Tomato Tart

My tomato tart is bursting with lots of vibrant color and rich flavor, making it a scrumptious appetizer when cut into smaller squares, or even a terrific light lunch or dinner when served with a spicy salad. Layered with juicy slices of fresh, ripe tomatoes, thinly-sliced sweet potato, savory gorgonzola cheese and onion all nestled into a light herby and buttery crust, this tomato tart recipe is the epitome of rustic, seasonal fare!

A Savory Tart Bursting with Fresh, Flavorful Ingredients

Colorful and savory tarts always remind me of offerings I find on the menus of small cafes or gourmet food markets, which are among my favorite places to frequent for tasty meals when the weather is warm and sunny.

My tomato tart is inspired by this type of rustic, gourmet-style fare which I so adore.

I Prepare my recipe with a thin, light, buttery crust infused with herbs, then layered with fresh, sweet tomato slices, salty-tangy and creamy gorgonzola cheese, plus thin slices of tender sweet potato and onions.

Baked until deeply golden-brown, then finished with a small sprinkle of extra gorgonzola and chopped parsley, this aromatic and earthy tomato tart needs little else than perhaps a small, spicy salad as an accompaniment, or perhaps even a glass of chilled wine.

For me, it's the perfect lite, fresh fare bursting with flavorful seasonal ingredients!

My Tomato Tart Recipe with a Buttery, Herb Crust

When I recipe develop, I really appreciate the challenge of keeping recipes as simple as possible, yet creating as much flavor and eye-appeal to make the finished dish not only lovely to look at (we eat with our eyes first, after all!) but truly unique in flavor and pleasurable to eat.

A savory tart recipe is a terrific canvas for a rustic and delicious meal, because the crust can be infused with herbs for added aroma, and the thinly-sliced toppings can be paired to bring out the natural flavors of the season's produce, as well as some earthy notes...

My buttery, herb crust is quickly and easily prepared in a food processor, which can be done the day you would like to bake the tomato tart, or even a couple of days in advance, for convenience.

Then, fresh tomatoes are sliced, along with bright orange sweet potatoes, and layered over top of a light sour cream and gorgonzola base with sliced onions.

When baked to golden, bubbly perfection, the flavors marry and create a delicious experience in which you can taste the crisp, buttery crust plus the medley of flavors from the juicy, tender veggies and pungent gorgonzola cheese in each bite!

Here's a sneak peek at my tomato tart recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my herb crust, shape it into a disc, and chill it for about 1 hour.
2. Next, I add my sliced tomatoes, sweet potatoes and onions to a bowl, and drizzle them with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
3. Then, I roll out my crust, crimp the edge to create a “lip” or border, and spread on a touch of sour cream.
4. Now, I layer on the ingredients beginning with a sprinkle of gorgonzola cheese, followed by alternating layers of tomato slices and sweet potato slices, and finally top things off with the sliced onions.
5. I then bake the tomato tart for about 55 minutes.
6. For the finishing touches, I give another sprinkle of the gorgonzola cheese (allowing it to slightly melt over top), and a flourish with some chopped parsley.
7. To serve, I cut the tart into smaller squares, if serving as an appetizer, or larger pieces if enjoying as a light meal.

Recipe

Tomato Tart

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Buttery and flaky, this tomato tart is bursting with slices of fresh tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions, plus savory gorgonzola cheese!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 12, appetizer portions

Nutrition Info: 175 calories (per serving)

Prep Time: 25 minutes (does not include 1 hour chill time for dough)
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Herb Crust Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
• ¼ cup ice-cold water (plus a drizzle more, as needed)
• 1 egg, for egg wash

Tomato Tart Filling Ingredients:

• 3 medium campari tomatoes, sliced very thinly
• 1 small sweet potato (or half of a larger one), peeled and sliced very thinly, like a thicker potato chip
• ½ small onion, sliced very thinly
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of the herb crust ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare your herb crust: add the flour, salt, and Italian seasoning into the bowl of your food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the cold butter and pulse until the butter resembles peas. Then, while pulsing, drizzle in the ice-cold water until the dough comes together (it will be a little sticky).
3. Turn the dough out, gather it up, then flatten into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap, and chill one in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or even a day or two if making ahead.
4. Once your disc of dough has chilled and rested, preheat the oven to 375°, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Next, gather and prep all of your tomato filling ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
6. Drizzle a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon worth) over the sliced tomato, sweet potato, and onion, and sprinkle over a bit of salt and pepper, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes. Set aside while you roll out your tart dough.
7. Roll your dough out on a floured work surface into a rectangular shape about ⅛” thickness (about 14” x 12”), and place the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Crimp the edges with your fingers, making a little “lip”, or border, then spread the sour cream over the bottom of the dough, and sprinkle over half of the gorgonzola cheese.
8. Layer with the thinly sliced sweet potato and tomato, alternating the two until all are used, and top with the sliced onion.
9. Whisk the egg with a touch of water to make the egg wash, and brush a little over the crimped edge of the tart. Then, bake the tart for about 55 minutes, or until golden-brown.
10. While still warm, sprinkle with the remainder of the gorgonzola cheese, as well as the chopped parsley, and allow the tomato tart to cool on the baking sheet until warm, room temp, or cool. Then, slice and enjoy!

Tips & Tidbits for my Tomato Tart recipe:

• Prep the dough ahead of time for convenience: To make things a little easier on yourself on the day you plan to bake the tomato tart, you can prepare the dough a day or two ahead of time, then wrap it in plastic and keep it chilled in the fridge until ready to roll and top—less work the day of!
• The more rustic, the better: Part of the beauty of a recipe like this is that it is rustic and free-form, so roll out your dough until quite thin, and allow it to have its own unique shape. Crimp the edges just a little to create a “lip” or a border for the tart, and then add your ingredients, brush the edges lightly with a little egg wash, and bake until golden.
• Make sure the veggies are thinly sliced: To ensure the veggies become nice and tender, make the slices very thin. If you feel comfortable using a mandolin, use that for the sweet potatoes as you'll want slices just a little thicker than potato chips. Otherwise, just use a sharp knife and carefully make your slices thin.
• Serve warm or cold: This tomato tart is wonderful when allowed to cool slightly out of the oven until just warm, or even at room temp. It's also delicious served cold, as you might a quiche!
• How to reheat: Place a slice into the toaster oven and bake at 350° for a 3-4 minutes, just until warmed through—It'll come out fresh and fragrant!

Hungry for other vibrant recipes similar to this one? Check out this Savory Pear Tart, this Asparagus Quiche, this Vegetable Frittata, these Shrimp Tostada Bites, or this Panzanella!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, and has been updated with even more love!