemary. I absolutely love the chive-cilantro combo, but I’ve also added in chopped chadon beni before.

You can pre-grate your cheese way beforehand and freeze. When it’s time to make this cheese paste, take the cheese out and bring both the cheese and the butter to room temperature. Mix in the herbs and make the paste as you would normally do.

You can batch make the cheese paste. It’ll stay for about three or four days in the fridge but it will be tough to spread when cold.

trini cheese paste recipe

More recipes

Cheese paste recipe with fresh herbs


Trini cheese paste recipe with fresh Caribbean herbs

This Trini cheese paste recipe is not a traditional one but it is certainly a tasty one with fresh herbs like chives and cilantro leaves.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: trini cheese paste
Servings: 8
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Ros Singh

Ingredients

  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (roughly 120 g)
  • ½ cup butter (100 g)
  • ¼ cup chives (chopped)
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
  • 1 pimento pepper (chopped)

Instructions

  • Leave the butter on the counter to come to room temperature.
  • Mix the chopped chives, cilantro and pepper with the softened butter.
  • Add in the cheese and incorporate.
  • Use immediately or store in the fridge.

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trinidad cheese paste pinterest image

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