These southern 4-ingredient mini tomato pies are the kind of thing you bring to a cookout and watch disappear before the burgers even hit the grill. They’re inspired by classic Southern tomato pie, but pared down for busy home cooks: flaky biscuit dough, juicy summer tomatoes, a blanket of melty cheese, and just enough mayo to make everything rich and bubbly. They bake up in a glass casserole dish, all golden and cozy, and are easy enough to throw together on a weeknight or right before company comes over.
Serve these mini tomato pies warm, straight from the glass baking dish, with a simple green salad or a big bowl of watermelon on the side to keep that fresh summer feeling. They’re perfect alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or brats at a cookout, and they also make a fun light lunch with some sliced cucumbers and ranch. For parties, set the dish in the center of the table with small plates and napkins—people will grab them like appetizers and go back for seconds. A pitcher of iced tea or lemonade is all you really need to round things out.
Southern 4-Ingredient Mini Tomato PiesServings: 12 mini pies
Ingredients
1 (16.3 oz) can refrigerated flaky jumbo biscuits (8-count)
3–4 medium ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 2 cups slices, patted dry)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, packed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the mini pies release easily after baking.
Open the can of refrigerated biscuits and separate them. Using your fingers, gently press each biscuit into a rough 3-inch round, thinning it out a bit so it will hold the filling without being too doughy.
Arrange the flattened biscuits in the greased glass baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Gently press up the edges to form shallow little “cups” for the tomatoes and cheese mixture.
Slice the tomatoes into thin rounds and lay them out on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat the tops with more paper towels to remove excess moisture—this helps keep the mini pies from getting soggy.
Place 1–2 tomato slices into the center of each biscuit cup, depending on the size of your tomatoes. Try to keep the tomato pieces in a single layer so they cook evenly.
In a small bowl, stir together the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and mayonnaise until you have a thick, spreadable mixture. It will look a bit like pimento cheese without the peppers.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cheese-mayo mixture over the tomatoes in each biscuit cup, spreading it gently to cover the tomato slices. It’s okay if some of the mixture touches the biscuit edges; that’s what gives you those bubbly, golden tops.
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the biscuit crusts are deep golden brown and the cheese topping is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned in spots.
Remove the glass dish from the oven and let the mini tomato pies rest for about 5 minutes. This helps the filling set slightly so they’re easier to lift out.
Use a spatula to loosen each mini pie from the dish and transfer to a serving platter, or serve them straight from the glass dish for that cozy, family-style feel. Enjoy warm while the cheese is still gooey and the centers are juicy.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can chop the tomato slices into small pieces so they’re less noticeable, or use a milder cheese like Colby Jack instead of sharp cheddar. If your family likes a little kick, stir in a pinch of black pepper or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes into the cheese-mayo mixture (this would technically add ingredients, so think of them as optional extras, not part of the core four). You can also swap the jumbo flaky biscuits for regular-size biscuits and just make a few more mini pies, adjusting the bake time by a minute or two if needed.
If you’re making these ahead for a cookout, you can press the biscuit cups into the glass dish and slice/pat dry the tomatoes a few hours early, then assemble with the cheese mixture right before baking so the dough doesn’t get soggy. Leftovers reheat well in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes; avoid the microwave if you can, as it softens the crust.
Food safety tips: Keep the mayonnaise and shredded cheese refrigerated until you’re ready to mix and fill the pies. Don’t leave the unbaked assembled pies sitting out at room temperature for long; bake them soon after assembling. Make sure the mini pies are baked until the biscuit dough is fully cooked through (no raw or doughy centers). At a cookout, try not to leave the baked tomato pies out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s very hot outside); after that, refrigerate any leftovers promptly. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3–4 days.
