Gluten-Free Green Pea Tart with Mint
This gluten-free green pea tart is a fresh, savory tart built on an extra-easy gluten-free crust, filled with a smooth tofu-and-mint cream and a generous layer of sweet green peas. It is vegan, comes together with simple pantry ingredients, and tastes bright and light, exactly what you want when peas are in season.
The same week I made this vegan tomato tart, I also made this green pea tart, along with some other tart recipes I didn’t have time to photograph. It was Tart Baking Day every day! 🙂 It all started with me trying to make gluten-free puff pastry, which was a HUGE FAIL, but that’s a story for another time. I love this simple tart recipe with its extra-easy gluten-free crust, and it ended up being one of my favorites from that whole week.
I find the combination of green peas and mint absolutely divine! I’ve used it in a couple of recipes so far, like this delicious warm green peas salad, and I love it. I’m sure you’ll love this easy green pea tart too.
The ingredients that make this tart work
This is a short list, and each item pulls its weight. For the crust you only need gluten-free flour, coconut oil, water and baking soda. I used Schar gluten-free flour and measured everything with a 250ml cup, which keeps the ratios consistent. The coconut oil should be softened at room temperature so it blends into the flour easily; if you are not vegan, regular butter works in its place.
The filling is where the flavor lives. Firm tofu, drained well, becomes the creamy base once blended, and it carries the mint and oregano beautifully. Don’t add extra salt to the cream, I find tofu salty enough on its own. The green peas go on top, frozen-then-thawed is fine, and a handful of fresh mint ties the whole thing together. If you forget to save some mint for garnish like I did, basil makes a nice stand-in.
Why the sticky crust is a feature, not a flaw
When you mix the crust, the dough will be extra sticky and wet. This is exactly how it is supposed to be, and it is what gives you an incredibly tender tart crust at the end. Gluten-free flours have no gluten network to make a dough you can roll out, so instead of fighting that, this recipe leans into it: a higher-moisture dough that you press into the pan rather than roll. A quick rest in the fridge firms up the coconut oil just enough to make the dough easier to handle.
Tips for getting it right
- Spread the wet crust with a fork or the back of a spoon, working it evenly up the sides of a greased tart pan. I greased mine with a little coconut oil.
- If you want a crust you can actually shape with your hands, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes first. For a quick tart, skip the long rest and press it in while it is sticky.
- Blend the tofu cream until completely smooth so the mint and oregano distribute evenly. Taste before adding salt, since the tofu already brings plenty.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the peas before baking to keep them from drying out and to add gloss.
- I used a tart pan about 30cm in diameter, so adjust your bake if your pan is noticeably smaller or larger.
What to serve alongside it
This tart is light and fresh, so it pairs well with a simple soup or a bright salad to round out the meal. A bowl of creamy peas soup doubles down on that sweet-pea flavor, while a cream of potato and carrot soup adds something cozier on a cooler day. If you would rather keep things crisp, a spoonful of cauliflower creamy salad on the side works nicely.
Make-ahead and storage
You can prep ahead in two stages: the crust dough holds happily in the fridge (and a longer chill actually makes it easier to shape), and the tofu-mint cream can be blended a day before and kept covered until you are ready to assemble. Once baked, let the tart cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It is lovely cold or gently rewarmed. If you are after more meatless ideas to fill out the week, this tart sits well next to a potato and cheese tart or a tray of lentils and veggies gratin.
If you give this green pea and mint tart a try, I’d love to know how that sticky crust turned out for you, so please rate the recipe and drop a comment below with any tweaks you made (and whether you went team mint or team basil for the garnish).
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Gluten-Free Green Pea Tart with Mint
Ingredients
Crust:
- 150 g gluten-free flour I used a 250 ml cup to measure; I used GF flour by Schar
- 4 tbsp coconut oil softened at room temperature (or regular butter, if you’re not vegan)
- 80 ml water I used the same cup
- ½ tsp baking soda
Toppings:
- 500 g green peas frozen, thawed
- 250 g firm tofu drained (if you’re not vegan you can use feta cheese too, or ricotta)
- ½ cup mint I forgot to leave some for garnishing, so I used basil instead
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F / 180C.
- Add all the crust ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix them well using a fork.
- Place the bowl in the fridge for a couple of minutes.
- Add the mint, onion, tofu, and oregano to the food processor. Blend until smooth. Don’t add any extra salt; I find tofu salty enough. So is feta cheese if you want to use it instead. If you use ricotta, then you should add some salt.
- Take the bowl out of the fridge.
- Grease a tart pan with some coconut oil.
- Now, if you want to make this tart quickly, proceed to the next steps. If you want to be able to shape the tart dough, you’ll have to leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Pour the crust dough into the pan.
- You’ll see that the crust dough is extra sticky and wet. This is how it’s supposed to be, and you’ll get an incredibly tender tart crust. Start spreading it all over the pan using a fork or a spoon. (Alternatively, you can leave it in the fridge for about 30 minutes and it will get easier to shape.)
- Add the tofu cream and spread it evenly.
- Add the green peas.
- Drizzle with some olive oil on top.
- Bake in the oven for ~30 minutes.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The crust uses gluten-free flour, coconut oil, water and baking soda, and the filling is built on firm tofu, green peas, mint, onion and oregano, with no animal products. Just make sure your gluten-free flour blend is certified if you need it to be strictly gluten-free.
That is exactly how it should be. Gluten-free flour has no gluten network, so this is a higher-moisture dough you press into the pan rather than roll out, and that extra moisture is what gives you a tender crust. A short rest in the fridge firms up the coconut oil and makes it easier to handle.
Yes, if you are not vegan you can swap the firm tofu for feta cheese or ricotta. Note that tofu is salty enough that you should not add extra salt, and the same goes for teleme; if you use ricotta instead, add a little salt to the cream.
Yes. The recipe uses frozen peas that have been thawed because they are convenient year-round, but fresh peas work just as well when they are in season. Either way the peas go on top of the tofu cream and finish cooking as the tart bakes.
If you want a crust you can shape with your hands rather than press in sticky, chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes first. For a quicker tart, skip the long rest and just spread the wet dough into the greased pan using a fork or the back of a spoon.
Once baked and cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also prep ahead: the crust dough keeps in the fridge, and the tofu-mint cream can be blended a day in advance and kept covered until you assemble.
Mint and peas are such an amazing combination! Yuuuum!! This has become my favorite tart recipe.
Also this is my first comment here, I usually just read your blog and don’t say anything. I just wanted you to know that I love the majority of your recipes and your blog is simply great. Many thanks!!
You’re welcome! So glad you liked the recipe and glad you left a comment. It means a lot to me to hear that my recipes are appreciated! 🙂
Hey, this sounds absolutely yummy, i love peas. Question, do i put the frozen peas just like that? Won’t it be all watery ?
Thanks! 😀 Yes. It doesn’t get watery at all. 🙂