diff --git a/conans/model/profile.py b/conans/model/profile.py
index abdb5f0bb2f..a06ea9efc4c 100644
--- a/conans/model/profile.py
+++ b/conans/model/profile.py
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return self.dumps()
 
     def serialize(self):
-        # TODO: Remove it seems dead
+        def _serialize_tool_requires():
+            return {pattern: [repr(ref) for ref in refs]
+                    for pattern, refs in self.tool_requires.items()}
         return {
             "settings": self.settings,
             "package_settings": self.package_settings,
             "options": self.options.serialize(),
-            "tool_requires": self.tool_requires,
+            "tool_requires": _serialize_tool_requires(),
             "conf": self.conf.serialize(),
             # FIXME: Perform a serialize method for ProfileEnvironment
             "build_env": self.buildenv.dumps()
diff --git a/conans/test/integration/command/test_profile.py b/conans/test/integration/command/test_profile.py
index 8490f435c43..6405319e47a 100644
--- a/conans/test/integration/command/test_profile.py
+++ b/conans/test/integration/command/test_profile.py
@@ -133,9 +133,13 @@ def test_shorthand_syntax():
 
 def test_profile_show_json():
     c = TestClient()
-    c.save({"myprofilewin": "[settings]\nos=Windows",
+    c.save({"myprofilewin": "[settings]\nos=Windows\n[tool_requires]\nmytool/*:mytool/1.0",
             "myprofilelinux": "[settings]\nos=Linux"})
     c.run("profile show -pr:b=myprofilewin -pr:h=myprofilelinux --format=json")
     profile = json.loads(c.stdout)
-    assert profile["build"]["settings"] == {"os": "Windows"}
     assert profile["host"]["settings"] == {"os": "Linux"}
+
+    assert profile["build"]["settings"] == {"os": "Windows"}
+    # Check that tool_requires are properly serialized in json format
+    # https://github.com/conan-io/conan/issues/15183
+    assert profile["build"]["tool_requires"] == {'mytool/*': ["mytool/1.0"]}
diff --git a/conans/test/unittests/model/profile_test.py b/conans/test/unittests/model/profile_test.py
index c0796f128ee..09176ce0f9f 100644
--- a/conans/test/unittests/model/profile_test.py
+++ b/conans/test/unittests/model/profile_test.py
@@ -127,8 +127,9 @@ def test_profile_serialize():
     profile.settings["compiler.version"] = "12"
     profile.tool_requires["*"] = ["zlib/1.2.8"]
     profile.update_package_settings({"MyPackage": [("os", "Windows")]})
-    expected_json = '{"settings": {"arch": "x86_64", "compiler": "Visual Studio", "compiler.version": "12"}, ' \
-                    '"package_settings": {"MyPackage": {"os": "Windows"}}, ' \
-                    '"options": {}, "tool_requires": {"*": ["zlib/1.2.8"]}, ' \
-                    '"conf": {"user.myfield:value": "MyVal"}, "build_env": "VAR1=1\\nVAR2=2\\n"}'
-    assert expected_json == json.dumps(profile.serialize())
+    expected_json = {
+        "settings": {"arch": "x86_64", "compiler": "Visual Studio", "compiler.version": "12"},
+        "package_settings": {"MyPackage": {"os": "Windows"}}, "options": {},
+        "tool_requires": {"*": ["'zlib/1.2.8'"]}, "conf": {"user.myfield:value": "MyVal"},
+        "build_env": "VAR1=1\nVAR2=2\n"}
+    assert expected_json == profile.serialize()