Tomato Pie
intro
A creamy, cheesy savory pie loaded with ripe summer tomatoes and fresh herbs in a flaky crust, a beloved Southern American comfort food staple.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and drain tomatoes
Lay the 900g 1/4-inch thick sliced heirloom tomatoes in a single, non-overlapping layer on paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle the tomato slices evenly with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature to draw out excess watery juice. After resting, pat the top surface of every tomato slice thoroughly with fresh paper towels to remove all remaining surface moisture before use.
Blind bake pie crust
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Press the 225g unbaked 9-inch pie crust into a standard 9-inch (23cm) pie dish, crimp the outer edges decoratively, prick the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork to prevent bubbling, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to cover the bottom completely. Bake for 12 minutes, then carefully lift out the parchment and weights, and bake for 3 more minutes until the crust base is pale golden and dry to the touch. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Mix cheese filling
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 225g packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 170g full-fat mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir with a rubber spatula until all ingredients are fully incorporated into a thick, uniform, spreadable mixture.
Layer pie components
Sprinkle the full 1 tablespoon (7.5g) of all-purpose flour evenly over the bottom of the slightly cooled blind-baked crust to absorb any remaining tomato juice and prevent sogginess. Layer half of the dried tomato slices in a slightly overlapping pattern over the flour, top with all 60g thinly sliced sweet onion in an even layer, then spread half the cheese mixture gently over the onions. Add the remaining tomato slices in a neat even layer, then top with the remaining cheese mixture, spreading it gently to cover all tomato slices completely.
Bake the tomato pie
Reduce oven temperature to 175°C (350°F). Place the assembled pie on the middle oven rack, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top cheese layer is deep golden brown and bubbling around the crust edges, and the filling is fully set with no jiggly center. If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, wrap them in narrow strips of aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent burning.
Cool and serve
Transfer the baked pie to a wire cooling rack and let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the filling to firm up fully before slicing. Garnish with extra fresh basil leaves if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
2.For the creamiest, most flavorful filling, shred cheddar cheese fresh from a block; pre-shredded packaged cheese is coated in anti-caking potato starch that creates a grainy, less smooth filling texture.
3.This pie holds up well at room temperature for up to 2 hours, making it a versatile option for potlucks and picnics in addition to family Sunday dinners.
OMG this tomato pie tastes exactly like my grandma used to make! I brought it to our church potluck last Sunday and every single slice was gone before I even got through the greeting line. The combination of ripe summer tomatoes and that cheesy, herby filling is *chef’s kiss*. SO good, I already have requests to make it again for next month’s family reunion!
Made this for our weekend cookout to go with brisket and ribs, and it was the surprise hit of the whole spread! I added a little extra shredded cheddar and a pinch of cayenne for a tiny kick, and my picky 10 year old went back for two slices. Game changer for summer side dishes, will be making this on repeat as long as our tomato plants are producing.
This was so good for our weekly family dinner! I will say, with prep and bake time it took me closer to 2 hours total instead of the 90 minutes listed, but that’s probably because I was juggling helping with homework while cooking. My kids loved it, even the one who swears he hates tomatoes. Win!
Used heirloom tomatoes straight from my backyard garden for this, and wow — the fresh flavor is unbeatable. I was a little intimidated by the medium difficulty rating since I mostly stick to super simple weeknight meals, but the instructions were super clear and it came out perfect on my first try. The buttery cracker crust? *Chef’s kiss*
I make a tomato pie every year for our block party, and this recipe is now my permanent go-to. I swapped the regular mayo for Duke’s because that’s the Southern standard in my book, and it came out so rich and creamy. People were asking me for the recipe before they even finished their first bite.
Grew up eating this every summer when I visited my grandparents in Alabama, and I’ve been chasing that flavor for years up here in NYC. This recipe nailed it! I found good ripe tomatoes at the Union Square Greenmarket and it tasted exactly like childhood. Already texted the recipe to my whole friend group.
I’ve been making tomato pie for 40+ years, and I have to say, this version is right up there with my own tried and true recipe! I love that you added a little onion powder to the filling — I never thought to do that, and it added such a nice depth of flavor. My grandkids devoured half the pie in one sitting.
Tried making this for my roommates after seeing it pop up on my feed, and it was way easier than I thought it would be for a medium difficulty recipe! We didn’t have a pie dish, so we used a cast iron skillet and it worked totally fine. Only knocking off one star because I wish the recipe noted that hack upfront, but otherwise it was 10/10, way better than the frozen pizza we usually eat for dinner.
Made this gluten free by swapping the regular cracker crust for a gluten free buttery cracker crust, and you couldn’t even tell the difference! It held up perfectly, no sogginess at all thanks to the tomato draining step. Brought it to a work potluck and even my non-gluten-free coworkers were raving about it.
Meal prepped this on Sunday to eat for lunches all week, and it held up so much better than I thought it would! I warmed slices up in the toaster oven at work and the crust stayed crispy, the filling was still creamy. Perfect hearty vegetarian lunch for when I don’t feel like eating another salad.
Made this for my husband for our first dinner party as a married couple, and I was so stressed it would turn out bad — but it was perfect! He said it tasted like the tomato pie his mom used to make when he was little, which is the highest compliment I could possibly get. Will be making this for every summer dinner party from now on.
Took this to a buddy’s tailgate last weekend and people were losing their minds over it. I added a layer of crispy bacon bits between the tomato and cheese layers because let’s be real, bacon makes everything better, and it was chef’s kiss. Perfect hearty side for game day, will be making this all football season.
Loved the base recipe! I added a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese mixture and sprinkled some pickled jalapeños on top before baking for a little extra heat, and it was so tasty. I will say, my crust got a little too dark on the edges halfway through baking, so I had to cover it with foil. Any tips for next time?
This is the best savory pie I’ve ever made, no contest! I used a mix of red and yellow heirloom tomatoes and added some fresh spinach layers for extra veggies, and it came out so colorful and delicious. Even my meat-obsessed brother asked for a second slice, which is basically a miracle.
Had this at a friend’s house a few weeks back and begged for the recipe, so glad I found this exact version! Made it for my grandkid’s high school graduation party and it was a huge hit. The flavors are so perfectly balanced, not too tangy, not too rich, just perfect. Reminds me of the pies they served at summer cookouts on base when I was stationed in Georgia.
Made this for our Wednesday night church supper and it got so many compliments! I used a mix of sharp cheddar and mozzarella for the cheese layer because that’s what I had in the fridge, and it was so creamy and melty. I will say, make sure you give yourself enough time to let the tomatoes drain — I rushed that step my first test run and it was a soupy mess, but the second time it was perfect.