My Southern Tomato Pie Is The Classic Summer Dish You Should Always Be Making
Rate and review it below! This rich and hearty tomato pie is what Southern summers are made of—don’t let tomato season go by without making it!
- 1 1/2 lb. ripe red tomatoes (such as vine-ripened, Campari, or Roma), sliced a scant 1/4" thick
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 batch easy pie crust (omit the sugar)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 c. mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. sweet paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 (4-oz.) jar chopped pimento peppers, drained
- 2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Arrange tomatoes in an even layer on paper towels; season with 1 1/4 tsp. salt. Cover with another layer of paper towels and drain, pressing with palm of your hand occasionally and switching out paper towels when they become saturated, about 45 minutes, draining as much water as possible.
- Meanwhile, arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to an 11" round. Unfurl into a 9" pie dish. Trim, leaving a 1" overhang, then tuck overhang under edge of dish. Crimp if desired. Freeze until cold, about 15 minutes.
- Using a fork, poke holes across bottom and up sides of chilled pie dough. Line pan with parchment. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake until edges are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and weights. Continue to bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Drain fat, leaving about 1/2 tsp. in skillet.
- Return skillet to medium heat. Cook onion and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into a small heatproof bowl and let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, paprika, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper until smooth. Stir in cheddar, pimento peppers, basil, bacon, and onion mixture.
- Spread one-third of egg mixture in bottom of crust. Top with one-third of tomatoes. Repeat layers 2 times.
- Bake tomato pie, tenting with foil if crust is darkening too fast, until filling is set and top is slightly puffed and golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool at least 45 minutes or to room temperature before slicing. Top with basil.
Made This?
Rate and review it below! This rich and hearty tomato pie is what Southern summers are made of—don’t let tomato season go by without making it!
Fillings for classic Southern tomato pies always include tomatoes, mayonnaise, plenty of cheese, and Dijon mustard, but my version has a flavorful upgrade: chopped pimiento peppers, which give the filling all the delicious richness of pimiento cheese dip. It’s perfect served at brunches, porch happy hours, or casual dinners—just don’t forget the pitcher of sweet tea for sipping alongside the pie.
First, we’re going to salt our tomatoes to get rid of any excess moisture. To do this, line a large rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
Arrange the tomatoes in an even layer on top, then add 1 1/4 tsp salt. Add another layer of paper towels on top of the tomatoes, pressing with the palm of your hand and switching out the paper towels when they become fully saturated with water.
Do this for around 45 minutes, draining as much water from the tomatoes as possible. Preheat your oven to 375°, then on a lightly floured surface, roll out your prepared pie dough to an 11" circle.
Carefully unfurl the pie dough into a 9" pan, then trim the edges, leaving a 1" overhang. Tuck the overhang under the edge of the pan, and crimp if desired (totally up to you).
Freeze your prepared crust for 15 minutes, then use a fork to poke holes across the bottom and up the sides of the chilled pie dough. Line with parchment, then fill with pie weights or dried beans before baking until the edges are a pale golden color, around 15 minutes.
Remove the parchment and weights, and continue to bake until golden brown, around 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the baked crust to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
Now, we’ll prepare our filling. Cook the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp.
Once crisp, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Drain the excess fat, but leave around 1/2 tsp. in the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat, and cook the chopped onion with a pinch of salt until lightly golden.
After around 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, around 1 minute. Scrape both into a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, mayo, mustard, vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth and combined.
Then, stir in the cheddar, pimento peppers, basil, bacon, and onion mixture—your filling is now complete! Add one-third of the egg mixture in the bottom of the crust, and top with one-third of the tomatoes.
Repeat this two more times—your final layer should be tomatoes. Bake the pie until the filling is set and the top is slightly puffed and golden, about 45 minutes.
Tip: If the crust is darkening too fast, tent it with some foil. Let it cool slightly to room temperature, at least 45 minutes, before adding the basil and serving.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below. If you have any leftovers, store them tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
