Tomato Pie Dip

All the great flavors of tomato pie without all the work.

By
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
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Updated August 09, 2024
Sara Bir
Tomato pie dip in a pan at a table setting with servings of dip on two plates with toasted baguette pieces, a bowl with sliced scallions, and a pepper grinder

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Tomato pie is that Southern summer delight, taking the ripe homegrown tomatoes of the season and layering thick slices of them in a rich, cheesy pie with mayonnaise, and sliced green onions. 

Any lover of tomato pie knows that whatever you do, come serving time it’s always a glorious mess of filling and juicy tomatoes oozing out of the crust. A good tomato pie isn’t tomato pie without being messy.

I decided to embrace that mess and build a cheesy, tomato-y hot dip to serve at parties or even for dinner. You skip the finicky pastry crust and use toasts for dipping. If serving as a meal, round it out with a light and crisp green salad.

Taming the Tomato Juiciness 

To concentrate the tomato flavors and keep the dip from being runny, you’ll roast the tomatoes before assembling the dip. And because you’ll be using cherry tomatoes, which fare better in the off-season than your typical beefsteak tomato, this is a spin on tomato pie that you can enjoy any time of year–not just in the summer.

tomato pie dip in a pan and in the background, two plates with dip and toasted baguette slices

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

More Tomato Goodness

Tomato Pie Dip

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Rest Time 15 mins
Total Time 90 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 2 2/3 cups

This recipe was developed by Catherine Jessee

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds multi-colored cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups), halved, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

  • 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 tablespoon chopped Calabrian or pimento peppers

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 (10-ounce) baguette

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted 

  • Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Prep and roast the tomatoes:

    Toss 3 cups of the halved tomatoes with salt on the baking sheet. Bake until they are bright in color, puckered, and brown in some spots, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

    Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

    halved cherry tomatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for tomato pie dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  3. Make the filling:

    While the tomatoes are cooling, stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion powder, black pepper, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese until combined in a medium bowl. Add the roasted tomatoes, Calabrian peppers, and dried basil; stir until smooth and combined.

    tomato pie dip ingredients mixed together in a bowl for tomato pie dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  4. Assemble the dip:

    Spread the filling across the bottom of a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and use a silicone spatula to smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and arrange the remaining 1 cup of fresh halved cherry tomatoes on top, cut side up.

    tomato pie dip filling added to a pan

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    tomato pie dip filling topped with more cheddar and grape tomato halves

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  5. Bake the dip:

    Bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted and the dip is warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the dip rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

    baked tomato pie dip in a pan

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  6. Meanwhile, make the baguette toasts:

    While the dip rests, increase the oven temperature to 400°F. 

    Slice the baguette on an angle into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a clean baking sheet lined with parchment paper; brush each slice with melted butter using a pastry brush. Bake at 400°F until toasted and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

    toasted baguette pieces on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for tomato pie dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  7. Serve:

    Garnish the dip with a few grinds of black pepper and green onions. Serve with the toasted baguette slices.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    tomato pie dip in a pan next to a plate with toasted baguette slices

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    tomato pie dip in a pan

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
886 Calories
68g Fat
49g Carbs
23g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 886
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 68g 87%
Saturated Fat 30g 152%
Cholesterol 141mg 47%
Sodium 1315mg 57%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 33mg 167%
Calcium 422mg 32%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 631mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.