Tomato Pie

Layers of fresh juicy tomatoes, bright summer herbs and tangy delicious CHEESE! This Tomato Pie Recipe is the ultimate Southern Dish. It literally SCREAMS “Summer Time” and is truly my most favorite dish of the summer.

Tomato Pie Recipe

Why This Recipe Works…

• Use IN SEASON yummy tomatoes OR canned tomatoes in the winter (I give you the secrets)!
• The combination of tomatoes, herbs and cheese is a taste you can’t beat! 
• Once you understand the SECRETS, your pie will be perfect every single time!

Here’s How This Tomato Pie Recipe is Done…

STEP 1. 

Peel the tomatoes (in case you need the EASIEST method ever), (you’ll need to boil water for that), slice them and let them drain on paper towels. Saute the onion and garlic.

Brown the onions and garlic

STEP 2. 

Mix the cheese together with the onions and garlic and spread into the par baked pie shell.

Mix up the cheese and mayo

STEP 3. 

Layer the peeled tomatoes with the cheese mixture and the herbs. 

Layer everything in the pie crust

STEP 4.

Top with final layer of cheese and bake. 

delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

WHAT IS TOMATO PIE?

If you need a dish that screams, “Southern Charm”, this is the one. The only requirement is a selection of tasty summer tomatoes (or really good canned tomatoes), some good SHARP cheddar, fresh basil and good mayo. 

Go check out your local farmer’s market or farm stand or perhaps your own garden!  That is where the best tomatoes grow anyway.

The recipe for Tomato Pie is a lovely old fashioned dish with a layering of fresh tomatoes and cheese and mayo. 

If you can imagine a summer tomato sandwich in a pie form? Hence, you’ll have it!

WHERE IS TOMATO PIE FROM? 

Tomato Pie is a southern dish and I’ve heard rumors that it comes from South Carolina. South Carolina Tomato Pie. Right?

I would assume that most anyplace that has an abundance of summer tomatoes would have a version of tomato pie!

WHAT KIND OF TOMATOES TO USE FOR TOMATO PIE?

For this dish, the best tomatoes are fresh ripe garden tomatoes. If you don’t have those, then the very best tomatoes from the grocery will do. 

However, if you can’t locate a good tomato, then use the “vine ripe” small tomatoes that are sold still on the stem at the grocery OR use plum type tomatoes at the grocery.

As it turns out, I used my windowsill tomatoes in this recipe and since we are leaving for vacation, this dish is going to have to go to a neighbor’s house. I’m sure that will be fine with them.

CAN I USE CANNED TOMATOES? 

YES! You Can! It’s a tad more tricky…

1. Drain the tomatoes 
2. Cut into slices
3. Place tomatoes on 3 layers of paper towels and apply a light sprinkle of kosher salt. 
4. Let the tomatoes sit like this for at least an hour. 
5. Use in place of the fresh tomatoes.

IS TOMATO PIE SERVED HOT OR COLD?

Tomato pie is best served warmed when the cheese is melty.

CAN YOU FREEZE TOMATO PIE?

The good news is that you probably won’t need to freeze any leftover tomato pie, because there won’t be any leftovers!

The bad news is that it doesn’t really freeze well. It won’t HURT you to freeze it, but the mayo in the recipe will separate and it looks gross when it does that and doesn’t really taste that good either. 

So, don’t freeze it.  If you can’t eat it all, give some to a neighbor !

HOW TO REHEAT TOMATO PIE

This pie is wonderful when reheated! You can do that several ways! 

• Simply preheat your oven to 350 and
• place the pie plate back in the oven for about 20 minutes
• OR you can put a piece on a plate and microwave for 1 minute. 

Check to see if it is warm and if it isn’t quite where you like it, then heat in 30 second intervals until it is!

WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOMATO PIE AND PIZZA?

Tomato Pie is NOT pizza! 

Tomato Pie is more like a quiche than anything, I’m going to assume you know what a pizza is. 

Imagine a rich fresh tomato sandwich marrying a quiche and then you’ll have the idea.

HOW LONG DOES TOMATO PIE LAST?

This question kind of makes me laugh because when my friend Emily and I have a tomato pie, it lasts, oh….. about 15 minutes. 

That isn’t really what you are asking though, is it? 

You want to know how long a tomato pie lasts when reasonable people have the opportunity to have one? You are safe to keep this pie in your fridge for about 5 days. 

The bottom WILL get watery though, those tomatoes cling onto their water.

TOMATO PIE WITH BACON

If you prefer your tomato pie with bacon, then…

Cook 4 strips of bacon extra crispy.

Crumble the bacon to small pieces.

Add the bacon pieces to the cheese mix and proceed with the recipe.

WHAT DO I SERVE WITH A TOMATO PIE?

We always enjoy some fresh summer veggies with our tomato pie! 

Something like sautéed squash or a

delicious ear of corn on the cob. 

How about Pinto Beans? 

Follow up your meal with Banana Pudding, you can’t go wrong!

Hot oil that is ready for the onion and garlic

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TOMATO PIE

• It’s important to use good fresh tomatoes. Avoid the tomatoes with the grainy centers. Use Plum tomatoes if there isn’t anything else fresh available because they usually have the best flavor and texture.
• Peeling the tomatoes isn’t really a big deal if you use a boiling water bath.
• It is IMPORTANT to salt and allow the tomatoes to drain properly, otherwise your pie will end up soupy.
• If you need to use canned tomatoes, just follow the instructions listed above.
• Use a half of a regular sized Vidalia onion if you don’t have a small one.
• You might want to use more garlic, I like more, but I only added one clove here because some folks are more sensitive. More is better in my book though.
• If you aren’t sure what a good sharp cheese is, I can recommend the Cabots brand or the “Helluva” brand.

IF YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE FOR TOMATO PIE, YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY…

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomato Parmigiana

Creamy Garlic Sundried Tomato Quiche

Ya’ll Help me Out, OK?

Please leave me a 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  comment below in the comment section , all right? I would LOVE to know if you made this recipe or even if you are planning to! Of course, head on over to Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram and tag me with some photos of your creation!

I can’t wait!

Ya’ll know I love your comments!! ❤

Tomato Pie

A simple old fashioned recipe for Tomato Pie

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate

Course: main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Tomato Pie, Fresh Tomato Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 478kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

• 1 baked deep dish pie crust
• 5-6 fist sized fresh tomatoes – peeled and sliced ¼ inch slices
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 small Vidalia Onion – diced
• 1 clove garlic – minced
• 3 cups good quality sharp cheddar cheese – grated
• 1 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 10 basil leaves – chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• preheat oven to 350. Bake pie shell according to package instructions. Peel the tomatoes and slice into ¼ inch slices. Lay slices out on a sheet tray over 3 layers of paper towels. Sprinkle the tomato slices with kosher salt and allow to drain for at least 30 minutes.
• Over medium heat in a skillet, sauté the onions and garlic until they are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• When tomatoes appear to have lost most of their water (after more than30 minutes) , blot off the face up side of the tomatoes with paper towels to remove as much of the puddled water as possible (this keeps your pie from becoming soupy).
• In a bowl, mix the cheese and the mayo together and set aside.
• Mix the onion and garlic mixture together with the cheese and mayo mixture until well blended.
• Place a layer of tomato slices into the bottom of your pie crust – and sprinkle this with pepper. Use about ¼ of the cheese/mayo mix to cover the tomatoes – no need to spread evenly or to try to spread out – just a few spoonfuls here and there will be fine. Cover with ½ of the basil
• Place a second layer of tomatoes on top of the first layer, sprinkle with pepper and cover with the rest of the basil. Use the rest of the mayo/cheese mix to cover the tomato layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30-35 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Notes

• It's important to use good fresh tomatoes.  Avoid the tomatoes with the grainy centers.  Use Plum tomatoes if there isn't anything else fresh available because they usually have the best flavor and texture.
• If you must use canned tomatoes, use the San Marzano whole canned tomatoes, drain them well, cut into slices and then drain on paper towels for at least an hour before using.  Your pie may be a little more loose, but the flavor will be good. 
• Peeling the tomatoes isn't really a big deal if you use a boiling water bath.  .
• It is IMPORTANT to salt and allow the tomatoes to drain properly, otherwise your pie will end up soupy.
• Use a half of a regular sized Vidalia onion if you don't have a small one.
• You might want to use more garlic, I like more, but I only added one clove here because some folks are more sensitive.  More is better in my book though.
• If you aren't sure what a good sharp cheese is, I can recommend the Cabots brand or the "Helluva" brand.
• Use a good flavorful mayonnaise like Hellmans, Dukes, Blue Plate or Aldi brand

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 478 Calories from Fat 369

% Daily Value*

Fat 41g63%

Saturated Fat 14g70%

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 968mg40%

Potassium 270mg8%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 1110IU22%

Vitamin C 11.6mg14%

Calcium 323mg32%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @loavesanddishes or tag #loavesanddishes!

***This recipe for Tomato Pie has been updated from the original publish date of July 27, 2015. New Information has been added including “why this recipe works”. “How it’s done” more tips and tricks, step by step instructions, nutritional information, tools to use, video and instructions for using canned tomatoes. Updated August 3, 2018 and June 24, 2019***  **PHOTO CREDIT FOR THIS POST – TATYANA GRIGORIAN***

A VERSE TO SHARE

After a trip to Chicago recently and now spending some time at a quiet beach, I am reminded of Jesus encouraging his followers to rest. It’s so very draining to be around large crowds of people (at least it is for me) and this quiet time to rest is coveted.

Which reminds me of an article I read recently with tips for ways to be happier! I agree with everything listed in the article and thought you might enjoy seeing it too.

Maybe you need a reminder to rest too? 

Mark 6:31

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”