Tomato Pie Casserole
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This Tomato Pie Casserole is a family favorite – perfect for all those holiday gatherings! It’s a copycat recipe from Mary Mac’s Tea Room, a 75+ year institution in Atlanta, GA. This Southern casserole is layered with tomatoes, onions, crunchy crackers and a creamy cheese mixture!
What You Will ❤️ About Tomato Pie Casserole
- No Tricky Pie Crust – This is a “pie” with no pie shell – well the crust is on top! Trust me – you’ll love it!
- Southern Tomato Pie – This recipe came to me from Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Atlanta GA. It’s an institution that’s been around for over 75 years!
- Flavor Punch! I love the flavor melding in this casserole – the sharp cheddar, the smoky tomatoes, crunch crackers – it’s all so good!
Tomato Pie Recipe Ingredients
This recipe uses simple, delicious ingredients – each one packs a punch of flavor! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Sweet Onion – Yellow or Vidalia onions are best here
- Ritz Crackers – you’ll need 2.5 sleeves of butter crackers
- Diced fire-roasted tomatoes – I did not drain the excess juices from these tomatoes but they weren’t real juicy to begin with. You don’t want them watery – but a little juice is fine.
- Mayonnaise – I always use Duke’s
- Grated cheddar cheese – I like the contrast of the sharp cheddar against the tomatoes but feel free to use mozzarella if you prefer
- Grated Parmesan cheese – I like to grate my own but you can use the “sprinkle cheese” if you like
- Basil
- Salt and pepper – I recommend adding to the onion mixture
- OPTIONAL: Minced garlic would be great as well
How To Make Tomato Pie Casserole
Mary Mac’s has been around for more than 75 years and I think they know what they’re doing – this is hands-down the best tomato pie recipe you’ll find!
- Preheat oven to 350º – spray a 1.5-2 qt casserole dish (8×8 square or 5×7 rectangle) with non-stick spray
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and carmelized, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste (maybe 1/4 tsp of each), stir and remove from heat.
- Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers in the bottom of the casserole dish (I prefer to crush by hand – I like the varied sizes of the pieces vs. pulverizing them with a food processor)
- Pour 1 can of tomatoes over the crackers
- Spread 1/2 of the sautéed onions over the tomatoes
- Repeat the tomato/onion layers with the other can of tomatoes and remaining sauteed onions
- Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top of the tomato/onion layer
- In a bowl, mix together mayo, cheddar, Parmesan and basil
- Spread cheese mixture on top of the cracker crumbs. You have to put it on in spoonfuls and then spread lightly with a knife otherwise it just sticks to your cracker crumbs. I laid the mayo mixture on a spot and then lightly spread it and repeated until I covered the crackers.
- Crush remaining 1/2 sleeve of Ritz over top of the mayo mixture
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350º
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. Scrape off crackers and add new fresh crackers. Reheat in the oven at 350º for 15 minutes or in the air fryer for 5 minutes.
This tomato pie is easy to make but there’s not much of a need to make it ahead of time. You can saute the onions ahead of time and store in the fridge until time to make the layered casserole. I don’t like to make it ahead of time because the crackers get soggy.
Sure – if you’re making this in the summer – go for it! Slice tomatoes (fresh garden tomatoes or even heirloom tomatoes) and layer them up! But in the off season – canned are much more flavorful!
What to serve with tomato pie?
More Family Favorite Side Dishes
More Mary Mac’s Recipes
I hope you’ll enjoy all the Mary Mac’s Tea Room recipes as much as I do!
Tomato Pie Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 7 oz Ritz crackers 2.5 sleeves from 13.7 oz box
- 28 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º – spray a 1.5-2 qt casserole dish (8×8 square or 5×7 rectangle) with non-stick spray
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat2 tbsp olive oil
- Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.1 medium yellow onion
- Add salt and black pepper to taste (1/4 tsp of each), stir and remove from heat.
- Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers in the bottom of the casserole dish (I prefer to crush by hand – I like the varied sizes of the pieces vs. pulverizing them with a food processor)7 oz Ritz crackers
- Pour 1 can of tomatoes over the crackers28 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Spread 1/2 of the sautéed onions over the tomatoes
- Repeat the tomato/onion layers with the other can of tomatoes and remaining sauteed onions
- Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top of the tomato/onion layer7 oz Ritz crackers
- In a bowl, mix together mayo, cheddar, Parmesan and basil1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp dried basil
- Spread cheese mixture on top of the cracker crumbs. You have to put it on in spoonfuls and then spread lightly with a knife otherwise it just sticks to your cracker crumbs. I laid the mayo mixture on a spot and then lightly spread it and repeated until I covered the crackers.
- Crush remaining 1/2 sleeve of Ritz over top of the mayo mixture7 oz Ritz crackers
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350º
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves.
I love anything with tomatoes, and you layered it with cracker and cheese..OMG I’ll try and not drool on my screen right now. What a comforting dish for Fall!! I can’t wait to try 🙂
Love Mary Macs and their tomato pie. I will be making this one very soon. It’s pure deliciousness!
This looks so good! Makes me already miss those summer tomatoes. 🙂
I’d never heard of this pie but love the ingredients and it did not disappoint! How delicious and fun for a change of pace when it comes to casseroles!
Ok first of all that food tour sounds like heaven. Second of all, this tomato pie is actual HEAVEN!
Living in Atlanta, I get this everytime I visit Mary Mac’s. They do NOT user fire- roasted tomatoes, just regular diced tomatoes. I tried it your way and it was WAY too spicy.
Fire roasted tomatoes are not spicy – they’re just roasted over a flame. There’s absolutely no spiciness in this recipe.
I’ve made this several times, my family loves it! It tastes like a fresh tomato & cheese sandwich! Good the year round.
Does this call for 2 – 28 oz cans of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes OR 2 – 14 oz cans of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes? The directions confused me.
sorry – you can use 1-28 oz can or 2-14 oz. If using one 28-oz can – split it as you’re making recipe