Grab your grandmothers cast iron skillet and make a tomato pie! Fresh garden tomatoes, cheese and basil add rich flavor to this savory dish. As a side dish for supper make this recipe all summer along with butterbeans, black eyed peas and cornbread sticks. Summer southern suppers together with family and friends and this classic dish will become an all time favorite.
No cast iron skillet? No worries a deep dish tart or pie pan will do the trick
Just make sure it is a deep dish. You can also make this tomato pie in a thawed frozen deep dish pie shell if your in a hurry or not sure you can make the crust. However, my recipe calls for refrigerated pie crusts. Tip: I tried the gluten free refrigerated pie crust and honestly it was not good. If you have a good gluten free crust recipe you can also use that for this recipe.
How to MAKE SOUTHERN TOMATO PIE
Layer the refrigerated pie crust in skillet, or make your own crust recipe. Next add chopped sweet onions, cheese mixture, drained sliced tomatoes then repeat ending with tomatoes. Drain your tomatoes on a paper towel as to soak up the excess juices from fresh ripped tomatoes. Adding salt to the tomatoes will also add flavor and help release excess juice. You don’t want a runny tomato pie.
Its really all about layering the tomatoes with two kinds of cheese and mayo with parmesan cheese. Only yum goodness! Even my sister who doesn’t like tomatoes loves this skillet one dish wonder.
Something about baking the pie in a cast iron skillet too makes it extra crusty and evenly baked. If you don’t own a cast iron skillet invest in an 8″ round one, you will use it over and over. Also cast iron is my corn bread stick pan. Just make sure you well grease this pan so your crunchy corn bread stick will release easily from pan.
Cornbread Sticks, recipe link. Tomato Pie and in the little red casserole is soup beans. Have you ever made soup beans from scratch? I like mixed dry beans pinto and navy for a creamy nice blend but… great northern beans make great soup beans with a little bit of ham pieces or a ham hock. Just follow instructions on the dry bean packages but add ham pieces or a ham hock.
So to make beans, in a saucepan, place 1 pound of dry beans, your choice or combination. Cover with cold water, cover pan with lid and place on the stove… without turning it on. This is to allow the beans to swell before cooking. The next morning, drain the water off the beans and rinse!
Fill a dutch oven or large saucepan with water and add the rinsed beans. You can also use chicken broth instead of water. Add ham hock or ham pieces a little bit of salt and cook over medium high heat until beans are tender about 2 hours. Watch the water as the water will evaporate. Using a crock pot is a great way to make soup beans too.
Here is my favorite cast iron Corn bread Stick pan. (Some links go to affiliate links where I am barely compensated on products sold at no cost to the consumer.) This website is ad free but I do participate in affiliate marketing. Not all links are related to affiliates. My all time best cast iron skillet from Lodge.
PrintSouthern Tomato Pie
Rich layers of ripe tomatoes with three different cheese line a shortbread or refrigerated pie crust. A perfect summer tomato pie.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-southern
Ingredients
1/2 package refrigerated pie crust
2 –1/2 pounds vine ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1–1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1–1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1–1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 large egg
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil + small sprig for garnish
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425 degrees. Slice tomatoes 1/4″ thick, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and drain on paper towel for 30 minutes. Pat dry after 30 minute drain time.
- Slightly roll refrigerated pie crust to fit skillet or deep dish tart pan. Press crust up the sides of skillet, crimp edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes while preparing filling.
- In medium mixing bowl, add mayo, cheeses, egg and herbs. Mix and set aside.
- Layer chopped onions over prepared pie crust in skillet or tart pan, top with 1/3 cup cheese mixture. Reserve 3 sliced tomatoes as a garnish.
- Layer sliced tomatoes over cheese in single layer, add another 1/3 cup cheese, repeat process ending with cheese. Top with reserved tomatoes. Brush with olive oil.
- Bake until brown about 25 minutes, cover with foil, continue to bake additional 20 minutes.
- Serve warm but not hot. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and basil sprig.
Notes
- Keep foil from sticking by lightly coating with cooking spray.
- Draining tomatoes is a must for this recipe otherwise your dish will be soggy. Adding salt to the tops of tomatoes will draw out the excess water, pat dry with paper towel after 30 minutes at room temperature.
- To make this a main course, add chopped cooked bacon bits or diced ham.
- Making this pie in a skillet or springform pan will make a great side for supper or main entree for summer ripe tomatoes.
Other Ideas you might like to try:
Blueberry Swirl Pound Cake
