Tomato Pie

Celebrate summer with this homemade tomato pie. It’s the perfect way to use up fresh seasonal produce!

If you're not familiar with tomatoes in pie, you've been missing out. Imagine in your head a savory tomato tart. Tomato pie come to us from the south, and just like the many different parts of this region, there are many different ways to prepare a tomato pie. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser though, and it will cause your friends and family to ask for your secret.

What’s In Tomato Pie? 

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade tomato pie: 

• Pie crust: Use a store-bought pastry crust or make your own at home. 
• Tomatoes: You’ll need four large (peeled and sliced) tomatoes. 
• Bacon: Cooked, drained, and chopped bacon lends meaty flavor. 
• Green onions: Green onions add a bright pop of flavor and color.  
• Seasonings: Season the tomato pie with fresh basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. 
• Cheese: Shredded Cheddar cheese makes the tomato pie extra indulgent. 
• Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise gives the tomato pie creaminess and adds tangy flavor. 

What Kind of Tomatoes Are Best for Tomato Pie? 

You can use any tomatoes you have on hand! This recipe is a great way to use up excess garden tomatoes. If you have your pick of the produce aisle, though, opt for Roma tomatoes — they tend to be firmer and less liquidy than other varieties. 

How to Make Tomato Pie

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make tomato pie: 

1. Add all the ingredients (besides the cheese and mayo) to the pie crust. 
2. Mix the cheese and mayo together and spread the mixture over the filling. 
3. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake for 30 more minutes. 

Test Kitchen Tips

“Nothing screams ‘summer’ in the South like a delicious tomato pie,” according to culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom). Here are a few of her favorite tomato pie tips and tricks: 

• While you can technically enjoy this dish year-round with homegrown tomatoes, Nicole says it’s best with fresh, seasonal, homegrown tomatoes.
• Nicole likes to blind bake the pie crust before layering the filling ingredients inside. This will prevent a soggy crust. 
• She also salts, then pats dry the tomato slices before adding them to the filling to draw out excess moisture.

What to Serve with Tomato Pie

Think southern foods. While you can serve anything you want with tomato pie, a good helping of southern sides will go a long way to round out your meal. Here are some options:

• Kickin' collard greens
• Southern butter beans
• Southern coleslaw
• Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
  

How to Store Tomato Pie

Cover the tomato pie or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two days. 

Can You Freeze Tomato Pie? 

We recommend enjoying the tomato pie within two days, as it will likely become watery during the freezing and thawing process. If you’d like to freeze it, though, it will last for about six months. 

When you cook a pie, the ingredients release their flavor, and the longer you keep the pie stored, whether in the fridge or freezer, it will slowly lose its luster. However, preparing the pie but freezing it until you need to bake it is a great solution. Just make sure the pie is covered and wrapped tightly.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Community 

“I made a few of these for a party,” says Kerri. “Delicious and beautiful! Very impressive and I got to use mostly homegrown ingredients!”

“This was so easy and tasted incredible,” raves Bailey. “I used fresh basil which smelled and tasted amazing with our fresh grown tomatoes.”

“Love this recipe,” according to Allison. “I bake the empty pie shell for 10 minutes and squeeze the juice out of the tomato slices to keep the crust from getting soggy. Use fresh basil if at all possible … it makes all the difference.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams