Tomato pie is a delicious and beautiful side dish that would perfectly complement brunch, lunch, or dinner. With fresh herbs and mozzarella cheese, it has an Italian flair that will dress up the rest of the meal.
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The idea of a low carb tomato pie is born
On a trip to explore the culinary culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry, Mom and I ate brunch at the darling Lowcountry Produce Market & Café.
In the middle of the space, there were glass cases filled with beautiful pastries, quiches, and pies and the tomato pie immediately caught my eye.
A tomato pie is naturally beautiful and really does go with just about anything. I knew I had to make one as soon as I got home.
In thinking about how I wanted to make it, I thought of our Crustless Squash Pie, which has been a reader favorite since we published it in 2017.
The squash pie and this Crustless Breakfast Quiche are beloved for their bright colors, their heartiness, and their low-carb appeal. Why not make this one the same way? I knew I wanted it to be a healthy, flavorful tomato pie recipe above all else.
Is it just crustless tomato quiche?
No. While eggs do hold the whole thing together, they are not the base ingredient like they are in a quiche. Fresh tomatoes are the star here!
With herbs and mozzarella cheese the squash pie has an Italian twist, too. If you love those flavors, be sure to hop over to our Baked Tomato Slices with Parmesan and San Marzano Sauce, which is a simple sauce made with either fresh or canned San Marzano tomatoes. If you have some extra tomatoes left over, easy Summer Slaw and tasty Marinated Tomatoes make great side dishes.
(For a fun quick look at this recipe be sure to watch the web story version here.)
In spite of the Italian flavors and the low-carb flair, this is, at its very heart, a southern tomato pie. It's just been made healthier by leaving off the crust and leaving out the mayonnaise, and made a little more interesting with the addition of herbs and cheese.
To read more about how southern food is heading in a healthier direction you'll want to check this out.
The main difference between our crustless squash pie and this tomato pie is that, since tomatoes are so much more tender than squash, you're not going to cook them with the onions and garlic.
Instead, you're going to put the pie together in layers. It really is so easy and makes such an impression on the buffet table.
Best tip for a perfect tomato pie with video:
In the recipe we show you how to lay the tomato slices out flat, add salt, and let them sit a few minutes. The salt draws out the excess liquid.
Pat the slices dry with a paper towel on each slide. This ensures you end up with a perfect pie (not soggy)! Watch the video for further details.
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A few items you may need:
- A scalloped pie pan like ours
- A mini chopper for the garlic
Southern Food Then and Now is all about the history, origins and future of southern food. You'll want to read that next!
📖 Recipe
Easy Crustless Tomato Pie
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes sliced
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
- 6-7 leaves basil chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, plus extra for sprinkling over top
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes and lay sliced on plates. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let sit at least 10-20 minutes, and up to 30 minutes.
- Melt butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute' until onions are soft (about 8 minutes). Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add cheese, eggs, herbs, and pepper to bowl. Stir to combine.
- Drain water off of plates with tomatoes, With a paper towel, Gently blot tomatoes to soak up excess moisture.
- Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on a greased pie pan. Top with about ¼ cup of the cheese mixture. Repeat until all ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of tomatoes. Top this layer with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Allow to sit 5-7 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
If you're into low carb, Keto friendly sides, you'll want to check out this Broccoli Casserole and Keto Squash Casserole. They check all the boxes.
If you love all things Mexican-inspired (like we do) but you're watching carb intake be sure to add this recipe to your list to make soon: Low Carb Enchiladas are so delicious they'll never guess they're so healthy.
Here are some more of our favorite recipes:
Susy says
Sooo delicious, will definitely be making it again! Much better than the recipe I tried with a crust.
I have a question though. Can this be frozen after it's baked & if so how to reheat it?
Pam says
Yes. I would thaw it first and then reheat covered at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then remove the cover and continue heating until the center is hot.
Kathie Wilson says
IF I have leftovers, I cut them in slices to freeze them then take out one at a time! Love mine for breakfast!
Ej says
Looks delicious. I'm trying tonight. How thick do you cut the tomatoes?
Pam says
Approximately 1/2"
Sally says
I made this and felt it was lack luster. Mozzarella doesn’t add any seasoning to the dish. Gruyère might be a better alternative. I will make again but with my own twists.
Dianne says
This is a very good dish. I don’t think the mozzarella cheese is too bland if fresh herbs are used. I used fresh basil and rosemary and the dish was a huge success at a brunch I attended. I highly recommend this recipe.
Katherine says
I have made this recipe in the past and it was delicious! I think good garden tomatoes make the difference between a good pie and a so so one. I only have a few tomatoes and want to make a smaller pie using the tomatoes that I have. Trying to decide how much of the other ingredients I need to use with the tomatoes I have. I realize that the amount of tomatoes used can very and you will still have a good pit but I would like to know what the ideal ratio of tomatoes to cheese, etc is. Can you tell me an approximation of the weight of 4 tomatoes. Thanks so much!!
Pam says
I would think about 1.5 pounds for 4 tomatoes.
Katherine says
Thanks so much!!
Alicia says
Sooooo good! Will definitely be making again especially with fresh garden tomato season upon us. Also was fortunate to be able to use oregano, basil and garlic fresh from the garden too and eggs from my sister’s farm. Kept the recipe as is and wouldn’t change a thing 😍
Anni says
will def go make this with fresh tomatoes out of my garden and the fresh herbs as well
Crawford Danielle says
Just made this. In the oven now. I added a very small deseeded red jalapeño a small onion and part Parmesan mozzerella cheese because that’s all I had. The egg mixture wasn’t a lot so I added one more egg but still didn’t cover the tomatoes. Was it supposed to?
Pam says
I hope it turns out great! The egg and cheese mixture gets alternated in layers with the tomatoes and you end with a layer of tomatoes with just a little cheese sprinkled on top, so no, it isn't supposed to cover the tomatoes.
Christine says
Can l make/assemble this ahead and bake the next day?
Emily says
This is the third time I’ve made this dish and it never disappoints. My husband even asks me to make this as soon as the tomatoes are ready to pick. I added shredded Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella. DELISH!! Thank you for sharing recipe!