Southern Tomato Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

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Southern Tomato Pie Recipe Cheesy, herbaceous classic deep south Tomato Slab Pie is made in a sheet pan for easy baking and serving, and is great for feeding a crowd!

Southern Tomato Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (1)

Southern Tomato Pie

Southern Tomato Pie… Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Ever tried it? If not, you are really missing out.

Imagine fresh ripe summer tomatoes, flaky pie crust, fresh herbs, a little mayonnaise for tang, and a whole lot of melted Borden® Cheese! That is the epitome of a good pie.

But don’t be fooled, this is not deep dish pizza. This Tomato Slab Pie recipe was made to highlight fresh ripe tomatoes and originated in the South! However, it was probably inspired by its Italian counterpart.

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The Best Tomato Slab Pie

Over the years, I’ve made tomato piemany different ways. Some with mozzarella slabs in a pie pan, some with puff pastry crusts, some with grape tomatoes in a tart pie. Yet my personal favorite is a Southern Tomato Slab Pie.

What is a slab pie? you might be asking yourself.

A traditional slab pie is a large rectangular dish with a higher crust-to-filling ratio than classic round pies.

Not only do you get more buttery crust in each bite, a Slab Pie:

  • Bakes faster than pies with more filling
  • Cools faster for impatient pie eaters
  • Feedsa crowd for summer parties and entertaining
  • Can be served as a hand-held snack!

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Key Ingredient: Borden Cheese

Right next to ripe summer tomatoes, the most important ingredient for this perfect pie is the cheese!

Borden® Cheese melts so well, there’s no need to waste time shredding it myself. It makes this amazing summer recipe an absolute crowd-pleaser.

Plus, with Borden® Cheese you are guaranteed your cheese is made with the highest quality dairy, from over 8,000 family-owned farms in the United States.

I used fresh Borden® Cheese Shreds in the filling. Sharp cheddar cheese is mixed withmayonnaise, scallions, and garlic to creating a silky molten layer.

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How To Make A Slab Pie Crust

First, make a quick savory pie crust in the food processor.

  1. Place flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Then add cold butter cubes and pulse into a fine pebble mixture. Add cold milk and pulse until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. If needed, add more milk.
  2. Press the dough into a flat rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. When ready to use, roll the chilled dough out on a piece of wax paper, into a 12 X 17-inch rectangle. Carefully flip the dough over onto a 10 X 15-inch jelly roll pan. Remove the wax paper. Turn the edges of the dough under and crimp with a fork against the rim of the baking sheet.

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How to Make Southern Tomato Pie

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and move an oven rack to the low position. In a bowl, mix the Borden® Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds, mayonnaise, garlic, and scallions.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds and lay the slices on paper towels to drain off excess juices. Then spread the cheese, herbs, and mayo blend over the prepared pie crust and top with fresh sliced tomatoes.

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Sprinkle Borden® Four Cheese Mexican Shreds over the top to melt and seal in all the goodness.

Trust me, nothing can go wrong with more cheese.

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Sprinkle the top of the Tomato Slab Pie with fresh basil (the basil makes all the difference friends), then bake on the low rack for 30 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.

Get the Complete (Printable) Southern Tomato Pie Recipe Below. Enjoy!

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Cool for 5 minutes (or longer if it’s still piping hot) and then cut and serve warm!

This recipe can feed a crowd. However, if needed, double the recipe and make two sheet pans of this pie.

Get ready for ooey-gooey cheesy tomato ecstasy!!!

Perfect for Summer

Southern Tomato Slab Pie is a fabulous recipe to make for Father’s Day and other summertime weekend events. Borden® Cheese brings families together around the table, transforming meals into memorable moments!

Learnmore about Borden® Cheese on Facebook,Instagram, and Pinterest!

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Tomato Pie Q&A

My Crust is Soggy, What Happened?

If you’ve drained the tomatoes and the crust is still getting soggy, it may be an oven issue. Did you bake the pie on the lowest oven rack? Sometimes that helps correct soggy pie crusts.

Also, make sure to check your oven’s temperature with an internal oven thermometer. Ovens tend to lose their accuracy with repeated use.

How Long Does This Recipe Last?

Refrigerate pie in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Make sure to watch it though! No one wants a burned pie.

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Looking for More Savory Pie Recipes?

  • Corned Beef Pot Pie with Scalloped Potato Top
  • Skillet Taco Calzone Pie
  • Irish Potato Pie
  • Chicken Pot Pie Stuffed Peppers
  • Easy Italian Savory Rustic Pie from An Italian in my Kitchen

Southern Tomato Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (11)

Print Recipe

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Southern Tomato Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Southern Tomato Pie Recipe - Cheesy, herbaceous classic deep south Tomato Slab Pie is made in a sheet pan for easy baking and serving, and is great for feeding a crowd!

Servings: 24 pieces

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the Crust:

For the Filling:

Instructions

  • Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Then add the cold butter cubes and pulse into a fine pebble mixture. Add 6 tablespoons cold milk and pulse until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. If needed, add 1-2 more tablespoons milk. Press the dough into a flat rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and move an oven rack to the low position. In a bowl, mix theBorden® Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds, mayonnaise, garlic, and scallions. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds and lay the slices on paper towels to drain off excess juices.

  • Roll the chilled dough out on a piece of wax paper, into a 12 X 17-inch rectangle. Flip the dough over onto a 10 X 15-inch jelly roll pan. Remove the wax paper. Turn the edges of the dough under and crimp with a fork against the rim of the baking sheet.

  • Spread the cheese-mayo mixture over the surface of the crust. Lay tomato slices over the mixture. Cut some tomato slice in half to fill in empty sections along the sides. Sprinkle the basil ribbons over the tomatoes. Then cover the surfaceof the pie with Borden®Four Cheese Mexican Shreds.

  • Bake on the low rack for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut and serve warm.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece, Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 486mg, Potassium: 108mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 705IU, Vitamin C: 3.5mg, Calcium: 213mg, Iron: 0.9mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are my own.

This site contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission.

Southern Tomato Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

Where did tomato pie originate in us? ›

Tomato pie was brought to Philadelphia by Southern Italian immigrants in the early twentieth century. The crust is based on a focaccia-like dough popular in the city of Palermo, Sicily, shown here in 1910.

Is tomato pie a regional thing? ›

Utica tomato pie is a regional dish popular in Utica, New York, and surrounding areas. It is distinct from traditional pizza in that it typically lacks cheese or has only a minimal amount, and the sauce is spread on top of the crust rather than underneath any toppings.

How is tomato pie different from pizza? ›

Old-fashioned Philly tomato pie is a bit hard to explain to outsiders. It's distinctly different from everyday pizza—the best tomato pies come room temperature from old-school neighborhood bakeries rather than hot from a pizzeria. No toppings and no cheese, save for a scant shake of Romano or Parmesan.

Is tomato pie just a Philly thing? ›

Philadelphia Tomato Pie is a Philly thing, but it does have origins back in Southern Italy. It is basically a thick-crust focaccia-like pizza that has a tangy, thick, slightly sweet tomato sauce on top, just a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, and it is usually served cold.

What is an original tomato pie? ›

Back at the turn of the century, there was no refrigeration so toppings were very basic. This gave birth to the tomato pie. The classic New Haven tomato pie is simple: dough, crushed Italian tomatoes, pecorino romano, and EVOO. That's it. Later, anchovies, garlic, and onions were also added.

What's another name for tomato pie? ›

A 1903 article in the New-York Tribune on the food of Italian-Americans described a "pomidore pizza", or tomato pie, made solely with dough, tomatoes, and powdered red pepper. Tomato pie has been sold by Iannelli's Bakery in Philadelphia since 1910.

What is the difference between Philly and Trenton tomato pies? ›

While the Philadelphia tomato pie is thick, Trenton tomato pie is round, thin-crusted and includes a layer of cheese between the crust and the topping of tomato sauce. Another difference is the flavor profile of the sauces, with Philadelphia's herbal savoriness contrasting with Trenton's slight sweetness.

What did Italians use for pizza before tomatoes? ›

In 1600 we get to the real beginning of modern pizza. Bread dough baked in wood-fired ovens, seasoned with garlic, lard and coarse salt—or, in the “richer” version, with caciocavallo cheese and basil. With the discovery of the Americas, the tomato arrived in Italy and everything took on a different flavor.

Is tomato pie just pizza without cheese? ›

As the dish evolved and plentiful toppings became popular, flatbread covered in just tomato sauce or minimally topped with grated cheese or anchovies and garlic disappeared altogether from some places. But in a few locales, tomato pie survived as an entity now distinct from cheese-covered pizza.

Why do Americans say pie instead of pizza? ›

Lombardi's in New York City opened in 1905 and has been a family-run business ever since. Pizza was coined “pie” for its similarities to the dish, with its crust, circular shape, and sliced triangle portions that fit the description. By the 1900s, pizza became known as street food and the pie saw sales soar.

Where in America did tomatoes originate? ›

Tomatoes are native to South America, in fact, several species are still found growing wild in the Andes. Brought to Mexico, tomatoes were domesticated and cultivated there by 500 BC. It is thought that the first cultivated tomato was small and yellow.

Did tomato pie originate in Utica NY? ›

Tomato pie is not just a delicious pizza variation; it's a culinary tradition that has stood the test of time. Born out of the culinary heritage of Italian immigrants in Utica, New York, tomato pie has evolved into a beloved dish, embodying the spirit of community, tradition, and regional pride.

Which type of pie originated in the United States? ›

Shaker lemon pie is a four-ingredient pie that originated in the Shaker communities of the Midwestern United States. To make this pie, lemon slices and sugar are placed in a bowl for several hours until the lemons are juicy, then eggs are beaten in and the mixture is poured into a pastry-lined pie dish.

Where was tomato pizza invented? ›

However, when it comes to where was pizza invented, Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza. The Neapolitan flatbread, known as 'Pizzaiola', was invented in the 1800s. Initially, the dish was made using only tomato sauce and garlic on a bread base, and it was known as the 'Pomodoro e Mozzarella' pizza.

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