A savory Southern Tomato Pie is a classic summer recipe! Pair it with a side salad for a light entrée, or serve it as a side dish at your next cookout. The combination of sweet tomatoes, Vidalia onions, melted cheese and fresh herbs in a buttery crust is the perfect way to enjoy the season's best produce!
I've been testing tomato pie recipes for years, and I'm so happy to report that I've finally nailed it! The classic Southern Tomato Pie sounds like a fairly simple concept, but baking one at home proved to be quite the challenge. The pies of my past were either soggy on the bottom, or just completely fell apart when I sliced into them. This easy recipe solves all of those little problems with just a few easy tips. I can't wait for you to use your sweet, juicy tomatoes to prepare this savory tart!
What is Tomato Pie?
Let's be clear about what we're making here! This is a Southern Tomato Pie, which is not to be confused with an Italian Tomato Pie. They're two very different dishes! An Italian Tomato Pie typically has a thick focaccia-like crust, is baked in a large rectangular pan, and is covered with tomato sauce. Sometimes the pie is finished with Romano cheese or oregano, but not always. By contrast, a Southern Tomato Pie consists of a pastry pie crust that's filled with fresh tomatoes and covered with a topping made from grated cheese that's mixed with either mayonnaise or a white sauce.
The Southern Tomato Pie is sometimes also referred to as a Kentucky Tomato Pie, an Alabama Tomato Pie or an Amish Tomato Pie.
How to make a Tomato Pie:
This recipe comes together very easily with help from a store-bought pie crust. The key is using the freshest, sweetest tomatoes for the best tasting pie!
Ingredients:
- Baked deep-dish pie crust
- Fresh tomatoes
- Vidalia onion
- Swiss cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Egg
- Fresh basil
- Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper
You'll want to start with a baked pie crust. While you can certainly make your own pie crust from scratch, I love the shortcut of a store-bought pastry shell. I just baked this frozen 9-inch deep dish pie crust according to the package instructions, and then let it cool.
Step 1: Cook the Onion
Sauté the Vidalia onion in a skillet until the edges are lightly browned. This will only take about 6 minutes. Then set it aside to cool.
Step 2: Drain the Tomatoes
Meanwhile, place the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on paper towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and let the tomatoes sit for about 30 minutes to remove some of the moisture. Then pat dry with additional paper towels.
Step 3: Stir together the Cheese and Mayonnaise Mixture
Once the onions are cool, combine them with the Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, basil, salt, pepper and egg.
Step 4: Assemble the Pie
Once all of your ingredients are prepped, it's time to assemble the pie! First, spread half of the mayonnaise mixture in the bottom of the baked crust, and then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Next, arrange half of the tomatoes on top.
Repeat with another layer of the mayonnaise mixture, another layer of bread crumbs, and another layer of tomatoes. Then sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top. It will look very "full," but the ingredients will cook down in the oven.
Step 5: Bake the Tomato Pie
Bake the pie in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the filling is bubbly.
What to serve with Tomato Pie:
This hearty, rich pie is a delicious entrée for brunch, lunch or dinner. Just pair it with a simple green side salad for a light, fresh meal.
Here are other dishes that also pair nicely with Southern Tomato Pie:
- Grilled Chicken
- Crock Pot Ribs
- Pulled Pork or Pulled BBQ Chicken
- Grilled Scallops
- Cucumber Salad
- Grilled Salmon
- Corn on the cob
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Lemonade Chicken
Storage and Preparation Tips:
- This Tomato Pie is best when served on the same day that it's prepared. Like any pie, the crust gets soggy as it sits.
- You can prepare the pie a few hours in advance and serve it at room temperature. If you're going to enjoy the pie within 3-4 hours of baking, you can leave it at room temperature. Once the pie has cooled completely, you will need to store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
- To reheat the pie, bake it in a 325 degree F oven until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes).
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Again, the crust will get soggy as it sits, so this is best when served right away.
- I do not recommend freezing the tomato pie. The crust will be soggy, the tomatoes will have a strange texture and the mayonnaise mixture may "break" when thawed.
How to make a Tomato Pie that's not soggy!
This is huge! I've tried a variety of different methods before I finally landed on a few simple steps to eliminate too much moisture in this dish.
- First, drain the tomatoes on the paper towels, as instructed.
- Next, the bread crumbs help to absorb some additional moisture in the pie.
- Finally, layers of the mayonnaise-cheese mixture inside the pie form an extra barrier to prevent a soggy crust, as opposed to other recipes that just spread the mayonnaise mixture on the very top of the pie.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- I take a shortcut with a store-bought pie crust, but you can use a homemade pie crust if you prefer.
- Use any fresh herbs that you have on hand. Basil is a classic pair with tomatoes, but parsley, rosemary, dill or thyme will all be good, too. Don't like herbs? You can omit them altogether.
- I prefer the extra flavor from Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, but you can substitute with plain bread crumbs if that's all that you have on hand.
More tomato recipes that you might enjoy:
Southern Tomato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 baked deep-dish 9-inch pie crust
- 2 ½ lbs. fresh tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch thick slices (about 3 large)
- 1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
- 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion; cook until lightly browned on the edges (about 6 minutes). Transfer onion to a large bowl and set aside to cool completely.
- Line 2 baking sheets with paper towels. Place sliced tomatoes in a single layer on the paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to remove some of the moisture, then pat dry with additional paper towels.
- Once the onion is cool, stir in Swiss cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, mayonnaise, basil, pepper, egg and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Spread half of the mayonnaise mixture in the bottom of the prepared crust. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon bread crumbs. Arrange half of the tomatoes on top (overlapping slightly). Repeat with another layer of the mayonnaise mixture, another layer of breadcrumbs, and another layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over top.
- Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.
- Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature. I find that it's easiest to slice when I allow the pie to rest for at least 20 minutes being cutting into it.
Notes
- This Tomato Pie is best when served on the same day that it's prepared. Like any pie, the crust gets soggy as it sits.
- You can prepare the pie a few hours in advance and serve it at room temperature. If you're going to enjoy the pie within 3-4 hours of baking, you can leave it at room temperature. Once the pie has cooled completely, you will need to store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
- To reheat the pie, bake it in a 325 degree F oven until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes).
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Again, the crust will get soggy as it sits, so this is best when served right away.
- I do not recommend freezing the tomato pie. The crust will be soggy, the tomatoes will have a strange texture and the mayonnaise mixture may "break" when thawed.
I just made this succulent tomato pie and paired it with a simple green salad and it was a hit! My only negative remark was maybe flipping the tomatoes over and onto new paper towels as even after 30 minutes they were still a bit wet. Also a note to those who may not love basil, only use 1 tablespoon as the flavor is quite strong. I loved it personally.
Thanks, Esmerelda! Glad that it was a hit!