Southern Tomato Pie

4.86 from 7 votes

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.

Course Breakfast Lunch Dinner Sides, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword kentucky tomato pie, southern tomato pie, tomato pie, tomato pie recipe

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 20

Total Time 1 25

Servings - 8 people

Calories 388.5kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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. 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°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

Pick the ripest, sweetest, most flavorful summer tomatoes for this dish. Don't even bother to make it during the winter when good tomatoes are hard to come by! Standard beefsteak tomatoes, roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or heirloom tomatoes are all good options.
Drain the tomatoes well before assembling the pie, in order to remove as much of the excess juices as possible.
Use a high-quality, full-fat mayo (such as Duke's brand) for the best flavor and texture.
Garnish the pie with additional chopped fresh herbs, such as fresh basil leaves or parsley, or with sliced green onions.
Cover the edges of the crust with thin strips of aluminum foil if they start to get too dark before the pie is done baking.
I take a shortcut with a store-bought pie crust, but you can use a homemade pie crust if you prefer.
Season the mayo mixture with garlic powder for even more savory flavor.
Add a dollop of Dijon mustard to the mayo mixture for a more complex, zesty flavor.
Use any fresh herbs that you have on hand. Basil is a classic pairing 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.
We like the combination of Swiss and cheddar cheeses, but you can substitute with just about any good melting cheese. Try Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Gruyere, mozzarella cheese, or Gouda cheese.
Add cooked, crumbled bacon to the layers in the pie for rich, smoky, hearty flavor.
Recipe adapted from Taste of the South magazine.

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