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.
Video
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:
Jamie says
I love how beautiful this recipe is and double plus that it's low carb! I'm adding this to my list of weeknight meals!
Pam says
Thank you so much, Jamie! Hope y'all enjoy.
Cynthia says
Can you make this the day before and bake
Next day?
Ken says
Enjoy the recipe as I need ways to use up fresh tomatoes. The instructions kinda threw me though. It says 1/4 cup per layer when the ingredients call for 2 cups. That would be 8 layers???
Thank you Ken
Sara says
Hi Ken! The number of layers would depend on how big your tomatoes are and how thick your slices are. You can use more or less cheese depending on your taste but the important thing is to layer the tomatoes and the cheese mixture until you've used up your tomatoes... however many layers that takes!
Shells says
It looks wonderful. I live in SC and plan on taking an out of town friend to Charleston in Sept. Would you mind telling me where this is? I’d so love to have lunch there.
Thanks
Pam says
Thanks, Shells. You must be talking about Lowcountry Produce. Their tomato pie was the inspiration for ours, but I believe it is a very deep dish pie with a crust. They are in downtown Beaufort, SC.
Katie says
Oh does this remind me of home!!! I'm in Colorado but am from the south, and when the first photo popped up I said "WOWWWW" out loud! This looks like summer perfection & garden-fresh. Can't wait to try it!
Pam says
Awww.... that's sweet, Katie! Love it when we can remind someone of home.
Suzy says
I love that the ingredient list is so simple! This is going to go well with my freshly picked tomatoes! Thank you!
Pam says
It really is simple, but delicious. Thanks, Suzy!
Erin says
I cannot wait to make this tomato pie using all the fresh tomatoes I have in my garden. Great dish!
Pam says
Hope you enjoy, Erin! We've got a ton of fresh tomatoes, too!
Cookilicious says
I simply love thus crust-less pie! Pinned it as well!
Pam says
Thanks so much!
Leslee says
Yummmmm!! Do you recommend any particular omato variety?
Pam says
We love Better Boys, but I think most any would be good.
Marlene says
Would I be able to cut recipe by half? If not, how do you reheat for leftovers? Thank you!
Pam says
Sorry for the delay in response Marlene. I thought we had already replied. You should easily be able to cut it in half and cook it in a small casserole dish. But, leftovers heat easily in the microwave or oven.
Marilyn says
I just returned from the Farmer's market with beautiful ripe tomatoes and cannot wait to make this today. It looks so pretty and I am sure it will be tasty
Pam says
Love a trip to the farmers market, Marilyn. We think you'll love the recipe too!
Giiny Crider says
Hey Sara! Long time no see! This recipe looks yummy - will be giving it a shot soon!!!
Mary says
Love the look of it but please tell me what is the purpose of the eggs since it's not a quiche?
Pam says
The eggs are what holds the whole pie together, Mary. It is definitely similar to quiche, but less egg-y. A quiche this size would typically have 5-6 eggs.
Magrobb says
Where is the nutritional info? How many carbs, etc?
Andrea Heys says
Thank you SO much for posting this delicious Tomato Pie recipe! I made it Monday night during a FB Live Video. Just HAD to share it with my friends!
( I tagged y’all in the post!)
Thanks again.😘🍅👏
Pam says
Awww... thanks so much, Andrea! We had fun watching the video and shared it to our Facebook page too!
Elizabeth says
I love this recipe. Have sent it to all my friends and everyone loved it. I have made it twice. This will be in my favorite recipe list.
Pam says
That's great to hear, Elizabeth! Thanks for letting us know.
Betty flynn says
My daughter has made it twice this week and we love it. Saw other recipes for this pie but all had pie crust and mayonnaise in them. Your recipe is delicious, would not even try any of the other ones. Thank you 👩🎤😊
Pam says
Thanks, Betty! That's what makes this recipe unique and healthier than most. We would appreciate it so much if you'd come back and give the recipe a star rating.
Susie says
Super yummy! My whole family loved it. Just like eating the best part of a pizza.
Pam says
Thanks, Susie
Daisywulf says
I make something similar, only with caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, and a touch of parm sprinkled on top (over the last sprinkling of mozz. And, of course, with a crust. To keep the crust from getting soggy and to concentrate the beautiful tomato flavor, I slow roast the tomatoes first. I love the idea of no crust! Cuts carbs and simplifies the whole dish. I will definitely be trying this version, as written (ok, except the parm - I just LOVE baked mozz and parmesan!!). Can't wait to taste it. Thx so much!
Pam says
Thank you, Daisy! Parmesan added does sound delicious!