Tomato Pie

Fresh garden tomatoes, fragrant basil, garlic, green onions, and a creamy blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheese are layered into a flaky pie crust and baked until golden and bubbly. This Southern Tomato Pie is one of the very best ways to celebrate tomato season. Perfect for lunch, brunch, light dinners, or serving alongside grilled meats, it’s a summertime classic that disappears fast.

This savory Tomato Pie recipe is ready in a little over an hour and serves 8.

About seven years ago, I took part in a week-long event with a few of my blogger buddies. It was called Tomato Week, and we all shared new-to-us recipes that utilized, you guessed it, fresh tomatoes! This Tomato Pie was one of the ones that I shared that year. It has since been a family favorite here, and if you have never tried tomato pie, I bet it will be a fast favorite for you too!

Best Tomato Pie Recipe

If your garden is overflowing with ripe summer tomatoes, this Tomato Pie deserves a spot on your table. Juicy tomatoes are layered with fresh basil, garlic, green onions, and a rich, cheesy mayonnaise topping before baking into a buttery pie crust.

Don’t let the mayonnaise fool you. As it bakes, it melts into the cheeses, creating a rich, creamy filling that holds everything together without tasting like mayonnaise at all. The result is savory, cheesy, and bursting with fresh tomato flavor in every bite.

It’s wonderful served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled the next day, making it a great make-ahead dish for picnics, potlucks, brunches, and summer gatherings.

Ingredients in Southern Tomato Pie

You can find the complete instructions and measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• Ripe tomatoes are the star of the recipe. Choose firm, ripe tomatoes that are full of flavor but not overly soft.

• Unbaked pie crust creates the flaky foundation for the pie. Homemade or refrigerated store-bought crust both work well.
• Salt helps draw excess moisture from the tomatoes, preventing a soggy pie.
• Fresh basil adds bright, summery flavor that pairs beautifully with tomatoes.
• Green onion provides a mild onion flavor without overpowering the tomatoes.
• Garlic adds savory depth.
• Sharp cheddar cheese gives the pie a rich, tangy flavor.
• Mozzarella cheese melts beautifully, creating that irresistible cheesy topping.
• Mayonnaise binds the cheese mixture together into the classic creamy topping that Southern Tomato Pie is known for.
• Freshly cracked black pepper adds just the right finishing touch.

TIP: Why You Should Grate Your Own Cheese.

How to Make Tomato Pie

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom several times with a fork, then line it with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until it just begins to turn lightly golden. Remove the weights and allow the crust to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

TIP: Easy Instructions on Pre-Baking Pie Crusts, with or without pie weights

While the crust bakes, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and allow them to rest for about 30 minutes. This step removes excess moisture and is the secret to avoiding a watery tomato pie.

While the tomatoes drain, stir together the basil, green onion, and garlic in one bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the cheddar, mozzarella, mayonnaise, and black pepper until well mixed.

After the tomatoes have rested, gently pat them dry with fresh paper towels.

Arrange half of the tomatoes in the bottom of the prepared crust. Sprinkle with half of the basil mixture. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes and basil mixture.

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the top, covering the tomatoes completely.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is bubbling and lightly golden brown.

Allow the pie to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Storage

Store leftover Tomato Pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat individual slices in a 325°F oven or toaster oven until warmed through. While the microwave works in a pinch, reheating in the oven helps the crust stay crisp.

Love it? Pin it!

If you can’t wait to make this recipe for tomato pie, make sure you can find it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go.

Tips for the Best Tomato Pie

• Don’t Skip Draining the Tomatoes – Removing excess moisture is the single most important step. Salting the tomatoes and letting them rest keeps the crust crisp and prevents a watery filling.
• Use Peak-Season Tomatoes – The better your tomatoes taste, the better your pie will taste. Garden tomatoes or locally grown farmers market tomatoes are ideal.
• Blind Bake the Crust – Starting with a partially baked crust helps it stay flaky instead of becoming soggy once the filling is added.
• Let It Rest Before Cutting – Giving the pie 10 to 15 minutes to cool allows the filling to set so slices hold together beautifully.
• Want to add a little more protein? Toss in a cup of crumbled cooked bacon.
• Best Tomato Pie Tip: If your tomatoes are especially juicy, place the salted slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet rather than directly on paper towels. This allows the moisture to drip away instead of sitting underneath the tomatoes, resulting in an even firmer, less watery pie.

Choosing the Best Tomatoes

If you’re growing garden tomatoes this year, or are lucky enough to have a neighbor or friend share their harvest, this Tomato Pie is one of the very best ways to enjoy them. Fresh summer tomatoes are hard to beat.

But don’t let the lack of homegrown tomatoes stop you from making this recipe. A great Tomato Pie starts with flavorful tomatoes, and you can absolutely find excellent grocery store tomatoes if you know what to look for.

Here are a few tips for picking the best tomatoes:

• Shop local when possible. Locally grown tomatoes from a farmers market or grocery store are often picked riper than those shipped long distances. During tomato season, farmers market tomatoes are almost always worth grabbing if they’re available.
• Look for vine-ripened tomatoes. Vine-ripened tomatoes are generally allowed to mature longer before being picked, giving them richer flavor than tomatoes harvested green and ripened during shipping.
• Check the skin carefully. Choose tomatoes that are smooth, firm, and free from bruises, cracks, or dark spots. Even a small blemish can indicate spoilage inside.
• Pick up the tomato. A good tomato should feel heavy for its size. Heavier tomatoes usually contain more juice and better texture.
• Give it a sniff. A ripe tomato should have a fresh, earthy aroma, especially near the stem. If it doesn’t smell like much, it probably won’t taste like much either.

Whether you’re using tomatoes fresh from the garden, a local farmers market, or your favorite grocery store, choosing ripe, flavorful tomatoes will make all the difference in this Southern Tomato Pie.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is my tomato pie watery? Usually because the tomatoes weren’t drained long enough. Salting and blotting the tomatoes removes excess moisture before baking.
• Can I make Tomato Pie ahead of time? Yes. You can assemble the pie a few hours in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Leftovers are also excellent served cold or gently reheated.
• Can I use store-bought pie crust? Absolutely. A refrigerated pie crust is a great time-saving option and works perfectly in this recipe.
• Can I freeze Tomato Pie? Because of the fresh tomatoes and mayonnaise-based filling, freezing isn’t recommended. The texture can become watery after thawing.

More Fresh Tomato Recipes to Love

If fresh tomato recipes are your thing, check these out!

Zucchini & Tomatoes, Caprese Salad, Tomato Cracker Salad (pictured above), Fresh Bruschetta, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Bacon Egg Salad and Tomato Sandwich, Grilled Turkey Havarti Sandwiches, Marinated Vegetable Salad, Greek Heirloom Tomato Salad, Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Salad and this Tomato Riccota Tart.

Every summer has those recipes you find yourself making again and again, and Tomato Pie is one of mine. It’s simple, packed with fresh garden flavor, and always seems to disappear a little faster than expected. Whether you’re using tomatoes from your own backyard, the farmers market, or a neighbor who shared their harvest, this Southern classic is one delicious way to make the most of tomato season. Give it a try, and don’t forget to leave a rating and comment to let me know how it turned out!

This recipe was originally posted on July 22, 2019. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on August 3, 2026.