For a light dinner, brunch or quick appetizer, make this easy puff pastry tomato tart!
You need just 4 simple ingredients and 30 minutes in the oven to get this tart on the table.
If you love my asparagus puff pastry recipe or puff pastry cheese twists, you are sure to love this quick tomato tart recipe too!
Why you’ll love this tomato tart recipe
Simple: You need just 4 simple key ingredients to make this recipe:
Versatile: Serve in 6 pieces as a light dinner or brunch. Alternatively, cut into 12 small pieces that are more bite-sized.
Easy: Prep this tart in 10 minutes and bake in 30 minutes!
Ingredients needed
Puff pastry: You will need one butter puff pastry sheet, defrosted, for the base of this recipe. Roll out the sheet of puff pastry so it’s a bit thinner; this will allow the puff pastry to cook quicker.
Boursin cheese: If you’ve never had Boursin before, it’s a very mild soft cheese. I prefer to use the basil & chive flavor, but you could swap that out for the fine herbs & garlic OR cracked pepper flavor.
Tomatoes: Use cherry tomato slices for this tart. Season the tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper before you bake the tart.
Gruyere cheese: Nutty gruyere cheese pairs perfectly with the Boursin cheese and tomatoes.
Garnish: Fresh basil leaves finish this tart perfectly. Alternatively, you can use fresh thyme leaves or fresh oregano leaves if that’s all you have on hand. Don’t forget some ground pepper or chili flakes too!
Preparing the tomato tart with puff pastry
You can prepare this tomato tart on a large baking sheet or sheet pan so you have room to roll the pastry out slightly.
Spreading boursin cheese On The Pastry
Before spreading the Boursin cheese on the pastry, make sure it is softened slightly so it’s easier to spread and you have pricked the pastry with a fork. Use the back of the spoon to spread the cheese onto the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge.
Arranging the tomatoes
I like to arrange the tomato slices in a single layer, even rows, for a nice presentation. However, you can use your discretion in how you place the tomatoes.
Baking instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Once the tart is prepped, bake for 28-32 minutes or until the edges are a deep golden brown. You want the bottom of the tart to be nicely browned too (gently lift up a corner of the tart to check).
What to serve with a tomato puff pastry tart
Green salad: A light arugula salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice is perfect to serve with this tart if enjoying for a light dinner or brunch.
Eggs: As a brunch dish, the tart would be beautiful alongside scrambled eggs or top a piece of the tart with a sunny side up egg.
Tips & tricks
Preparation: It’s important to prick the puff pastry with a fork (a technique known as ‘docking’) before layering on the toppings. This ensures you create a route for steam to escape as the puff pastry bakes which allows the pastry to crisp up.
Slicing tomatoes: Use a sharp knife to slice the fresh tomatoes to ensure thin slices. Use paper towels to put the tomato slices on to absorb an excess moisture before adding to the tart.
Defrosting: Make sure you give the puff pastry enough time to fully defrost before making this recipe.
Garnishes: While it is optional, I do recommend topping the tomato tart slices with fresh cracked pepper or chili flakes AND fresh herbs like basil leaves.
Cooling: Let the tart cool for at least 5 minutes before serving (you can serve this warm or at room temperature).
Variations
Boursin cheese: If you can’t find boursin cheese, you can substitute with 150g softened herb/garlic cream cheese.
Gruyere cheese: A good substitute for Gruyere cheese is swiss cheese or an old white cheddar cheese.
Herbs: If you don’t have basil, you can use fresh thyme leaves or fresh oregano leaves if that’s all you have on hand!
Heirloom tomatoes: Instead of using small cherry tomatoes, use one large heirloom tomato, sliced and then follow the same steps in the recipe. A ripe tomato will give you the best tomato flavor!
Olives: Add a handful of pitted castelvetrano olives, sliced, to make another delicious variation of this tart recipe.
Pieces of tart: Cut into 6 rectangles to serve as a light dinner or for brunch. Alternatively, cut into 12 pieces and serve as a bite-sized appetizer.
How to store and reheat
Store: Leftover pieces of tart can be store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes until the crust is crisped up again. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave.
FAQs
What herbs go well with tomatoes?
We use fresh basil as a garnish. However, fresh thyme and fresh oregano go well with tomatoes too.
How to prevent tart crust from getting soggy?
It’s very important that you get the excess water off of the tomatoes by placing them on a paper towel before adding to the tart.
What pastry should you use for tarts?
For this tart specifically use puff pastry from the freezer section of the grocery store. Some of the most common puff pastry is pepperidge farm sheets which you can defrost in the fridge or on the counter.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I wouldn’t recommend baking this ahead of time BUT you can definitely prep the ingredients! Shred the cheese and store in a small bowl in the fridge. Slice the tomatoes and store on a piece of paper towel in the fridge. Take out the frozen puff pastry to defrost according to the package directions.
More quick puff pastry recipes to make from the blog
1sheet defrosted frozen puff pastryif the puff pastry comes in a square, roll it out to the approximate desired shape
6-8cherry tomatoes, sliced
150grams(5.2oz) basil & chive Boursin cheese, softened(substitute with fine herbs & garlic OR cracked pepper Boursin Cheese)
1cupfreshly grated Gruyere cheese
Garnishes: fresh basil & chili flakes / ground pepper
optional: egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of milk or water)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove the Boursin cheese from the fridge and let soften while the oven preheats.
Set a piece of paper towel on a plate. Slice the cherry tomatoes and add them to the paper towel. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the sliced tomatoes. Set aside.
Lay out a sheet of defrosted puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet and gently roll out to about 10×12 inch rectangle. (You an also do this on the counter and then move to the baking sheet).Use a sharp knife to gently trace a 1/2 inch border around the edge of the pastry. Then, use the tines of a fork to prick the puff pastry sheet all over inside the borders.
Use the back of the spoon to spread the softened Boursin cheese onto the puff pastry, leaving the border clear.
Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the shredded Gruyere cheese over the Boursin cheese, then layer the tomato slices over the Gruyere cheese. Finally sprinkle the rest of the shredded Gruyere cheese over the tomato slices.
Optional: Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk or water and brush all of the border edges with the egg wash.
Bake the tart for 28-32 minutes or until the edges are a deep golden brown and the bottom of the tart is nicely browned too (gently lift up a corner of the tart to check).
Let the tart cool for at least 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil leaves and ground pepper or chili flakes. Cut into 6 pieces to serve as a light dinner or for brunch. Alternatively, cut into 12 pieces and serve as a bite-sized appetizer. (You can serve this warm or at room temperature).
Notes
Store leftover pieces of tart can be store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes until the crust is crisped up again. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave.
Boursin cheese: If you can’t find boursin cheese, you can substitute with 150g softened herb/garlic cream cheese.
Gruyere cheese: A good substitute for Gruyere cheese is swiss cheese or an old white cheddar cheese.
Herbs: If you don’t have basil, you can use fresh thyme leaves or fresh oregano leaves if that’s all you have on hand!
