Make It Now And You’ll Want To Make It Again
It’s time to bake a tomato pie—right now. Tomatoes are at their peak, juicy and sun-kissed, the ones you wait for all summer. Grab a warm tomato from the vine, sprinkle with salt, and savor that pure summer bliss.
This recipe arrived from a friend who knows my love of cooking, and it showcases classic Southern flavors. The result is a rich pie filled with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, crisp bacon, and sweet sautéed onions beneath a golden blanket of melted cheese in a flaky crust.
This Pie is Ideal for a Summer Lunch
Tomato pie works as a main dish or a hearty side. Serve it warm or at room temperature; it can be made ahead and refrigerated. It’s fine cold but tastes even better gently warmed to remove the chill.
The filling is generous, so using a deep-dish store-bought crust is perfectly acceptable if you prefer convenience—just pick one deep enough for a plump pie. If you have time, homemade crust is great too.
Start with three large, ripe tomatoes. I used red and yellow varieties; heirlooms would be excellent if available. Slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick—no need to peel. Lay them on a baking pan lined with thick paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and cover with more towels.
Ripe tomatoes are very juicy, so let them rest for 30 minutes or longer to draw out excess moisture, then pat slices dry before assembling the pie.
How To Bake An Amazing Tomato Pie
Prick the pie crust all over with a fork to prevent shrinking. Partially bake the crust in a 400°F oven for 15–20 minutes, until it looks dry and just begins to color. Remove and let cool completely.
Cook bacon until fairly crisp, then set aside to cool and reserve the drippings. Use the drippings to sauté a small sweet onion, thinly sliced or chopped, until translucent and tender—avoid heavy browning. While the onion cooks, crumble the bacon and chop about 2 tablespoons fresh basil.
Layer All Those Yummy Ingredients In The Pie Crust
Start with about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella in the bottom of the baked, cooled crust. Add a layer of tomato slices and season with garlic powder, freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired. Top with half the bacon, half the sautéed onion, and half the basil, then sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese.
Repeat with the remaining tomato slices, bacon, onion, and basil. Skip cheese on this layer—the remaining cheese will become the topping.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups shredded mozzarella with 1 cup full-fat mayonnaise. Stir in chopped parsley and a little hot sauce if you like. Carefully spread this cheese-mayo mixture over the top of the pie, right to the crust edge.
Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp. Let the pie cool to room temperature before slicing with a serrated knife. Refrigerate leftovers.
When You Make Tomato Pie You Can’t Stop Eating It
This pie won over my husband—he’s not usually keen on tomatoes but enjoyed this version. Our daughter declared it delicious when she tried it the next day. A warmed slice makes a lovely lunch served with sweet corn or a crisp salad.
Serve it as an entrée with a green salad or seasonal fruit, or as a side to chicken, beef, ham, or seafood. The combination of tomatoes, bacon, onion, cheese, and basil is hard to beat—classic Southern comfort.
Is it a pie, a quiche, or something in between? Either way, it’s irresistible. Give it a try—you’ll want to make it again and again.
PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD
Tomato Pie
A plump, juicy pie filled with fresh tomatoes, basil, bacon, and sautéed sweet onion under a blanket of mozzarella, all in a flaky crust.
30 minutes
50 minutes
1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- One 10″ deep-dish pie crust
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
- Kosher salt
- 2–4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped or thinly sliced
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Garlic powder to taste
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Line a baking pan with a thick layer of paper towels.
- Slice tomatoes about 1/4″ thick and arrange them on the pan; no need to peel.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt and cover with more paper towels.
- Let rest 30 minutes or longer to draw out excess juice, then pat dry.
- Prick the pie crust with a fork to prevent shrinking.
- Partially bake the crust at 400°F for 15–20 minutes until it begins to dry and lightly brown.
- Remove and let the crust cool completely.
- Cook the bacon until fairly crisp; set aside to cool and reserve drippings.
- Sauté the onion in bacon drippings until translucent and tender without heavy browning.
- While onions cook, chop basil and crumble bacon.
- Place 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella in the bottom of the crust.
- Add a layer of tomato slices and season with garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired.
- Add half the bacon, half the onions, and half the basil, then sprinkle another 1/2 cup cheese.
- Repeat with remaining tomatoes, bacon, onion, and basil (skip cheese on this layer).
- Mix the remaining 2 cups cheese with mayonnaise, add parsley and hot sauce if using.
- Spread the cheesy mixture evenly over the pie to the crust edge.
- Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.
- Cool to room temperature before slicing with a serrated knife. Refrigerate leftovers.
I may not love hot, humid summer days, but I adore summer produce—the farmer’s market is my happy place. I’m excited about early sweet corn and other seasonal treats.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please share it on social media. If you liked this post, a comment or review is appreciated—it helps a small kitchen grow.
Love, GB (Betty Streff)