A Simple Summer Supper That Never Disappoints
Some recipes don’t need a long ingredient list, fancy equipment, or complicated techniques. They simply need good ingredients, a little patience, and the kind of know-how that gets passed from one kitchen to another.
My neighbor Dorothy has been making this simple summer supper for generations. She says it has been appearing on her table since the Kennedy administration, when summer tomatoes were plentiful and families knew how to turn a handful of inexpensive ingredients into something everyone would gather around the table to eat.
With just 3 main ingredients, this tomato pie is wonderfully simple: ripe tomatoes, mayonnaise, and shredded cheese. The result is juicy, creamy, savory, and golden on top.
It is the kind of recipe that makes you understand why old-fashioned recipes are still worth keeping.
🛒 Ingredients
The 3 Main Ingredients
- 4–5 large ripe tomatoes, preferably garden-fresh
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Seasonings
These don’t count toward the classic three-ingredient base:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or a handful of fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
For the Crust
Use one 9-inch prepared pie crust, homemade or store-bought.
If you want to keep Dorothy’s original spirit, use whatever simple pie crust your family normally keeps on hand.
🍅 Introduction
There is something special about a summer supper made from tomatoes that are so ripe they practically collapse under the knife.
This recipe is humble, inexpensive, and comforting. The tomatoes bring sweetness and acidity, the mayonnaise creates a rich creamy layer, and the cheddar melts into a bubbling golden topping.
The secret isn’t adding more ingredients.
The secret is removing excess moisture from the tomatoes.
That one little step transforms the pie from watery to wonderfully rich.
📜 A Little History
Recipes like this belong to the long tradition of American summer cooking, when gardens supplied an abundance of tomatoes and cooks looked for easy ways to use them before they spoiled.
Tomato pies became especially popular in Southern and American home kitchens, with countless families developing their own versions.
Some used mayonnaise and cheese. Others added herbs, onions, bacon, or different cheeses. Every family seemed to have a slightly different version.
Dorothy’s version is deliberately simple.
Three main ingredients.
One crust.
One baking dish.
And enough flavor to make everyone come back for another slice.
👩🍳 Preparation
Step 1: Prepare the Tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and slice them about ¼-inch thick.
Lay the slices on a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Sprinkle them lightly with salt.
Let them sit for approximately 20–30 minutes.
This draws out excess water.
Afterward, gently pat the tomato slices dry with additional paper towels.
Why this matters
Tomatoes contain a tremendous amount of water. If you put them directly into the pie, that liquid can collect at the bottom during baking.
Drying the tomatoes first gives you a much firmer, more flavorful pie.
🥧 Step 2: Prepare the Crust
Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Place the prepared pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish.
For the best texture, lightly pre-bake the crust for approximately 8–10 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
🧀 Step 3: Make Dorothy’s Creamy Mixture
Place the mayonnaise and shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl.
Add the black pepper and garlic powder if using.
Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
You should have a thick, creamy cheese mixture.
🍅 Step 4: Build the Pie
Arrange a layer of tomato slices across the bottom of the crust.
Don’t worry if they overlap slightly.
Spread part of the mayonnaise-cheese mixture over the tomatoes.
Add another layer of tomatoes.
Continue layering until the tomatoes are used.
Finish with the remaining cheese mixture on top.
Sprinkle with a little dried basil or fresh basil if desired.
🔥 Step 5: Bake
Place the pie into the preheated oven.
Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, or until:
- The cheese is bubbling.
- The top is beautifully golden.
- The tomatoes are tender.
- The crust is crisp around the edges.
If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
⏰ Step 6: The Most Important Part — Resting
Remove the pie from the oven.
Now comes the hardest part:
Don’t cut it immediately.
Let it rest for approximately 15–20 minutes.
This gives the melted cheese and tomato juices time to settle.
If you slice it immediately, the filling may run.
If you give it time to rest, you’ll get much neater slices.
🍴 Serving Method
Cut the pie into generous wedges.
Serve it warm with:
- A crisp green salad
- Fresh corn
- Cucumber salad
- Green beans
- Grilled chicken
- Iced tea or lemonade
For a true old-fashioned summer supper, serve it alongside whatever vegetables are coming out of the garden.
❤️ Dorothy’s Little Kitchen Secrets
1. Use the ripest tomatoes you can find
This recipe is all about tomatoes, so flavor matters.
Garden tomatoes are wonderful, but good ripe tomatoes from the market work beautifully too.
2. Don’t skip draining
This is probably the most important trick.
Salt, rest, and pat the tomatoes dry.
3. Don’t overload the pie
It can be tempting to pile the tomatoes sky-high, but too many tomatoes create too much liquid.
4. Let it rest
Give the finished pie time to settle before slicing.
5. Serve it warm, not scorching hot
The flavors are better once the filling has had a few minutes to cool.
🌿 Variations for Lovers of This Recipe
Once you’ve made Dorothy’s classic version, there are plenty of ways to make it your own.
🥓 Bacon Lover’s Version
Cook several slices of bacon until crisp.
Crumble them over the tomato layers before adding the cheese mixture.
🌿 Fresh Herb Version
Add fresh basil, parsley, or chives.
Fresh basil and ripe tomatoes make an especially wonderful combination.
🧀 Extra-Cheesy Version
Replace some of the cheddar with mozzarella or Parmesan.
🌶️ Spicy Version
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a little diced jalapeño.
🧅 Onion Lover’s Version
Add a thin layer of caramelized onions between the tomatoes.
🍽️ Formation of the Perfect Bite
A good bite should contain a little of everything:
Crispy crust → juicy tomato → creamy mayonnaise → melted cheese → fresh herbs.
That combination is what makes this humble pie so satisfying.
The crust gives you texture.
The tomatoes provide sweetness and acidity.
The mayonnaise creates richness.
The cheese brings saltiness and that irresistible melted finish.
💡 Make-Ahead Method
You can prepare the tomatoes several hours ahead of time.
Slice them, salt them, allow them to release their moisture, and pat them dry.
Keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie.
You can also prepare the cheese mixture ahead of time.
When supper approaches, assemble everything and bake.
🧊 Leftovers
If you happen to have leftovers, refrigerate them promptly in a covered container.
To reheat, place a slice in a 350°F / 175°C oven until warmed through.
The oven helps restore some of the crust’s crispness.
And honestly, some people love this pie even more the next day.
❤️ Why People Love Dorothy’s Recipe
It’s not fancy.
It’s not expensive.
It doesn’t require unusual ingredients.
And it doesn’t ask you to spend your entire afternoon in the kitchen.
It’s simply the kind of food that tastes like summer.
The kind of food that makes you think of neighbors dropping by, garden tomatoes sitting on the counter, cold drinks sweating on the porch, and everyone waiting for supper.
🌞 Conclusion
Dorothy’s summer tomato pie is proof that a memorable meal doesn’t require a complicated recipe.
Sometimes the best dishes come from taking a few ordinary ingredients and treating them properly.
Choose ripe tomatoes.
Remove their excess moisture.
Combine them with creamy mayonnaise and plenty of cheese.
Bake until bubbling and golden.
Then give the pie a few quiet minutes to rest.
That’s it.
Three main ingredients, one crust, and a recipe worthy of being passed from one generation to the next.
So if Dorothy has been making this since the Kennedy administration, maybe there’s a reason she never stopped.
Good recipes don’t need to be complicated. They just need to be delicious.
And if you made it all the way here, you already know what Dorothy would ask: