Tomato Pie

This post may contain affiliate links which means I get commissions for purchases. Sponsored posts will always be clearly disclosed. Privacy Policy

A long time ago, I stumbled upon the deliciousness that is tomato pie with bacon and onions. The framework for this recipe can be credited to Paula Deen, but it has been played with enough to call it my own.

I first posted this recipe back in 2013, and now I’m editing this once again in 2021. This means I’ve been making this recipe for over ten years. While this simple recipe has not changed much in that time, I have learned heirloom tomato varieties are lightyears ahead of what you can get in most supermarkets. So, if you can get out to a farmers market, be lucky enough to belong to a CSA, or have some growing in your yard, give those a try.

I know it’s tempting, what with the bacon and basil, but just sit tight and wait. It will be worth it.

If you are worried about a soggy crust, you have three options to try to alleviate that issue:

  1. Blind bake or pre-bake the bottom crust-  but know that you will absolutely have to protect the edge of your pie during the real baking, and I hate putzing around with foil like that
  2. Instead of draining the seeded tomato slices in a colander, you can do so on a clean flour sack towel it doesn’t have to be that particular one behind the link. You just don’t want to end up with linty tomatoes. Bleh.
  3. Suck it up and deal with it because it’s delicious, even when soggy.

Double Crust Tomato, Onion, and Bacon Pie Recipe Ingredients

  • 1 recipe pie crust (9″ pie) – feel free to cheat and use refrigerated pie crust if you’re in a hurry, and sometimes I am…truth be told, I usually am lately
  • 4 very ripe tomatoes
  • 1/2 medium onion
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • 3 slices of bacon cooked and chopped or crumbled
  • 3 TBSP cream cheese, softened You can also use laughing cow
  • 3 TBSP mayonnaise* preferably Duke’s
  • 1 small handful of fresh basil, cut into thin strips (4ish large leaves or 1 generous tsp dried) salt/pepper to taste

*It absolutely must be mayonnaise, not low-fat and for the love of all that is holy, not Miracle Whip

Tomato Pie Recipe Instructions

Core each tomato. This is simply a matter of removing the hard area around the stem.

These have large seed areas

If your tomato has large sections with lots of seeds, use this process:

Cut each tomato in half through the equator. Use your finger to scoop the seeds out and into the trash or sink.

This heirloom variety has minimal seeds and pulp

If your tomatoes are a variety with lots of flesh and minimal seeds, you can skip removing the seeds/pulp and simply slice and drain. Your pie might be more watery than if you don’t remove the seeds, but not tragically so.

Then slice each tomato. Place the sliced tomatoes in a colander over a large bowl or the sink, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow this to sit while preparing the other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice the onion very thinly. No, thinner. No, thinner still, we want the Calista Flockhart of onions.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, 3 TBSP cream cheese and 3TBSP mayo.

Mix thoroughly.

Carefully lay the bottom pie crust on a 9″ pie plate.

Arrange half of your tomatoes, then sprinkle with half the sliced onion and 1/2 of your basil.

Close-up of an unbaked tomato pie showing sliced heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, and thinly sliced onions

Repeat the first layer with the remaining tomatoes, onion, and basil.

Top with cheese mixture.

Close up of an unbaked tomato pie, showing the cheese and bacon mixture part of the filling.

Add the second crust, seal the edges, and cut slits in the top.

Unbaked tomato pie with fork crimped edges and slits to release steam

Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 30.

You will need to use the foil trick from the pie crust recipe to protect the edges of the crust, to prevent them from getting too dark.

Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (at least) on a wire rack. If you want your pie slices to look pretty, you will need to wait longer for the cheese to cool so it can firm back up.

Tomato pie, missing a slice, showing melted cheese and tomato filling

As for me and my house? We like the cheese runny.

Enjoy.

Yield: One Pie

Tomato Pie with Bacon and Onions

Tomato pie

A summertime savory pie with basil, onion, cheese that captures the best flavors of your ripest tomatoes.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • pie crust for a nine inch pie ( 1 box )
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3/4 cup 3/4 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
  • 3 TBSP mayonnaise, preferably Duke's
  • 3 TBSP cream cheese, softened
  • 1 small handful basil, cut into small strips (chiffonade) or 1 generous tsp dried
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    2. Core each tomato. This is simply a matter of removing the hard area around the stem.
    3. Cut each tomato in half through the equator. Use your finger to scoop the seeds out and into the trash or sink. If your tomatoes are a variety with lots of flesh and minimal seeds, you can skip removing the seeds/pulp. (See pictures in the explanation above)
    4. Slice each tomato. Place the sliced tomatoes in a colander over a large bowl or the sink, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow this to sit while preparing the other ingredients.
    5. Slice the onion very thinly.
    6. In a bowl combine the cheese, bacon, 3 TBSP cream cheese and 3TBSP mayo.
    7. Carefully lay the bottom pie crust on a 9" pie plate.
    8. Arrange half of your tomatoes, then sprinkle with half the sliced onion and 1/2 of your basil.
    9. Repeat the first layer with the remaining tomatoes, onion, and basil.
    10. Top with cheese mixture.
    11. Add the second crust, seal the edges, and cut slits in the top.
    12. Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 30. You will need to cover the edges of the pie with foil to prevent over-browning
    13. Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (at least) on a wire rack. If you want your pie slices to look pretty, you will need to wait longer for the cheese to cool so it can firm back up

Notes

  1. Blind bake or pre-bake the bottom crust-  but know that you will absolutely have to protect the edge of your pie during the actual bake.
  2. Instead of draining the seeded tomato slices in a colander, or you can do so on a clean flour sack towel or on a rack.

***Submitted to Mouthwatering Mondays***

Want to make some more savory pies? Try these delicious recipes!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Sharing is caring!

40 thoughts on “Tomato Pie”

  1. I gots ta try this. I think I made something like it years (and years) ago, and I remember it was very good, but I lost the recipe.

    Reply
  2. I don’t know if it is being pregnant or the fact that I was starving when I made this pie, but I swear it was summer on a plate.

    If you make your own pie crust, it’s frugal, too.

    Reply
  3. OK, don’t freak out on me, but could I use canned tomatoes, and if so, how many cans/cups of tomatoes would I need? But I promise, I’ll look for some good garden tomatoes to use.

    Reply
  4. I made this tonight. Yum!

    Questions:
    –I have leftovers. What’s the best way to store it?
    –My pie was really, really juicy at the bottom. There’s a lot of liquid in the bottom of the pie pan. Did I do something wrong? The onion I used had been in the freezer, so I wonder if I didn’t let it thaw long enough….
    –Is there an easy way to modify this recipe to include ground beef?

    Reply
  5. I am pie crust retarded!! Help me!
    And I want to use lard &/or butter for it, it’s supposed to make the best crust! but my last attempt was just Bad.

    Reply
  6. My stepmom’s kids (they’re very country) have been safeguarding this recipe n taunting us ‘city-folk’ with it. Imagine when they show up to find one already waiting! Thanx for the ‘secret weapon’!

    Reply
  7. Fresh basil does wonders for this pie. There used to be a restaurant in Charleston called the Park Circle Grille that served this. Unfortunately, they have closed down. I got the recipe from the owners before they shut their doors. Very similiar to this one. It’s so good!! Makes me want one now! 🙂

    Reply
  8. it’s been quite some time since this post, but I thought I’d throw this in the mix anyway as it’s delicious AND frugal–Bacon Salt. Yep. Sprinkle a little (to taste) over the slices of tomatoes & onions, and I use fresh basil as it’s growing outside in my container gardens. I love the taste of bacon, but hate cooking it and cleaning up after it. Bacon salt is a great alternative and good on many other things as well, like fresh steamed spring asparagus (drools)
    here’s the link to the site:
    http://www.baconsalt.com

    Reply
  9. so I printed this recipe when you first posted it two years ago, and never got around to trying it–a lot because I never had good tomatoes.

    yesterday we had some home-grown tomatoes and I finally got ambitious–even attempted my own pie crust for the first time in my life. and…

    HOLY YUM.

    that’s all. now I’m drooling and I might just have to go get a leftover piece.

    Reply
  10. Stono Market is a vegetable market and restaraunt on Jones Island near Charleston, SC. They have a fantastic tomato pie. They serve a lunch of delicious, fresh, southern vegetables. It is a vegetable market, so don't go for the atmosphere!

    Reply
  11. Yes, I have to agree that when I think of pie, I think of savory. Steak, chicken, pork, even vegetable. This pie looks really delicious, and I think I'll have to have a go at this one.

    Reply
  12. Tomato Pie seems to have a long and varied pedigree; Laurie Colwin has it in "More Home Cooking" with a biscuit crust and the option of using canned tomatoes off season.

    Reply
  13. Tomatoe pie has italian-american roots related to Sicilian pizza. The earliest documented was in Trenton New Jersey 1910. It does seem paula Dean has her own version which is fine.

    Reply
  14. I'm just coming back this summer, because it is tomato (pie) season, to say (again) that I love you forever for introducing me to this pie. it *really is* smack your granny good. just don't tell my granny I said that.

    Reply
  15. I just made this tonight (I have a current over-abundance of tomatoes.). It was too juicy (and therefore soggy), but very yummy! And it was quick to put together as I cheated using pre-made pastry.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe. I'd never heard of tomato pie before.
    Vivienne (Australia)

    Reply
    • I'm sorry yours was soggy. I occasionally, if the tomatoes are exceptionally juicy, set them on a floursack towel after seeding, slicing, and salting. This soaks up some of the extra juice.
      Thank you for letting me know how yours turned out.

      Reply
  16. Make SURE you drain the tomatoes in a collander before adding them to your pie crust, and if needed dab them with paper towels. No more soggy pie!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe