One of the best things Southern food has going for it is tomato pie. Hands down, if you haven’t had one, you must. And, if you’ve never made it, it’s far simpler than you may think.

I’ve often heard people say, “I tried making tomato pie once, and it was a soggy mess.” This can be true, but it’s easily remedied with the proper preparation of the tomatoes. As this recipe skips the crust altogether, there is no soggy crust! And yes, this crustless pie sticks together and is so delicious that you won’t miss the crust!

As a preview, there are two variations to this crustless tomato pie at the end of this article. One features bacon, and the other is a spicy Southwestern preparation.

The secret to the crustless version is that this recipe calls for two eggs, cornstarch, and gluten-free breadcrumbs (or full-gluten breadcrumbs ā€” your choice!). These ingredients make the cheese, mayonnaise, and tomatoes bind together quite nicely.

Besides the ingredients I just mentioned, you’ll need dijon mustard, garlic, fresh basil, green onions or chives, salt, pepper, and a couple of pounds of fresh tomatoes.

I’ve made so many of these that I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore, and I also make variations (you can, too!). Once you get the knack for this pie, you can start adding bacon or create one with jalapenos, corn, and cilantro.

Truth be told, my favorite is the plain jane tomato and basil pie. The variations are fun and delicious, but I like the original.

Layering the tomatoes on the tomato pie
Layering the tomatoes on the tomato pie. It takes three layers, and all the tomatoes need to be as dry as possible.
Crustless tomato pie just out of the oven.
Just out of the oven, the cheese has started to brown, and the pie is firm.
Crustless tomato pie with fresh basil
Place the tomato pie on a cake stand and wow your family or guests!
Crustless tomato pie with fresh basil.
Garnish the tomato pie with fresh basil, and it is SO good!

While I LOVE heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purples, in particular), I like red and yellow ‘slicing tomatoes’ for these pies. With their more regular ball shape and consistent size, they are just easier to slice and work with. That said, if you have a slew of heirloom tomatoes, they will definitely make a delicious tomato pie!

I hope you enjoy this pie as much as I do. It’s summer in a dish and just as good as the main course at brunch as it is served next to some barbecue.

I read about a lot of crustless pies when coming up with this recipe, but I was most inspired by this one at peelwithzeal.com.

Crustless Tomato Pie 2

Crustless Tomato Pie

AvatarLiza Graves
This tomato pie is not at all soggy and is so delicious that you, too, may make several a week like I have been known to do!
4.41 from 15 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 397 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch springform pan, nonstick

Ingredients
  

  • Olive oil spray
  • 2 1/2 pounds slicing tomatoes, red and yellow (approximately 5 medium tomatoes)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 3 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup minced green onion
  • 2/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped Use half in the pie mixture and save half to garnish the pie at the end.
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs (I prefer Kroger brand)
  • 2 cups grated Tillamook cheddar
  • 1/4 cup shaved parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Slice tomatoes into approx 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch rounds. Place tomatoes on two layers of paper towels or clean dish towels.
  • Salt the tomatoes to make them "sweat" with Kosher salt. Leave for 30 minutes. This is SO IMPORTANT not to rush!
  • While the tomatoes are sitting and sweating, combine your other ingredients. Start with the mayo, mustard, cornstarch, and garlic, combining in a large bowl. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper as well.
  • In a small bowl, whisk two eggs together.
  • Combine the eggs with the mayo mixture.
  • Chop your green onions and squeeze them in a paper towel to remove any excess liquid.
  • Chop your basil and use half of it, 1/3 cup, for this mixture.
  • Add your green onions and basil, along with 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and 1 3/4 cups of cheddar cheese to the mayonnaise mixture and combine.
  • At this point, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray your 9-inch springform pan with olive oil spray.
  • Layer 1/3 of the wet mixture across the bottom of the pan. It will seem like there is not enough, but there is! You can make it work!
  • Take more paper towels or clean dishtowels across the top of the tomatoes to soak up more juices and make the tomatoes as dry as possible.
  • Layer tomatoes across the mayo/cheese layer in the springform pan. You'll be making three layers like this. You can further dry each tomato as you place it in your pan.
  • I typically find that I can place about 6 to 8 tomato slices on each layer of the tomato pie.
  • Layer another 1/3 of the mixture and then again about 6 tomato slices. Then do this one more time.
  • Lastly, take your 1/4 cup of remaining cheddar cheese and sprinkle it across the top of the tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 45 minutes.
  • Tip: I put a baking pan on the rack under the springform pan to catch any drippings.
  • Check your pie after 40 minutes to make sure it's not cooking too quickly. You want your cheese to be browning and the middle temperature to be 165 degrees. For me and my oven, it's always 45 minutes.
  • Remove pie from oven and let sit, in the springform pan, for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the outer layer of the springform pan and garnish with the remaining fresh basil.
  • I like to remove the bottom layer of the springform as well and slide the pie onto a cake stand. It makes for a really pretty presentation!

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 15gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 543mgPotassium: 553mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2273IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 371mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Crustless, pie, Tomato
Tried this recipe?Rate it above to let us know how it was!

For variations, consider:

  • Add bacon to the mix. When I do this, I use 1/2 pound of bacon, crumbled.
  • Add one ear of raw corn (the corn cut off) along with one seeded and diced jalapeƱo pepper. Substitute cilantro for the basil and use a Mexican blend of cheeses. Increase your mayo to 3/4 cup and add one more egg. You’ll need to cook this for about an hour.
crustless tomato pie with bacon
This crustless tomato pie has bacon in it!
Southwestern Crustless Tomato Pie
To kick up the spice, and the bulk of the pie, add corn and jalapeƱos, along with cilantro, for a delicious twist. You’ll need to cook this one for about 15 minutes longer than the original version.

Enjoy!

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For more meals featuring vegetables, see our collection of salad and vegetable recipes HERE.

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About the Author
Liza Graves

As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!