Tomato Tart
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Nothing says rustic and wholesome like a tomato tart. It's perfectly balanced with a flaky crust and melt-in-your-mouth mascarpone and goat cheese filling — and that's not even screaming about the bright and delicious tomatoes! It's simple yet delightful, what's not to love about that?
Another tart favorite around here uses asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Go on, give this asparagus tart a try, too!
Why this tomato tart is your new go-to meal
- Flaky pastry is the perfect vehicle for fresh tomatoes!
- The filling. Goat cheese and mascarpone mixed together with a little rosemary and lemon zest is good enough to eat by the spoonful.
- Even though it's very simple to make with just 25 minutes of prep time, expect a lot of oohs and ahhs when you set this down on the table.
- It's a simple vegetarian recipe that's perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner!
Ingredients for tomato tart
- Pie crust: for this tomato tart recipe you can use either a homemade pie crust or store-bought. Of course, a homemade pie crust is something special, however, chances are no one will know (or care) if you use a store-bought version either! They won't be able to resist this tomato tart no matter what flaky vehicle it's delivered in!
- Goat cheese: for the filling, you'll want to use creamy goat cheese (not crumbly) since it will all come together to make a smooth, paste-like consistency. Goat cheese has an intense flavor, but you'll want this in a tomato tart! You'll use ½ cup of goat cheese in this tomato tart.
- Mascarpone: this is a type of cream cheese with a buttery flavor. It's rich and decadent and will complement the tang of the goat cheese. You'll need ½ a cup for this recipe.
- Fresh rosemary: tomatoes, cheese, and fresh rosemary are a combination made in heaven. Without fresh rosemary, you will notice something missing from this tomato tart recipe. In a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
- Sea salt: Add 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt for seasoning.
- Lemon zest: Grate about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into the cheese and herb filling. The citrus adds a fresh pop to the tart.
- Tomatoes: You're going to cut thick tomato slices using 6 medium tomatoes that you will layer on top of the tart. Tomatoes really are the perfect accompaniment to the rich and creamy cheeses, and the tart and bright fruit will balance every bite.
Tips for the perfect tomato tart crust – don't skip this part!
Whether you're going in the homemade direction or opting for the store-bought crust, here are some tips to help make the perfect tomato tart:
- Give the tomatoes a gentle squeeze to remove most of the liquid. This will help prevent the bottom of the pie crust from getting soggy. You can also try roasting the tomatoes before topping the tart that way most of the moisture is removed and all the flavor remains!
- It's also important to evenly spread the cheese mixture over the entire bottom of the pie. This will help create a barrier between the crust and the juicy tomatoes.
- Blind bake the pie crust. This means that you partially bake the pie crust before adding the filling. To do this: place parchment paper over the pie crust and fill the pie with pie weights or dry beans/ rice. Bake the pie for 15 minutes then remove the parchment paper and pie weights and continue to bake it for another 7-8 minutes, until you can see that the bottom of the crust is turning golden.
Additions and substitutions
There are so many things you can try and play around with when it comes to your tomato tart. Here are some ideas from people who have made this tomato tart recipe before:
- Herbs and other garnishes: the original recipe incorporates fresh rosemary, but you can also use fresh thyme, fresh parsley, or fresh basil leaves! Summer is the perfect season to play with whatever fresh herbs you have growing at home and include them here! You can use them directly in the filling or sprinkle some on top as a lovely garnish. Other garnish options include sprinkling parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, and/or some fresh cracked black pepper.
- Filling inclusions: You can add other elements to the filling as you wish. Some great options are garlic, caramelized onion, artichokes, or even adding blended cannellini beans to give some more protein.
- Crust: As mentioned, you can use homemade or store-bought crust for this tomato tart recipe. You can also experiment with a puff pastry tomato tart or filo/phyllo pastry. We've heard from fellow recipe testers, that filo pastry works great for this! If you are going to try it with puff or filo pastry, consider roasting the tomatoes first since you'll be using a more delicate crust that won't withstand the moisture from the tomatoes.
What to serve with tomato tart
A thick slice of this tart beside an arugula salad makes the perfect brunch or light dinner. It's also lovely, however, with a bigger meal. Here are a few recipes that will go well with this tomato tart:
- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with warm bacon vinaigrette
- Strawberry Avocado Grilled Balsamic Chicken Salad
- Margarita Chicken with Agave and Tequila
- Miso Butter Roasted Radishes
- Best Greek Salad Recipe
Recipe FAQs
Can you freeze a tomato tart?
You can freeze the tart crust and filling separately in airtight containers. The tomatoes, however, won't freeze well. So an assembled tomato tart is not a great idea to freeze.
What type of tomatoes should I use in a tomato tart?
Use a larger variety of tomato for this recipe. You can use plum tomatoes cut length-wise, heirloom tomatoes if you want a colorful presentation – really any larger tomato that is still nice and firm. You want it to keep its shape and not turn too sloppy in the oven.
Can I use grape tomatoes?
While we love using large tomatoes to make this tart, you can also use grape or cherry tomatoes.
Can I use store-bought puff pastry for a tomato tart?
You can! Consider roasting the tomatoes first with a brush of olive oil and salt to help reduce the moisture and make sure your tart doesn't get too soggy.
Can I add more cheese to the recipe?
Sure! gruyere cheese and mozzarella cheese are two that are melty and delicious!
Tomato Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9" pie pan or tart pan with the pie crust. Either crimp the edges or let the edges drape down the outside of the pie pan a little for a more rustic look. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust. Place a piece of parchment paper on the crust, fill it with pie weights or dry beans, then bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake the crust for another 7-8 minutes, until the bottom starts to look cooked. Let the crust cool slightly.1 pie crust
- While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a small bowl mix goat cheese, mascarpone, rosemary, sea salt, and lemon zest. Spread this over the bottom of the slightly cooled pie crust.½ cup EACH: goat cheese and mascarpone, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Layer the tomato slices over the cheese mixture until the pie is completely full. Sprinkle with a little sea salt on top.6 medium tomatoes
- Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is light brown and the tomatoes are soft. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least 1 hour.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our summer recipes!
Hey, guys. I was wondering how long can you keep the tart fresh (or how to store it)?
The tart will keep in your fridge for 2-3 days. You can either enjoy it cold, or warm it briefly in the oven before serving it.
can this be made a day before and reheated?
It can be! It’s also tasty at room temperature.
OMG the best tomato tart we’ve ever had. My husband ate the whole pie minus my slice! A new staple in our family. Thank you!
What a beautiful tart! Did you make yours in a cast iron skillet? Looks so pretty! Warm regards from Portugal
Yes I did!!
Amazing recipe! I’m just getting back to solid foods after getting wisdom teeth out and this was so quick & easy to make and eat haha. Also, to give it more protein I blended a can of cannellini beans and mixed them in with the cheeses with some Tyme (out of rosemary) – will definitely be making again!
I’m so happy you like the recipe! I bet it’s so nice to be able to eat real food again!
I have made this numerous times, but this weekend I get to make it with huge Cherokee Carbon tomatoes right from my own garden and ALL my own fresh herbs. I cannot wait!!!! I absolutely adore this recipe.
Tomatoes from the garden are always the best, aren’t they? I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe!
Hi Kristen:
Sorry, I read to the end of your blog and found out you were a fellow Canuck!
Keep up the delicious work.
How do you feel this recipe would work on Puff Pastry?
If I use it do you feel I should bake it first and then add the ingredients?
Maureen
I am! So nice to meet a fellow Canadian. 🙂
I haven’t tried the recipe with puff pastry, but it’s pretty hard to go wrong with flaky puffed pastry. So delicious. If you’re going to experiment with it, I would roast the tomatoes first, as puff pastry is more delicate than regular pastry. Hope that helps!
Hi Kristen: Delicious recipe.
I like Linda’s comments re roasting the tomatoes first to dry them out and add even more roasted flavour.
Also her use of phylo pastry as opposed to regular pastry sounds yummy… if you use regular pastry I think I agree with her to blind bake the crust first. Mind you I have not tried your recipe yet… can you let us know if the bottom of your crust was wet without pre roasting the tomatoes and blind baking your crust? Perhaps just the tomatoes will end up making the crust wet anyway.
I also liked Melon’s comment re adding artichokes and caramelized onions into the cheese mixture.
This sounds so yummy I intend to make this for a Thanksgiving Brunch for my family in Toronto, Ontario, Canada!
Thanks for the tasty information – it would appear that north and south of our international border we are all tomato lovers at heart! You know what I mean eh? haha
Best regards,
Maureen
Hi Maureen!
I have to admit, it’s been a long time since I’ve made this. I don’t remember that the crust was wet, but roasting the tomatoes is a great idea, anyway. 🙂
Would you be able to tell me the best way to make this without the crust? Also, if making with the crust is it necessary to pre-cook the crust? Thanks in advance!
Hi Margaret,
I haven’t made this recipe without a crust before but I would think it would work better crustless if you turned it into a quiche. I would mix a few eggs into the cheeses, spread that on the bottom of a pan then top it with the tomatoes. Like I said though I haven’t actually done that so I can’t say it will work for sure … but my hunch is that it would.
If you decide to use a crust there’s no need to pre-bake it. ?
If you go crustless I’d love to hear what you did and how it turned out!