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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 with burgers or bbq chicken at your next cookout. The combination of sweet tomatoes, Vidalia onions, melted cheese, and fresh herbs in a flaky, buttery, pastry crust is the perfect way to enjoy the season’s best produce.
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Have an abundance of tomatoes on hand? Make this Southern fried green tomatoes recipe, a pot of roasted tomato soup, and this tomato salad with basil and balsamic, too!
How to Make Tomato Pie | 1-Minute Video
Made this!! Delicious!! Making it again to add to add to the Thanksgiving meal. Didn’t alter the recipe at all!!
– Sharon
I’ve been testing tomato pies 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 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 to Know Before You Get Started
- This is a Southern tomato pie (also referred to as Kentucky Tomato Pie, Alabama Tomato Pie, and Amish 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 (similar to pizza). By contrast, a Southern tomato pie includes 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.
- You’ll need a baked crust for this savory pie. You can use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust that you bake according to the instructions on the box (shown here), a frozen deep-dish pie crust that you bake according to the package directions, or your favorite homemade pie dough. There’s really no need to pull out the food processor or scratch-make a crust by hand with butter and flour, though. The store-bought shortcuts work just fine!
- Choose the sweetest, ripest, most flavorful summer tomatoes that you can get your hands on! Good options include standard beefsteak tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, roma tomatoes, or plum tomatoes.
- 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.
- The Italian seasoned breadcrumbs add flavor to the pie and help to absorb some of the excess liquid that the tomatoes release, preventing the crust from getting soggy. You can sub with plain breadcrumbs if that’s what you have on hand.
Directions
This recipe comes together very easily with help from a store-bought pie crust. Of course, you can use your favorite homemade pie crust if you prefer. The freshest, sweetest tomatoes are the key to the best tasting pie! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s my overview:
- Bake the Crust. Bake the crust in a deep-dish pie pan according to the package directions. Remember, when blind-baking (or par baking) a pie crust, you may need to line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights so that the crust doesn’t puff up too much or sink down the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the Onion. Sauté the onion in a skillet until the edges are lightly browned.
- Drain the Tomatoes. Place the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and let the tomatoes sit for about 30 minutes to remove some of the moisture and soak up the excess juice. Pat dry with additional paper towels.
- Prepare Mayo Mixture. Once the onions are cool, combine them with the Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, basil, salt, pepper, and egg in a large bowl.
- Assemble the Pie. 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 the layers, then sprinkle cheddar cheese over top of the tomatoes.
- Bake the Pie. Bake the tomato pie in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the filling is bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy the Southern tomato pie either warm, at room temperature, or even cold. Whatever you prefer! It’s a a delicious entrée for brunch, lunch, or dinner. Just pair it with a simple salad of mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette, a Caesar salad, a house salad with candied pecans, or a green salad dressed in red wine vinaigrette, for a light, fresh meal. Other good options include corn on the cob, corn salad, southern-style green beans, or cucumber salad. Tomato pie is also a nice side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, and picnics.
Preparation and Storage 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°F oven until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes).
- Store leftovers in the fridge (covered with foil or plastic wrap) 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 creamy mayonnaise mixture may “break” when thawed.
Tips for Success
- Drain the tomatoes well before assembling the pie in order to remove as much moisture as possible and avoid a soggy crust.
- 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.
- Season the cheese 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.
- Add cooked, crumbled bacon to the layers in the pie for rich, smoky, hearty flavor.
Absolutely fabulous. Mayo mixture really sets this pie off. I did not have Swiss cheese so I used crumbled Italian feta cheese. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
– Julia
More Fresh Tomato Recipes to Try
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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 sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- ¾ cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke's brand)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black 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.
Video
Notes
- 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.
- Season the cheese 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.
- Add cooked, crumbled bacon to the layers in the pie for rich, smoky, hearty flavor.
- Recipe adapted from Taste of the South magazine.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in July, 2020. It was updated in June, 2024.
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!
Made this!! Delicious!! Making it again to add to add to the Thanksgiving meal. Didn’t alter the recipe at all!!
Awesome! Thanks, Sharon. Happy Thanksgiving!
Great recipe. Turned out so good and amazing. Very tasteful. I added some bacon on top before cheese too
Thank you, Susan! We will have to try adding bacon, too. It sounds incredible!
Thank you, young, lady. The only substitution I used mozzarella rather than Swiss; that’s what I had on hand. The pie was a home rum. EVERYONE loved it, even the meat-n-potatoes folks.
We’re so happy to hear it was a hit!
QUESTION:
I’ve got over 1.5 pound grape (or cherry?) tomatoes. I’m guessing they’re not suited to the pie recipe, correct. The recipe sounds amazing so I want to try it…
Thank you
Hi, Maureen! You can definitely use the small tomatoes; however, you’ll need to slice them horizontally into 1/4-inch thick slices. Use them in the same way that you would use the larger sliced tomato rounds. This recipe calls for 2 1/2 lbs. of tomatoes, though. You can use the 1.5 lbs. that you have, but it will just have fewer tomatoes in it.
Absolutely fabulous. Mayo mixture really sets this pie off. I did not have Swiss cheese so I used crumbled Italian feta cheese. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Julia!
Italian feta haha
It was very nice, I think I might want a little more “tang” to it…maybe some creme fraiche with the mayo?? Just a thought, other than that very tasty.
Please let us know how it goes if you try it out, Jaimie!
I cannot wait to make this tomato pie recipe!
Being a tomato sandwich addict I’m sure I’ll love it but then every recipe of Blair’s that I’ve made have been delicious. Thank you so much Blair!
Thanks, Pamela. That makes me really happy to hear. Hope you love the pie!
I know this will sound really ignorant, but if you’re using real mayonnaise, isn’t adding egg unnecessary? It doesn’t make it. ..eggy?
It doesn’t sound ignorant at all, Dani! The eggs provide structure helping the pie hold its shape.
Very good pie, but I could only use half as many tomatoes as called for due to how much cheese/mayo mixture was called for, and the ratio of tomatoes to filling was off. I packed and mounded the ingredients about an inch above the pie crust edge. The pie did hold its shape, so maybe next time I’ll just pile it higher. A note about that in the recipe would be helpful. I definitely did use a 9″ deep dish pie crust.
Thank you for your feedback, Claire! The ingredients do need to be layered pretty high. Please let us know how it goes if you make it again!
My 1st tomato pie..it’s beautiful, not googey and tastes really good. I’m thrilled it worked. I’m a Bad cook, At 72, it’s about time, I made a pretty dinner.Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that, Judy! It’s never too late to learn some new tricks. 🙂
I’ve made this 3x now I think. I searched it out again this past week based on how yummy I remembered it being last year. It was just as good as I remembered. This time, for fun and because my family likes spice, I subbed monterray jack for the swiss.
I used san marzano tomatoes this year. They are sauce tomatoes, so not as juicy as most regular / slicing tomatoes. I didn’t salt, just removed the gelatinous seedy part and patted a little with a paper towel before using. Worked out just fine.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank you for that tip, Jess! I’m so glad that you love it as much as we do. 🙂