Tomato Tart with Puff Pastry (Mediterranean Flavors)
This Mediterranean tomato tart is a simple summer bake built on one sheet of puff pastry spread with creamy goat cheese, then topped with juicy sliced tomatoes, briny olives, grated hard goat cheese and fresh herbs. It bakes in about 30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden at the edges and the tomatoes are soft and sweet. Serve it hot with an extra drizzle of olive oil for a light lunch, a picnic centerpiece, or a shareable starter.
Although this year is not the most productive in the garden, probably because of the extremely unpredictable weather this summer, with storms and very cold days followed by dry and hot days, I was still able to enjoy the gifts my plants offered me. Even so, with the hardships they suffered, the tomatoes produced generously, so that I can also freeze some for the winter and even gift them to friends. With an abundance of sweet, juicy tomatoes on my hands, it would have been a shame not to put them to good use, and that is how this tart came to be.
What Goes Into This Tomato Tart
The ingredient list is short, which means each one earns its place. Here is what you are working with and why it matters:
- Puff pastry: one sheet of fresh puff pastry forms the crisp, flaky base. Keep it cold until the moment you assemble, so it puffs properly in the oven.
- Goat cheese cream: about 200 g spread over the whole sheet. It gives the tart its tangy, creamy layer and acts as a moisture barrier between the pastry and the tomatoes.
- Hard goat cheese, grated: a quarter cup scattered on top adds a savory, salty finish and a little more color as it bakes.
- Tomatoes: roughly 400 g, sliced. Ripe, firm summer tomatoes are ideal, since they hold their shape and turn sweet in the heat.
- Olives: a quarter cup, sliced, for that briny Mediterranean edge.
- Fresh herbs: thyme is my go-to here, but any fresh Mediterranean herb works.
- Sea salt, black pepper and olive oil: the simple seasonings that pull everything together, plus an extra drizzle of oil at the end.
How to Keep the Pastry Crisp, Not Soggy
Tomatoes are mostly water, so the biggest challenge with any tomato tart is a soggy bottom. A few small habits make all the difference:
- Slice the tomatoes, lay them on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt for a few minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry before they go on the tart.
- Spread the goat cheese cream all the way to the edges. That creamy layer helps seal the pastry against the juices.
- Arrange the tomatoes and olives in a single, even layer. Piling them up traps steam and slows the bake.
- Bake until the edges are deeply golden and puffed. An underbaked crust is what tastes doughy, so give it the full time it needs.
Ways to Make It Your Own
This tart is forgiving and happy to take on whatever the season offers. A few ideas:
- Swap the goat cheese cream for cream cheese or a soft ricotta if that is what you have on hand.
- Use a mix of cherry and heirloom tomatoes for extra color and sweetness.
- Scatter a handful of fresh basil or oregano over the tart the moment it comes out of the oven.
- Add a few thin slices of red onion under the tomatoes for a sharper, more savory bite.
If you love this kind of savory, cheese-and-pastry bake, my potato and cheese tart works on the same easy principle and is just as good for feeding a crowd.
What to Serve With It
Because the tart is rich and buttery, it pairs beautifully with something fresh and crisp alongside. A Greek-style salad keeps the Mediterranean theme going, and a lighter summer salad balances the pastry with a bright, herby crunch. Cut the tart into squares and it becomes an easy addition to any picnic or garden lunch spread.
Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers
The tart is at its best served hot, straight from the oven, when the pastry is crispest. If you want to get ahead, you can slice the tomatoes and grate the cheese earlier in the day, then assemble and bake just before serving. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. To bring back the crunch, reheat slices in a hot oven or air fryer for a few minutes rather than the microwave, which softens the pastry.
Prefer a Vegan and Gluten-Free Version?
This version leans on goat cheese, so it is vegetarian rather than vegan. If you are looking for a plant-based and gluten-free take, I recommend my vegan tomato tart with a gluten-free crust, which delivers the same sunny Mediterranean flavors without any dairy or gluten.
If you make this Mediterranean tomato tart, I would love to know how it turned out. Leave a star rating and a comment below and tell me which tomatoes you used and whether you kept the goat cheese or swapped in your own favorite.
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Mediterranean Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- one sheet of fresh puff pastry
- 200 g 7oz goat cheese cream
- ¼ cup hard goat cheese grated
- 400 g 14oz tomatoes, sliced
- ¼ cup olives sliced
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- fresh herbs
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180 C (360F)
- Lay the sheet of puff pastry over the lined baking tray.
- Spread the cream cheese all over the puff pastry sheet.
- Cover with slices of tomatoes and olives, in one layer and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Then add salt, pepper and thyme and olive oil.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until browned on the edges.
- Serve hot, with extra drizzled olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is vegetarian. The tart is made with goat cheese cream and grated hard goat cheese, so it contains dairy. If you want a fully plant-based, gluten-free version, there is a separate vegan tomato tart recipe with a gluten-free crust linked in the post.
Salt the sliced tomatoes lightly and let them sit on a paper towel for a few minutes, then pat them dry before assembling. Spreading the goat cheese cream to the edges creates a moisture barrier, and arranging the tomatoes in a single layer plus baking until the pastry is deeply golden keeps the base crisp.
One sheet of fresh puff pastry is used here for a light, flaky, buttery base. Keep it cold right up until you assemble the tart so it puffs properly, and bake until the edges are golden and well risen.
It tastes best hot from the oven when the pastry is at its crispest. You can slice the tomatoes and grate the cheese earlier in the day, then assemble and bake just before serving. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to two days.
If goat cheese is not your favorite, you can spread cream cheese or a soft ricotta over the pastry instead. Each gives a slightly milder, creamier layer while keeping the same tangy base for the tomatoes and olives.
Because the tart is rich and buttery, it pairs well with something fresh and crisp, such as a Greek-style salad or a light summer salad. Cut into squares, it also works beautifully as part of a picnic or garden lunch spread.
