Tomato Pie Recipe

Southern Living Tomato Pie sliced on a plate to serve — Photo:
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Hands On Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 25 mins

Servings:

6 to 8

Tomato pie is summer perfection, thanks to garden fresh tomatoes and chopped herbs, such as basil, thyme, parsley, or chives. A flaky pie crust provides a crisp base for a cheesy filling made with Gruyère, Parmesan, and mayonnaise—a creamy contrast to the juicy heirloom tomatoes and sweet onions.

When you serve tomato pie, this Southern favorite is always a home run. While it's a great way to use up a bounty of ripe tomatoes from the garden, it's also a great recipe to make year-round, whether you plan to serve it for brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Learn how to make a classic tomato pie. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of trying this type of tomato pie, you're in for a treat.

What Is Tomato Pie?

A savory pie made with fresh tomatoes and a cheesy, mayonnaise-based filling, tomato pie is a Southern favorite. The dish was most likely inspired by other types of savory tarts and pies, and is rumored to have been created by mayonnaise companies to help push their product. But while theories abound, the exact origin remains unknown.

What we do know is that this dish is a staple for picnics, potlucks, and outdoor gatherings, and can be adapted for the type of tomatoes you have on hand.

Ingredients for Tomato Pie

A buttery, flaky crust is a delicious base for sliced heirloom tomatoes and sweet onions, along with a creamy, mayonnaise and cheese topping that bakes up bubbly and golden. To make tomato pie, you'll need:

For the crust:

All-purpose flour: The base of the crust.
Vegetable shortening: Helps keep the crust workable as you roll it, and enhances the flakiness.
Unsalted butter: Improves the flavor of the crust while adding richness.
Fine sea salt: To enhance the overall flavor.
Ice-cold water: Adds moisture to the crust while keeping the fat cold.

For the filling:

Heirloom tomatoes: The main flavor and texture of the pie, offering a mix of colors, flavors, and textures.
Kosher salt and ground pepper: Enhances the overall flavor.
Sweet onion: Adds a savory complexity to the pie.
Canola oil: To sauté the onions.
Fresh herbs: Such as chives, parsley, and basil for a fresh, herbaceous touch.
Gruyère cheese: Adds a nutty, creamy flavor to the pie.
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: For a sharp, salty addition.
Mayonnaise: Binds the topping of the pie while adding a rich, creamy flavor and texture.

Southern Living Old Fashioned Tomato Pie ingredients — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

How To Make Tomato Pie

Blind-baking the crust in this recipe ensures a crisp base, with no soggy bottom, helped by the process of salted the tomatoes to reduce excess moisture. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Prepare crust: Process flour, shortening, butter, and salt in a food processor to a coarse meal. Gradually pulse in water until dough forms a ball. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill.
Step 2. Roll dough: Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
Step 3. Transfer to pie plate: Preheat oven to 425°F. Transfer dough to a pie plate, trim and fold dough under itself. Chill until firm.
Step 4. Line crust: Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Step 5. Bake crust: Bake for 20 minutes, then remove weights and foil and bake until browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Step 6. Prepare filling: Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with salt and let stand.
Step 7. Sauté onions: Sauté onion, salt, and pepper in hot oil until onion is tender.
Step 8. Assemble pie: Pat tomatoes dry. Layer tomatoes, onion, and herbs in crust, seasoning each layer with pepper. Top with a mixture of cheeses and mayonnaise.
Step 9. Bake pie: Bake until lightly browned, shielding edges with foil. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Tomato Pie Variations

To change up this tomato pie, consider these substitutions and additions:

Crust: Add finely chopped herbs or shredded cheese into the crust for additional flavor. Note that in a pinch, you can use a store-bought crust in its place.
Gruyère: Swap the Gruyère with shredded fontina, gouda, mozzarella, or Cheddar cheese as desired.
Herbs: Boost the herbaceous flavor of the pie by adding a mix of herbs, including oregano, rosemary, dill, or other favorites into the mix.
Veggies: Pair the tomatoes with a layer of sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini for unique, veggie-forward addition.
Meat: Add crispy bacon, cooked sausage, or prosciutto for a boost in protein and savory flavor.
Heat: For a little heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes, chili powder, or diced jalapeños.
Drizzle: Drizzle the finished pie with balsamic glaze when serving for a sweet and tangy contrast.
Fresh toppings: Top the finished pie with fresh herbs or a handful of dressed arugula for a fresh addition.

Can I Make Tomato Pie Ahead?

There are two ways to prepare this pie in advance:

Prepare the crust ahead: Prepare the crust, wrap tightly, and refrigerate, without baking, for up to two days or frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then bake as directed.
Bake ahead: This pie can be baked in advance, cooled, and refrigerated for up to two days. Let stand at room temperature and serve, or reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until hot throughout before serving.

Wrap and refrigerate leftover tomato pie for up to three days. Enjoy at room temperature or warm in a preheated 350°F oven or microwave before serving.

How To Serve Tomato Pie

Depending on the time of day, tomato pie can be a delicious main course or side dish. Serve as part of a brunch spread, or for lunch with a mixed green salad or side of sautéed or grilled veggies. It can be enjoyed at room temperature, warmed, or hot.

It can also be served as a light dinner in the summer months, accompanied by grilled chicken, fried chicken, pulled pork, grilled sausages, shrimp, or other protein, as well as a side salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables to round out the meal.

Southern Living Tomato Pie after baking ready to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

More Tomato-Based Recipes You'll Love

When there's a bounty of fresh tomatoes on hand, there's no better way to savor every bite than by transforming them into a variety of unique dishes. These tomato-forward recipes are sure to become favorites:

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
3 to 4 Tbsp. ice-cold water

Filling:

2 1/4 lbs. assorted heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, and basil)
1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Prepare Crust:

Process first 4 ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor running, gradually add 3 Tbsp. ice-cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and process until dough forms a ball and leaves sides of bowl, adding up to 1 Tbsp. more water, if necessary.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Roll out dough:

Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
Press dough into pie plate:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Press dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough 1 inch larger than diameter of pie plate; fold overhanging dough under itself along rim of pie plate. Chill 30 minutes or until firm.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Prebake Crust:

Line crust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. (This will keep the crust from bubbling up.) Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Finish baking Crust:

Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil. Bake 5 minutes or until browned. Cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Salt tomatoes for Filling:

Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand 10 minutes.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Cook onions:

Meanwhile, sauté onion and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper in hot oil in a skillet over medium heat 3 minutes or until onion is tender.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Fill crust:

Pat tomatoes dry with a paper towel. Layer tomatoes, onion, and herbs in prepared crust, seasoning each layer with pepper (1 tsp. total).

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Stir together cheeses and mayonnaise; spread over pie.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Bake tomato pie:

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned, shielding edges with foil to prevent excessive browning. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent a soggy tomato pie?

Blind-baking the crust until crisp and golden, and salting the tomatoes to reduce excess moisture, should both help prevent a soggy bottom.
Can I use a store-bought crust for this pie?

Yes, you can use a store-bought crust for this pie. Thaw if frozen, and bake as directed until crisp.
Can I freeze tomato pie?

Freezing this pie isn't recommended, as the texture of the tomatoes and mayonnaise-based filling may change after thawing. You can freeze the piecrust if needed, to help you get ahead.