Southern Tomato Pie with Fried Onions ~ this classic tomato pie is gussied up with pretty heirloom tomatoes and crisp onion strings, who could argue with that?
Does your dad send you articles? My dad has been sending me articles ever since I left home. At this point the envelopes from him with the carefully folded newspaper clippings and scanned magazine articles are some of the only snail mail I get. Usually it’s fatherly advice stuff like ‘the 10 habits of financially secure people’ or a list of the safest cities in America…sometimes it’s cautionary stuff like how my cell phone might explode in my ear type of thing — he usually circles the title of those to make sure I get the point — but lately he’s gotten into sending me recipes, and I love it. I adapted this Southern Tomato Pie with Fried Onions from his latest.
This pie is based on the classic Southern dish where thickly sliced ripe tomatoes are set into a single pie crust, covered in a slurry of mayo and grated cheese, and then baked into a bubbling cauldron of pure comfort. The recipe my dad sent was topped with a can of fried onions…I took it a step further and made my own Vidalia onion strings. Not much extra trouble and well worth it.
I collected a mixed group of heirloom tomatoes for a colorful change from plain reds. Heirloom tomatoes star in so many of the summer recipes here on the blog ~
- Tomato and Basil Salad
- Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad
- Heirloom Tomato Toast
- Swoonworthy Heirloom Tomato Recipes
- Basil Marinated Mozzarella with Summer Tomatoes
- Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
Allowing time for the sliced tomatoes to drain is key — tomatoes contain a tremendous amount of moisture, and you’ll want to get rid of at least some of it before you add them or you’ll wind up with tomato soup instead of pie!
I lined a 10-inch tart pan (the kind with the removable bottom) with a ready made pie crust for convenience. In first go the paper thin slices of raw Vidalia onion, (use that mandolin slicer!) and then the tomatoes on top.
The tomato pie is topped off with a cheesy mayo mixture. It doesn’t look like much in the raw state, but it’s really scrumptious after it has baked. Kind of like your favorite hot cheesy dip. The recipe calls for a good amount of fresh dill to be blended in with the topping and although I forgot to pick some up, I recommend you add it. I used assorted herbs instead.
As you might expect, the delicate fried Vidalia onion strings add that extra special touch. Don’t skip or skimp!!
tips for tomato pie
- Use Ripe but Firm Tomatoes: Select tomatoes that are ripe but still firm to the touch. Overly ripe tomatoes can release too much liquid, making the pie soggy.
- Slice and Drain the Tomatoes: After slicing, lay the tomatoes on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle with a little salt and let them drain for 15-30 minutes. This helps remove excess moisture, preventing a soggy crust.
- Add a Layer of Panko Crumbs: Top the par-baked crust with a layer of panko bread crumbs to further insure against any sogginess from the filling.
- Cool Before Serving: Allow the pie to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps the filling set and makes it easier to cut clean slices.
- Use a Serrated Knife: When it’s time to serve, use a serrated knife to cut through the pie. This will help you slice through the tomatoes and crust cleanly without crushing them.
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Southern Tomato Pie with Fried Onions
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust dough, unbaked
fillling
- 3-4 heirloom tomatoes, or regular red tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced very thinly, 1/8 inch
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- salt and cracked black pepper
onion topping
- 1/2 Vidalia onion , sliced in 1/8-inch slices on a mandolin slicer
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp salt
- vegetable oil , for frying
Instructions
- Put the tomato slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Blot the surface well with paper towels afterwards.
- For the fried onion strings, whisk together the flour, cornmeal and salt in a shallow bowl.
- Heat several inches of vegetable oil in a pot to about 340F.
- Cut the onion slices in half and then toss them in the flour mixture. Work in batches.
- When the oil is hot, drop a handful of the onions in and fry until golden and crisp. This should take 2 minutes or so. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Mix the mayo with the shredded cheese, and stir in the dill. Set aside.
- Set the oven to 350 and line a 10 inch tart pan with a ready made crust. You can use a regular pie plate for this, too, but you may need to adjust the amount of tomatoes you put in. Prick the crust all over with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.
- Cut the raw onion slices in half and scatter across the bottom of the crust. Layer the tomatoes over them. Season everything with black pepper and a touch of salt.
- Spoon the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and spread to cover. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is starting to turn golden and bubbling.
- Scatter the fried onions over the top of the pie and let cool for a bit before trying to slice. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t forget to pin this Southern Heirloom Tomato Pie!
Now this is the way to use up my garden tomatoes! And that fried onion topping is irresistible!
Hey,
Just tried a recipe last night for tomato pie cooked by a guest on The Chew. She was from North Carolina and it was major simple to make but she used canned tomatoes, raw onions, cornbread stuffing,etc. It was good but your recipe looks very interesting. Will give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Hmmm, sounds interesting, but canned tomatoes? Not sure about that 😉
I’m a born and bred true southern gal from Tennessee. When we make this it always has to have BACON in it. But then we are pork-a-holics too. Too much sodium i know.
Oh! A question. I loathe mayonnaise. Is there anything you think might substitute for it? Would vegan mayonnaise work? I’ve never tried it, but maybe it would taste “off” or separate too much?
Hmmm, don’t really know. I think anything that you could substitute in a baked cheese dip would probably work, and don’t forget that you don’t taste the mayo once it is baked up with all that cheese 😉
Too hilarious! Maybe our dads were related? My dad passed away a couple of years ago, but he sent me clippings starting in college. The same kinds of things your dad sends, but never recipes. It really made me smile to read about your dad, and remember mine. And the pie looks great!
This looks amazingly delicious! I love all the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes.
This is so fun Sue. A love these old timely southern recipes but I also love that you have given it a brand new twist!
What is it about Southern food, they seem to have the comfort thing down to a science!
This looks amazing, the tomato plants in our garden haven’t done that well this year but I’ve been buying plenty at the farmer’s market to make up for it. I love the addition of the fried onions!
Tomatoes seem to take their time every summer, I’ve finally started seeing great ones recently.
Your dad has good taste! This looks scrumptious and I will be making it when the in laws show up in the RV next month! My MIL is from the South and I think she will drool over this! Thanks, Sue!
Thanks Abbe!
This tomato pie reminds me of something my grandmother used to make in the summer with fresh tomatoes from her garden. I have so many tomatoes in my garden right now and definitely need to attempt making a pie like this. It looks incredible!
I didn’t grow up with tomato pies, but discovered them a few summers ago, I bet your grandmother’s was amazing.