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Southern Tomato Pie

Southern Tomato Pie is the ultimate comfort food made with fresh garden tomatoes, bacon, caramelized onions, fresh basil, and topped with a gooey cheese mixture.

Tomato season is underway, and creating a dish full of ripe tomatoes is always a must. Tomato pie is made throughout most of the south and always seems to make an appearance at brunch, lunch, or cookouts. 

Picture of Southern Tomato Pie with text overlay

What Is Tomato Pie?

This southern tomato pie recipe is a great way to use an overabundance of fresh summer tomatoes. It’s classic comfort food with layers of ripe tomatoes, basil, and a cheesy mixture baked into a pie crust until the top of the pie is golden brown that is not only tasty but hard to resist. Delightful as a light dinner or served as a side dish at your next family gathering. 

Tomatoes for Tomato Pie

Tomatoes come in various shapes and sizes, but as long as they are fresh tomatoes and flavorful, any combination of tomatoes will work. Use what you have in your garden, or grab some from the farmer’s market. A few of my favorite fresh ripe tomatoes might be heirloom tomatoes, beefsteak, Roma tomatoes, and my homegrown tomatoes. The kind of tomatoes you choose is up to you, but sweet summer tomatoes are the best.

Prepare the Tomatoes-A Classic Summer Recipe

The key to a great tomato pie is to remove some excess juices before you bake it. This step is essential and will ensure the best results. First, slice the tomatoes (thin slices) and lay them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels in a single layer. Next, sprinkle with a little salt to draw out the tomato juices. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Lastly, use fresh paper towels to pat dry the tomatoes and remove most of the juices, so the pie doesn’t turn out soggy.

Tomatoes are high in water content, so it is important to remove as much liquid from juicy tomatoes as possible. This will also help prevent the bottom of the crust from becoming soggy.

Picture of Tomato Pie with text overlay

Ingredients Needed

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients. For a detailed list, refer to the recipe card below.

This is a very easy tomato pie recipe, and the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store, farmer’s market, or your own garden.

Tomatoes— fresh garden tomatoes are the best. Roma, Beefsteak, Celebrity, and a wide variety of other tomatoes will work for this recipe. Use your favorite. Save the green ones for fried green tomatoes.

Basil– There is so much flavor in basil, and it pairs nicely with tomatoes. Fresh basil leaves are chopped for this pie, and a few are used for the top. Add more fresh herbs if desired.

Onion– My favorite choice is Vidalia onion. These are only in season for a short time, but grab one if your can. If not, any yellow onion or sweet onion will work nicely.

Cheese– Mild or sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese are my favorite cheeses for this savory pie. 

Bacon- Fry until crispy and then crumble.

Ready-Made Pie Crust– I use a frozen pie crust (deep dish).

Seasonings– Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings used in this dish.

Mayonnaise and Sour Cream– These two ingredients add moisture and creaminess to this savory southern tomato pie.

How to Make an Old Fashioned Tomato Pie

For complete instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.

  1. Par-bake the crust.
  2. Slice, salt, and drain tomatoes.
  3. Fry the bacon and caramelize the onion.
  4. Mix the cheese mixture.
  5. Assemble the pie.
  6. Bake.
Picture of Southern Tomato Pie with text overlay

Recipe Tips and Variations for the Best Savory Tomato Pie

*Par-bake the crust before adding tomatoes.

*Slice, salt, and let tomatoes sit to draw out juices. This will prevent the crust from getting soggy. Tomatoes have a lot of moisture and will make your pie soupy if the juices are not removed. Start by salting the tomato slices to help draw out water and juice. Allow them to drain for at least 15 minutes, and pat them dry before adding them to your crust.

*Caramelize the onions before adding them to the pie.

*Use a deep-dish pie shell. A store-bought shell will work just fine. It’s easy, convenient, and perfect for this recipe. 

* Use mayonnaise and sour cream for added creaminess. 

* I used cheddar and mozzarella cheeses for this recipe. Feel free to use your favorites.

*Like a bit of spice? Add some diced jalapenos to the pie.

*Add some thinly sliced green onions to the mayonnaise mixture.

*Feel free to make a homemade pie crust if desired. I use a store-bought crust for convenience.

How to Store Leftover Southern Tomato Pie

If you find yourself with any leftover tomato pie, simply cool the pie to room temperature, wrap the tomato pie in the pie pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The next time you’re looking for a way to use up all those homegrown summertime tomatoes, look no further than a simple yet impressive tomato pie. Savory and full of flavor, cheesy, and most definitely southern. 

Recipe FAQs

The key to keeping your tomato pie from being runny is to salt and drain your tomatoes before baking them. Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove most of the juices.

Tomato Pie is great either way. I prefer to eat it warm from the oven. If you are serving this for dinner, lunch, or brunch, serve it warm. 

What to Serve with Southern Tomato Pie

A side salad, corn salad, potato wedges, or fried green beans are all choices that pair well with this pie. 

More Tomato Dishes

Caprese Salad

Fried Green Tomatoes

Tomato Gravy

Picture of Southern Tomato Pie with text overlay
Picture of Tomato Pie with a red and white napkin and ingredients.

Southern Tomato Pie

Gina Abernathy
Southern Tomato Pie is the ultimate comfort food made with fresh garden tomatoes, bacon, caramelized onions, fresh basil, and topped with a gooey cheese mixture.
5 from 14 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 deep dish pie shell par-bake
  • 4 large tomatoes ripe and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 8 large fresh basil leaves chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pie shell on a baking sheet and par-bake the pie shell until lightly brown. To par-bake -Thaw crust for 10 minutes, prick the bottom with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • In a medium skillet, fry bacon. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside and crumble when cooled.
  • In the same skillet with the bacon grease, cook onions until translucent and slightly caramelized. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. Slice the tomatoes and lay them on the paper towels in a single layer, then sprinkle with the salt to draw out the tomato juices. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then use fresh paper towels to pat dry the tomatoes and remove most of the juices, so the pie doesn't turn out soggy.
  • In a small mixing bowl, stir together cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, bacon, onion, pepper, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
  • Assemble the pie: In the pie shell, layer tomato slices, basil, and cheese mixture.
  • Bake in the 375-degree oven for about 35-40 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. 
Keyword Southern Tomato Pie

16 Comments

  1. I just made this summer tomato pie. Thank you so much for posting. The recipe is perfect with my fresh garden tomatoes. My kids loved the recipe too! I will definitely be making again.

  2. 5 stars
    This is amazing! I don’t know how I’ve been alive this long without having heard of tomato pie. I love all the cheese, bacon, and tomato. Yum!

  3. 5 stars
    I adore tomato pie and the addition of bacon and caramelized onions really took this to the next level. So delicious!

  4. 5 stars
    This savory pie looks absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to try it soon – I know my family will love it!

  5. 5 stars
    Delicious!!!! I made another pie to take to a party in 3 days. It’s in the fridge and looks good. What’s your recommendation for reheating?

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