Tomato Pie

Freshly sliced tomatoes, mayo, grated cheeses, and basil are layered into a pie crust and baked until it’s golden brown in this tomato pie recipe. It’s packed with fresh and savory flavors, perfect for peak tomato season.

Total 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 12 servings
Dinner
American

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Why this recipe works

Tomato pie is a savory dish along the same lines as taco pie. It’s bustling with a bubbly mayo-cheese mixture, fresh sliced tomatoes, and basil baked into a pie crust. It’s a bit like pizza but in its own special way with a pie shell and creamy, sliced tomato filling. Tomato pie is a southern recipe that originated as a way to put your fresh garden tomatoes to good use.

Tomato season ranges from May-October depending on where you live. Where I live, my tomatoes are ready to be plucked from the vine and whipped up into canned sauces, salsa fresca, and of course, this delicious southern tomato pie. Let’s get started.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

TOMATOES – Vine-ripened tomatoes from your garden make a world of difference in this tomato pie. Grocery store tomatoes have less flavor and less sweetness to contrast with the saltiness of the mayo and cheese mixture. Still good, but if you can get your hands on homegrown tomatoes, those are the way to go.

CHEESE – We used cheddar and mozzarella in this pie and the balance was great with the other ingredients. If you are using grocery store tomatoes, watch the salt levels between the cheeses you choose, the mayonnaise, and the salt that you sprinkle over the tomatoes to help release moisture. This pie can swing salty if you do not have enough flavor in the tomatoes to balance.

CRUST – You can use a homemade pie crust or store-bought pie crust for this recipe.

How to Make Tomato Pie

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Pre-bake pie crust and cool completely. (Instructions for pre-baking in Pie Crust Recipe – place crust in pie plate and crimp edges. Line the crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, then remove pie weights and foil and cook 5 minutes more until light golden brown.)
While pie crust is baking, slice tomatoes 1⁄4”-1⁄2” thick. Remove any seeds or watery pulp with your fingers. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer over several thicknesses of paper towels on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt – a light sprinkling will do. Allow tomatoes to rest for 30 minutes.

EXPERT TIP – The salt will help the tomatoes to release excess water. After 30 minutes, pat the tomatoes with additional dry paper towels. Remove as much of the moisture as possible.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Fill the bottom of the cooled pie crust with a single layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle with black pepper and 1⁄3 of the chopped basil.
In a separate bowl, mix together mayonnaise and the egg until combined. Stir in the cheese.
Spread about 1⁄3 of the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and basil. Continue layering tomatoes, pepper, basil, and cheese mixture. We did three layers of tomatoes with just a little bit of the mayo/cheese mixture spooned on top of the final layer. Reserve the final bit of chopped basil to garnish the pie after it has baked.
Bake pie for 25 minutes until the center is set (no longer jiggles). Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil once they are golden brown so they do not burn.
Allow pie to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store leftover tomato pie?

Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator. Tomato pie is best served right away but will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The longer it sits, the soggier it will become.

Can I freeze southern tomato pie?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing tomato pie as the mayo and tomatoes do not freeze and thaw well.

Serving Suggestions

Tomato pie is filling on its own and can be served as a main dish or even as a starter. It pairs well with cheesy garlic bread or bright leafy salads. Allow the pie to cool for 20-30 minutes after coming out of the oven, then slice and serve. Enjoy!

More Tomato Recipes

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Recipe

Tomato Pie

Tomato pie is bustling with a bubbly mayo-cheese mixture, fresh sliced tomatoes, and basil baked into a pie crust.

Ingredients

1 9 inch pie crustpre baked
2 ½ pounds tomatoesRoma or other meaty variety with fewer seeds
Kosher saltfor sprinkling tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basilchopped, 1 cup
black pepperfreshly cracked, to taste
½ cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 cups grated cheesecheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack, or any combo you'd like

Instructions

Pre-bake pie crust and cool completely. (Instructions for pre-baking in Pie Crust Recipe – place crust in pie plate and crimp edges. Line the crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, then remove pie weights and foil and cook 5 minutes more until light golden brown.)
While pie crust is baking, slice tomatoes 1⁄4”-1⁄2” thick. Remove any seeds or watery pulp with your fingers. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer over several thicknesses of paper towels on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt – a light sprinkling will do. Allow tomatoes to rest for 30 minutes – the salt will help the tomatoes to release excess water. After 30 minutes, pat the tomatoes with additional dry paper towels. Remove as much of the moisture as possible.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Fill the bottom of the cooled pie crust with a single layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle with black pepper and 1⁄3 of the chopped basil.
In a separate bowl, mix together mayonnaise and the egg until combined. Stir in the cheese.
Spread about 1⁄3 of the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and basil. Continue layering tomatoes, pepper, basil, and cheese mixture. We did three layers of tomatoes with just a little bit of the mayo/cheese mixture spooned on top of the final layer. Reserve the final bit of chopped basil to garnish the pie after it has baked.
Bake pie for 25 minutes until the center is set (no longer jiggles). Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil once they are golden brown so they do not burn.
Allow pie to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Notes

We used cheddar and mozzarella in this pie and the balance was great with the other ingredients. If you are using grocery store tomatoes, watch the salt levels between the cheeses you choose, the mayonnaise, and the salt that you sprinkle over the tomatoes to help release moisture. This pie can swing salty if you do not have enough flavor in the tomatoes to balance.
Vine-ripened tomatoes from your garden make a world of difference in this tomato pie. Grocery store tomatoes have less flavor and less sweetness to contrast with the saltiness of the mayo and cheese mixture. Still good, but if you can get your hands on homegrown tomatoes, those are the way to go.
The basil quantity is really up to you. Use more or use less, depending on your personal taste and supply. You can also add some other of your favorite fresh herbs into this dish – oregano, parsley, and dill are all popular herbs in tomato pie.