Traditional Amish Tomato Pie

Looking for a comforting dish that brings together the best of summer’s tomatoes with the simplicity of home cooking? As someone who’s always searching for ways to use up those garden-fresh tomatoes during peak season, I’ve found that Amish tomato pie is the perfect solution. When time is tight but you still want to put something special on the dinner table, this savory pie comes through every time.

Like many traditional Amish recipes, this tomato pie is straightforward to make and relies on basic pantry ingredients while letting fresh produce shine. It’s the kind of recipe that reminds me of slower days and simple pleasures, perfect for both family dinners and casual get-togethers with friends.

What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use?

For a classic Amish tomato pie, you’ll want to choose ripe, meaty tomatoes that aren’t too watery. Roma or plum tomatoes are great choices since they have fewer seeds and a firmer flesh, which helps prevent your pie from becoming soggy. If you’re making this during peak summer season, feel free to use fresh garden tomatoes or heirloom varieties – just make sure to remove some of the seeds and pat them dry before using. For best results, pick tomatoes that are ripe but still firm to the touch, and avoid any that feel mushy or have bruises. If you’re making this dish out of season, Roma tomatoes from the grocery store are your best bet since they tend to have good flavor year-round.

Options for Substitutions

This tasty pie recipe has several ingredients that you can swap if needed:

• Shortening: You can replace shortening with an equal amount of cold butter or margarine. Just keep in mind that butter will make the crust a bit flakier and might need slightly more flour if the dough feels too wet.
• Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt works great as a 1:1 replacement for sour cream. You could also use buttermilk, though you might need to reduce the amount to about ⅓ cup since it’s thinner.
• Mayonnaise: This is a key ingredient for the filling’s texture, but you can use plain Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of olive oil as a substitute. The taste will be slightly different but still good.
• Shredded cheese: Any melting cheese works here – try cheddar, mozzarella, or a mix of your favorites. Just avoid hard aged cheeses as they won’t melt as well.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works fine, or for a vegetarian option, try crushed seasoned nuts or crispy fried onions for that crunchy element.
• Fresh tomatoes: While fresh tomatoes are best, you can use drained canned tomatoes in winter months. Just make sure to pat them really dry to avoid a soggy pie.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making Amish tomato pie is dealing with excess moisture from the tomatoes, which can make your crust soggy – solve this by salting the tomato slices and letting them drain on paper towels for at least 30 minutes before assembling the pie.

Another common mistake is underbaking the crust before adding the filling; to ensure a crispy bottom, blind bake your crust for about 10-15 minutes with pie weights or dried beans, then remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden.

When mixing the mayonnaise-cheese topping, avoid overmixing as this can make it too dense – simply fold the ingredients together until just combined, and make sure to spread it evenly to the edges to prevent the filling from bubbling over.

For the best flavor development, let the pie rest for 10-15 minutes after baking, which allows the cheese to set slightly and makes it easier to cut clean slices.

What to Serve With Amish Tomato Pie?

This savory pie is filling enough to be a main dish, but it really shines when paired with some simple sides that balance out its rich, creamy flavors. A light mixed green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette makes a perfect partner, cutting through the richness of the cheese and bacon. Since this pie is on the heavier side, I like to serve it with some steamed or roasted vegetables like green beans or asparagus to keep things balanced. For summer meals, you can’t go wrong adding some fresh corn on the cob or cucumber salad on the side – these classic sides fit right in with the homestyle comfort of this dish.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your Amish tomato pie is best enjoyed within 2-3 days. Place any leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. The crust might soften a bit due to the tomatoes, but it’ll still taste great!

Make Ahead: You can prep some components ahead of time to make assembly easier. Cook and crumble the bacon, shred the cheese, and chop the veggies up to a day before. Just store them separately in the fridge until you’re ready to put the pie together.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover slices, take them out of the fridge and warm them gently in a 325°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. The microwave works too, but the crust might not be as crispy. I like to pop mine in my toaster oven – it works like a charm!

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	35-45 minutes
Total Time	65-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (chilled for flakier crust)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full-fat for richness)
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the filling:

• 3 medium tomatoes (peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
• 1 tbsp chopped green bell pepper
• 8 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)
• 1 small can mushrooms (drained well)
• 1 tbsp minced onion (freshly minced for best flavor)

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and dried basil.

Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the vegetable shortening until the mixture is crumbly.

Stir in the sour cream just until a dough forms.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.

Step 2: Form the Pie Crust

• chilled dough from Step 1

After chilling, press the dough evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan to form the crust.

Set the prepared crust aside while you make the filling.

Step 3: Mix the Savory Cheese Filling

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 small can mushrooms (optional)
• 8 bacon slices, fried and crumbled
• 1 tbsp chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tbsp minced onion

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, shredded cheese, canned mushrooms (if using), fried and crumbled bacon, chopped green bell pepper, and minced onion.

Stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

I like to add a little extra black pepper or a pinch of dried chives here for a bit more flavor.

Step 4: Assemble the Pie

• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• cheese filling from Step 3

Arrange half of the sliced, peeled tomatoes over the bottom of the prepared crust.

Spread half of the cheese mixture from Step 3 over the tomatoes.

Repeat with the remaining tomatoes and cheese mixture, making two layers in total.

For a different twist, feel free to sprinkle a pinch more dried basil, oregano, chives, or even a little brown sugar over the top before baking.

Step 5: Bake and Serve

Bake the assembled pie at 350°F (175°C) for about 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I like to let the pie rest for 10 minutes so the filling sets a bit and is easier to slice.