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Southern summer meals are about thick juicy tomatoes pressed together with a cheesy mayonnaise base and baked in a flakey pie shell. Making this classic Southern Tomato Pie Recipe is one of the best ways to use summer tomatoes.
Southern Tomato Pie
Dining al fresco southern style takes on a tasty level of flavor when you serve Southern Tomato Pie. Layers of fresh tomatoes, roasted to perfection, are combined with melted cheese and a creamy mayonnaise base in this delicious dish.
I find I can never consume too many tomatoes during the warm summer months, which is why I’m always preparing this recipe for dinner as well as this cucumber tomato salad and fried green tomatoes.
What is Tomato Pie
This famously southern savory dish is filled with fresh tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and finely chopped fresh herbs. Tomato Pie is perfect for summer when the fruit is most in season and can be served for meals such as brunch or dinner, or even an appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients in Southern Tomato Pie
What makes this recipe so delicious is the many fresh ingredients. All of these items can be found year-round, but are best during those summer months when they’re freshest.
- Tomatoes: the star of this delicious dish is the tomato and the best ones to use are the firmest ones you can find. Give the tomato a slight squeeze when shopping to test firmness. Beefsteak and Roma tomatoes are often the best options.
- Salt: this key ingredient isn’t for adding flavor, but for removing excess moisture from the tomatoes. Using salt to do this helps to keep the pie from becoming soggy.
- Bacon: adding the bacon to this recipe is purely optional, but it adds such a rich savory flavor. When I’m trying to cut down on time I leave it out but when I’m looking for something extra decadent I add it.
- Garlic: the pungent and spicy garlic flavors subside as they’re cooked in the bacon grease and add an extra delicious unique flavor to the tomato pie.
- Cheddar Cheese: using a white cheddar cheese is almost a must for this recipe as the combination of cheddar and tomato are just perfect together. You can use other hard cheeses, but I recommend grating then instead of buying shredded.
- Mayonnaise: the mayonnaise base of this recipe adds a delicious creamy flavor that helps to bind the other ingredients together. The unique mayonnaise taste blends perfectly with the cheese and tomatoes.
- Fresh Basil: this tomato pie is filled with fresh ingredients so chopping some fresh basil will only add to the overall freshness. The distinct flavor of this herb is known to work well with tomatoes and this recipe is no different.
- Chives: you’ll want to chop up some fresh chives for this recipe too, which are full of herby flavor and pair well with the basil.
- Dijon Mustard: placing a small amount of dijon mustard into the base of the pie adds a hint of tanginess that balances the other flavors.
- Egg: The egg is needed to bind all the pie ingredients together so they firm up in the cooking process and hold together once fully cooked.
- Pie Crust: You can use any type of pie crust for this recipe, but my preference is a Buttermilk Pie Crust, which is perfect for savory pies.
How to Make Tomato Pie
There are several different versions of tomato pie, most of which are very simple. This recipe, though it has a few additional steps, is also easy. Many recipes don’t suggest roasting the tomatoes that go in the filling. I highly recommend this step because it adds flavor, as well as pull additional moisture from the tomatoes.
Blind baking the pie crust is also optional, but again, this important step creates an extra flaky pie crust. Additional tips for preparing this southern tomato pie are listed below.
- Par-Bake Crust (optional): Place the pie crust into a pie dish and bake at 400ºF for 14 to 15 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.
- Prep Tomatoes:
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place 7 to 8 slices of tomato on the sheet and sprinkle with salt. Cover with an additional layer of paper towels and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (if not already) and place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and lightly coat in oil. Line the remaining tomato slices in a single layer on the rack and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the tomatoes begin to slightly dry out.
- Cook Bacon and Garlic: Place the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon remove the mixture and spoon it onto a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium-sized bowl mix the cheese, mayonnaise, basil, chives, dijon mustard, and egg until smooth. Fold in the bacon and garlic.
- Arrange Pie:
- Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture on the bottom of your pie crust (it won’t be a perfectly even layer), and then place half the roasted tomatoes on top overlapping some. Spread another 1/3 of the cheese mixture and layer with the remaining roasted tomatoes. Finish spreading the last of the cheese mixture on top.
- Place the remaining salted tomatoes on top and gently press them into the pie layers. If you par-baked the pie crust shield the edges of the pie using aluminum foil.
- Bake: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the filling is set. Place the cooked pie on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Best Tomatoes for Tomato Pie
The firmer the tomato the better for this recipe. Beefsteak and Roma tomatoes are generally the best because they’re the least juicy. You can also use heirloom tomatoes too as long as you salt and roast them to remove the access moisture.
How to Store Tomato Pie
The best option for storing this summer pie is to keep it in the pie dish. Cover it with a plastic wrap or liner and store it in the refrigerator. Completely cover the edges of the dish so no air gets under the covering. You can also slice it up and place it into an air-tight container and keep it in the refrigerator.
What to serve with tomato pie
A slice of this pie is almost a complete meal. Something as simple as a side salad will pair perfectly if you’re looking for more. Some other options are to stick with a vegetable side dish like the ones listed below.
FAQ’s for Making Tomato Pie
Can you freeze this pie?
Yes. Because the tomatoes tend to retain a little more liquid when they’ve frozen the pie will have a tad more fluidity to it. The mayonnaise helps to keep the base of the pie intact though.
To freeze southern tomato pie let it cool completely and then flash freeze for 20 minutes. Place the cooked pie into the freezer, uncovered, to do this. Then remove it and double wrap it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If frozen this pie will last up to 3 weeks in the freezer.
Can you make tomato pie ahead of time?
Yes, if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. You can make this pie 2 days before serving it. Before reheating, remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes before placing it back in the oven.
In order to make this pie ahead of time let it cool completely. Then tightly cover it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
Can I use a frozen pie crust?
Of course! Make sure to let the frozen pie crust thaw slightly before placing it in the pie dish. I personally like to buy a two-pack of frozen crusts and double them up by using both.
Do I have to roast the tomatoes?
It is not necessary to roast part of the tomatoes before placing them in the pie. I do recommend salting them to remove excess liquid. To do so place the sliced tomatoes on a towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. This keeps the pie from being runny.
Can I use shredded cheese?
You can, however, shredded cheese tends to not melt together as perfectly as freshly grated cheese will. The potato starch often found in shredded cheese keeps it melting as grated cheese does.
Tips for Making the Best Tomato Pie
- If you’re in a pinch or just prefer a frozen crust, buy a 2-pack and use them both for an extra thick crust.
- To further reduce the moisture roast the tomatoes that go in the pie filling.
- Laying the sliced tomatoes that go on the top layer of the pie on a paper towel-line baking sheet and salting them helps to remove access water.
- Par-bake the pie crust. Place it on the lowest rack and bake it almost completely to achieve a super flakey crust instead of a soggy one.
- Allow the pie to sit for about 20 minutes after cooking before slicing it. This will allow it to firm up slightly and creates a cleaner slice.
Southern Tomato Pie
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
- Sharp Chef's Knife
- Skillet
- Cheese Grater
- Mixing Bowl
- Pie Dish
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Tomatoes beefsteak, Roma, or Heirloom
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 6 slices Bacon chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 8 ounces White Cheddar Cheese grated
- 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons Chives chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Pie Crust
Instructions
Prep the Crust (optional)
- Place the pie shell on the bottom rack of the oven and par-bake it at 350ºF until it's almost fully cooked. This step is optional but helps to create a flaky crust. Follow the directions for cooking your pie shell and just slightly undercook it by about 5 minutes.
Prep Tomatoes
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place 7 to 8 slices of tomato on the sheet and sprinkle with salt. Cover with an additional layer of paper towels and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and lightly coat in oil. Line the remaining tomato slices in a single layer on the rack and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the tomatoes begin to slightly dry out.
Cook Bacon and Garlic
- Place the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon remove the mixture and spoon it onto a paper-towel-lined plate.
Prepare Cheese Mixture
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the cheese, mayonnaise, basil, chives, dijon mustard, and egg until smooth. Fold in the bacon and garlic. The mixture will be very thick.
Arrange the Pie
- Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture on the bottom of your pie crust (it won't be a perfectly even layer), and then place half the roasted tomatoes on top overlapping some. Spread another 1/3 of the cheese mixture and layer with the remaining roasted tomatoes. Finish spreading the last of the cheese mixture on top.
- Place the remaining salted tomatoes on top and gently press them into the pie layers. If you par-baked the pie crust shield the edges of the pie using aluminum foil.
Bake
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 400ºF until the filling is set. Place the cooked pie on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
