Southern-Style Cherry Tomato Pie Recipe | gritsandpinecones.com (2024)

Filled with tomato deliciousness through and through, this mouth-watering Cherry Tomato Pie is perfect for a summer brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner paired with a fresh vegetable salad.

If you have been blessed with an abundance of cherry tomatoes and basil from your garden this summer, you will adore this quick and easy recipe for Cherry Tomato Pie.

No garden, no worries, as this pie is just as good with cherry tomatoes and basil from the farmers’ market or grocery store. And, if you have never had tomato pie, you are in for a treat as it just screams summer!

Why you will love this recipe:

1. I’ve made my share of tomato pies over the years with regular tomatoes, and while they are delicious, if you don’t slice and drain the tomatoes, you can end up with a soggy pie. Not so with this easy pie; with the cherry tomatoes, you can skip that step.
2. Also, most regular tomato pie recipes call for a cup of mayonnaise, while this lighter version only calls for ½ of a cup.
3. Finally, to make this the easiest and quickest pie ever, this recipe calls for a store-bought crust. Of course, if you are a purest, you can certainly make your favorite crust recipe, but since we are in the lazy days of summer, why would you?

Here’s what you will need:

Cherry tomatoes: Full of sunshine and vitamin C, roasted cherry tomatoes are the essence of this recipe. I like to use multicolored tomatoes, but you can use whatever kind you have on hand. Grape tomatoes also work.

Fontini cheese: You can’t have tomato pie without cheese, and Fontina cheese with its buttery, nutty flavor is a delicious melting cheese.

Chives: With a mild taste similar to scallions or shallots, fresh chives add not only great color but a delicate onion flavor. You can substitute dried chives but only use about a teaspoon because they have a much more concentrated flavor.

Mayonnaise: With its light, mild, and tangy flavor, mayonnaise unites all of the flavors and textures in this recipe.

Pie Crust: Yes, you can make your crust, and if you have a favorite, I encourage you to do so. However, if you are looking for convenience, pick up a purchased refrigerated or frozen crust at the grocery store—no need to prebake it either.

Basil: With its unforgettable fragrance and familiar taste, basil highlights the tomatoey goodness.

How to make it:

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

If you have a refrigerated crust, place it in a pie pan and crimp the edges. If you are using a frozen crust, let it sit out for about 20 minutes to thaw. No need to pre-bake it.

Mix the shredded cheese, mayonnaise, chives, and pepper in a small bowl and spread out evenly on the pie crust.

Slice the tomatoes in half and, if they are large, cut them into quarters. Although you don’t have to let them drain like regular tomato slices, I do place a folded paper towel under them in a bowl to catch any excess juice.

Pile the tomatoes on top of the cheese filling and spread out evenly. Top with a bit of kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling up around the tomatoes.

Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let the pie cool for at least one hour before serving.

When the pie has cooled, and you are ready to serve it, roll up the basil leaves lengthwise like a cigar and cut them into thin ribbons or chiffonade. Sprinkle over the top.

What to serve with it:

I love a piece of this pie for breakfast or lunch. It also makes a beautiful centerpiece for a nice holiday brunch. For dinner, I like to pair it with purple hull peas, white acre peas, succotash, or squash casserole. It also pairs well with pecan-crusted fish, blackened shrimp, or crab cakes.

Sharon’s tips:

The cooking time for this recipe is 45 minutes at 375 degrees. However, all ovens cook differently. Oven temperature accuracy changes over time, and your pie may take more or less time to cook. The best thing to do is to keep an eye on it while it is cooking. When the crust is golden brown, and the cheese has melted and is bubbling up around the tomatoes, it is done.

Also, it needs to cool for at least an hour for the filling to firm up. If you try to cut it too soon, it will be runny.

If you don’t have Fontina, suitable substitutes include Gruyere, provolone, Gouda, or Emmenthal. This recipe is versatile and can be adapted to what you have on hand. I have also used a Mexican blend of cheese with excellent results.

After slicing the tomatoes, and before adding them to the pie, keep them in a bowl lined with a folded paper towel to catch any excess juice. If your tomatoes are over ripe, they will have more juice, so try to blot up any excess with a paper towel.

Instead of using a knife to chop up your chives, it’s easier to use kitchen shears to cut them up.

Before placing it in the oven, I usually put my pie pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper just in case anything bubbles over.

You can use either a regular nine-inch pie pan or a deep-dish pan.

Related recipes:

Looking for more breakfast or brunch ideas and recipes, check out these roundups: 32 Mother’s Day Breakfast and Brunch Recipes, Easy Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes, and 25 Best Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes.

If you like cherry tomatoes as we do, you might also like these popular recipes: Spaghetti with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce, Rustic Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza, Spinach Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes, and Roasted Tomato Quiche with Goat Cheese.

And, finally, I hope you will also check out my delicious recipe for Easy Classic Southern Tomato Pie.

★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

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📋 Recipe:

**This recipe was originally published on June 21, 2016. It was republished on August 7, 2020, with expanded directions, new images, the addition of tips, and a few tweaks to the recipe including an adjustment in the amount of time it needs to cool.