Nothing says summer in the south better than a tasty tomato pie made with homegrown heirloom tomatoes. My own ridiculously easy recipe for tomato pie is a staple in our household throughout tomato season.
There are a lot of different ways to make tomato pie, most of which require making some kind of sauce. I did that a few times but decided to try something a bit less labor intensive (after all, I have to keep up with all of the tomatoes coming in from the garden!).
The result of that experiment quickly became a favorite summertime side dish that I actually sometimes eat on its own as a meal. This dish that I call tomato pie is so easy to make that it might not actually qualify as a pie. It tastes just as great without a pie crust as with one, so I usually don't bother with a crust anymore.
Tomato Pie Ingredients
This isn't an exact quantity kind of recipe. This is the kind of recipe you make when you need to use up stuff from the garden. You'll need:
Fresh homegrown tomatoes (any varieties)
Fresh basil leaves
Shredded cheese (I usually use shredded Italian blend and shredded cheddar)
Tomato Pie Instructions
Follow the simple instructions below. Some of the links are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and make a purchase, the vendor will pay us a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Place paper towels on a plate or tray
Slice tomatoes and place on the paper towel, layering more paper towels as needed
Allow tomatoes to drain for 30 minutes to an hour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Spray the bottom of a pie pan or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray
Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of tomatoes
Place some basil leaves on top of the tomatoes
Sprinkle on a layer of shredded cheese
Repeat layers of tomatoes, basil, and cheese until the pan is full
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until heated through
Variation: Add a Crust
If you want to use a pie crust on the bottom, you can either use a store-bought crust or make one from scratch. On those rare occasions that I use a crust, I whip up a Bisquick® pie crust recipe, then press it into the pan before adding the first layer of tomatoes.
You're Welcome
This shockingly simple dish tastes so great and looks so elegant that it's hard to believe it's nothing more than layers of tomato, basil, and cheese. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to make it for yourself.