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.
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.
(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:
Joan says
This was delightful. It's just so delicious. It takes no time to prepare other than waiting for the tomatoes to "de-juice." I also like that there is no mayo or pie crust involved. Great, great recipe. 10 stars out of 10. Definitely will make this again.
Pam says
Thank you SO much Joan for taking the time to let us know and give our recipe a 5 star (or 10:) rating.
Missy says
This tomato pie recipe is FANTASTIC in every way. Easy to put together, just a few ingredients, and most of all DELICIOUS!!!!!
Pam says
Thank you so much Missy!
Wendy says
Love this!!! I added some Parmesan too🎉🎉
Rhonda says
This was very delicious. I had so many tomatoes in my garden I needed to use, and this was so easy
Camille Casey says
This was fabulous! Thank you so much!
Vivian V Splawn says
So easy and a great way to use up the bumper crop of tomatoes I have this summer! I didn't need to go to the grocery store for anything which was really convenient.
Lori says
I made this last summer and it was so delicious that I grew my own tomatoes this year! I’m making it tonight as part of my veggie dinner. Yummy!!
Summer says
So simple and and a delicious use for an overflow of fresh garden tomatoes. I subbed dried basil and oregano and did a half and half blend of mozzarella and Swiss because it's what I had on hand. Sopped up the juices with crusty bread. Amazing summer dinner.
Summer says
We're not low carb, but this dish is incredible. So easy and delicious. I eat it with some crusty bread for a meal on my own. If a family dinner, we like this with grilled salmon or chicken and rice or bread.
Mer says
This recipe is great. Easy, healthy and so delicious. It is a great way to use an abundance of tomatoes without a lot of calories. It takes care of my protein needs as well. I plan to make this often.
Line says
This recipe is AMAZING! This is a keeper for sure....love it! Thank you for such a great recipe. Wish I could add a photo, they looked and tasted soooo good.
Trisha says
This recipe is great, I’ve made this at least five times already and about to make it again tonight.. I do like the fact that it’s low carb but I don’t do keto and would like to balance the fat also, is there there I a sub that could use for half the cheese, would cottage cheese work as a sub?
Sara says
Hi Trisha! I'm so glad it's been a hit at your house! I'm not sure I would sub cottage cheese because the extra moisture could negatively affect the pie. I would recommend using a part skim Mozzarella for a low fat option.
Trisha Tomal says
Hello Sara, I didn't see your reply fast enough. I ended up putting 1 cup of cheese and 1 cup of Kemps Low Fat Cottage cheese in. It worked out pretty well, I love mushrooms and also added that but don't think I will do the mushrooms again. Next time I plan to add Italian turkey sausage for protein.
Janice McGlone says
Was lucky enough to have a neighbor give me some luscious tomatoes from his garden and decided to try this recipe. It is delicious. Super easy to make and the flavor is wonderful. Will definitely be making this one again and taking it to buffets. Thanks for a great recipe.
Pam says
Yay! Thanks for letting us know Janice.
Cheryl C says
I loved this recipe! I had lots of homegrown tomatoes ripen at once and needed to use them and came across this!
I had a ball of fresh mozzarella so sliced it up and put on top of the tomatoes. I also had fresh Parmesan I grated for the top.
Definitely a winner!!
Next time I’ll layer some fresh spinach in the middle.