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Home Β» Recipes Β» Side Dish Recipes

How to Make Southern Tomato Pie

Published: May 31, 2023 Last Updated: Jun 12, 2023 by Marye 1558 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
You'll love the savory taste of this classic Southern tomato pie. It's filled with juicy tomatoes in a buttery crust and then topped with pimento cheese. It's perfect for summer picnics and potlucks.
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Overhead view of this savory pie with text overlay for Pinterest.

This easy recipe is only good in summer when the farmer's market is full of those fresh, ripe tomatoes.

Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want to go to.

Overhead view of the pie with a slice removed.
Jump to:
  • ❀️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • πŸ”ͺ Instructions
  • πŸ₯« Storage
  • πŸ“–Β Variations
  • πŸ’­ Things to know
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ FAQs
  • πŸ“š Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • πŸ“ž The last word
  • πŸ“– Recipe
  • πŸ’¬ Comments

❀️ Why you'll love it

  • Great way to enjoy fresh garden tomatoes
  • Though you only need five ingredients, this pie is packed with flavor
  • The classic summer recipe is perfect as a side or a light main dish

This savory Southern tomato pie recipe is made with a flaky, buttery pie crust, juicy tomatoes, smoky bacon, and plenty of cheese. It's the same, beloved dish you've enjoyed for years, just a little easier to prepβ€”and even tastier, too!

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients for this recipe.

πŸ”ͺ Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step by step images showing how to make this recipe.
  1. Salt the tomatoes for 30 minutes, rinse, and pat dry.
  2. Line the baked pie crust with tomatoes.
  3. Top with the cooked bacon and onions.
  4. Top with pimento cheese and bake.

πŸ₯« Storage

Like any good Southern recipe, this savory pie is easy to finish off in one sitting.

If you've got some leftovers, though, lucky you! Here's how to keep them.

Make sure the pie has fully cooled to room temperature. Then, cover the extras tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

You can refrigerate the leftover tomato pie for up to three days. However, keep in mind that juicy layers of tomatoes will soften the flaky pie crust shell the longer it's stored.

Microwave individual slices just until they're warmed. Too long in the microwave tends to make pie crust soggy.

Tomatoes contain too much water to make this recipe a good candidate for freezingβ€”it won't taste right after thawing.

Pie being served on a table.

πŸ“– Variations

  • Feel free to use a homemade pie crust or a store-bought pie shell. You can get away with a frozen pie crust, too. So many good options, but homemade crust does taste the best.
  • Substitute the bacon for smoked ham, or add both in for a meatier pie.
  • I don't like to even say it, but you can omit the bacon if you need a vegetarian dish. Use butter to cook the onions instead.
  • Prefer your tomato pie a little sweeter? Use a Vidalia or sweet onion. Otherwise, lean into the savory flavors by picking a white or yellow one.
  • You can use this easy pimento cheese recipe if you like.
  • Some families like to sprinkle a little crushed Ritz crackers over top of the cheese for extra crunch.
  • If you have some, garnish with fresh herbs, like basil leaves, chives, or sliced green onions. Bonus points if they're from your garden!
  • Make mini tomato pies! Instead of using a standard pie plate, cut out round circles from the pie crust and bake them in a muffin tin.

πŸ’­ Things to know

Expert Tip: Roma tomatoes are the most firm, so they hold up well in Southern tomato pie. Beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes make a good choice, too.

  • Choose fresh, ripe tomatoes for the best-ever tomato pie flavor. They'll look bright and shiny, and feel firm when given a gentle squeeze.
  • You can ripen picked tomatoes a little faster by placing them into a paper bag with a banana or apple.
  • Try to cut the tomatoes into even, thin slices. I recommend using a sharp knife and a cutting board. A mandoline is okay, too, but be careful!
  • Let the tomato slices drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet so that they don't make your pie watery. This step is important!
  • Be sure to cook your pie crust until it's golden brown. You can learn more about "blind-baking" (with parchment paper and pie weights) in this pie crust recipe.
  • If the edges of your pie crust start to get a little too brown, cover just the edges with a pie crust shield (or make your own with foil.) This will prevent your flaky crust from burning.
  • I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but the cooling time is important! This allows the juices to settle down so your pie doesn't leak water when you cut it into slices.

πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ FAQs

Is tomato pie like a pizza? Or, a savory tart?

Nope to pizza, but you're getting warmer calling it a tart. Southern tomato pie is less fussy and less fancy than a tart, but a similar concept. Baking the pie in a pie pan keeps things rustic and simple.

Why do I have to salt the tomato slices?

Any classic Southern tomato pie starts with this step. Salting the fresh tomatoes (or any veggie, really) draws out the excess juices. Then, you can dab it off with a paper towel and your pie won't have too much liquid in it.

Can I use green tomatoes in tomato pie?

Green tomatoes aren't traditionally used in tomato pie because they're a little more bitter. If you have some to use up, I definitely recommend trying fried green tomatoes.

View of pie showing the garnish on the top.

πŸ“š Related recipes

  • With crispy, toasted bread and lots of juicy flavors, Scalloped Tomatoes casserole is one of those easy recipes you'll crave all summer long!
  • Classic Tomato Sandwiches always hit the spot. If you miss the ones Mom made, grab those ripe summer tomatoes and make this ASAP.
  • Running out of summertime, but not of tomatoes? Use 'em up in this delicious Southern Stewed Tomatoes recipe. It's great for freezing, too!
  • Close up of casserole dish with a serving removed.
    Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
  • Square image of a casserole in a dish with a serving removed for the feature image.
    Easy Beef Taquito Casserole
  • Serving of chicken spaghetti being placed on a plate.
    Southern Chicken Spaghetti with RoTel
  • Closeup of the cheesy skillet lasagna.
    One Pot Skillet Lasagna

🍽️ Serve with...

  • Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken is the perfect main dish if you're serving tomato pie with dinnerβ€”the flavors and textures go beautifully together!
  • Cornbread with Creamed Corn is sweet, soft, and delicious. It's a great side for any Southern staple.
  • Fried Apples are tasty as a side or as a light dessert. Plus, they're super easy to make after a fun day spent in the apple orchard.

πŸ“ž The last word

My parents always had a vegetable garden so we always had a lot of tomatoes during the summer. There were plenty to pick and eat right there in the garden, with the juice dripping down your arm.

But, even better, dishes like this simple tomato pie were on the table almost every week.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! β­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈ

πŸ“– Recipe

Overhead view of the pie with a slice removed. Feature image.
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Southern Tomato Pie

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You'll love the savory taste of this classic Southern tomato pie. It's filled with juicy tomatoes in a buttery crust and then topped with pimento cheese. It's perfect for summer picnics and potlucks.
Course Main Dish (Quick and Easy)
Cuisine American - Southern
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings:8
Calories:362
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Pie Pan
  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  • 1 pie crust, 9-inch, baked
  • 1Β½ pounds tomatoes, ripe, about 3 medium
  • Kosher salt
  • ΒΌ pound bacon, cooked and 1 tablespoon of bacon fat reserved
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 2 cups pimento cheese

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with paper towels,
  • Slice the tomatoes and lay in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Cook bacon and remove from skillet.
  • Pour off all but about 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat.
  • Heat the fat and add the onions.
  • Saute, stirring often, until golden brown, soft, and caramelized. This will take 15 minutes or so.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Pat tomato slices dry and arrange in the baked pie crust.
  • Top with cooked onions and bacon.
  • Spoon the pimento cheese on top of the onions and bacon and spread to cover.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage:
Make sure the pie has fully cooled to room temperature. Then, cover the extras tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
You can refrigerate the leftovers for up to three days. However, keep in mind that juicy layers of tomatoes will soften the pie crust shell the longer it's stored.
This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Tips:
  • Roma tomatoes are the most firm, so they hold up
  • Choose fresh, ripe tomatoes for the best-ever tomato pie flavor. They'll look bright and shiny, and feel firm when given a gentle squeeze.
  • You can ripen picked tomatoes a little faster by placing them into a paper bag with a banana or apple.
  • Try to cut the tomatoes into even, thin slices. I recommend using a sharp knife and a cutting board. A mandoline is okay, too, but be careful!
  • Let the tomato slices drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet so that they don't make your pie watery. This step is important!
  • Be sure to cook your pie crust until it's golden brown. You can learn more about "blind-baking" (with parchment paper and pie weights) in this pie crust recipe.
  • If the edges of your pie crust start to get a little too brown, cover just the edges with a pie crust shield (or make your own with foil.) This will prevent your flaky crust from burning.
  • I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but the cooling time is important! This allows the juices to settle down so your pie doesn't leak water when you cut it into slices.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1252IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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