Mushroom Galette (Wild Mushroom & Cheese Tart)

This mushroom galette wraps a rustic wholewheat crust around a creamy filling of mushrooms, caramelized onion, garlic, and melty cheese, flecked with fresh dill, baked free-form on parchment until golden. It is a forgiving, no-tart-pan vegetarian bake that comes together with a single fold of dough.

I actually made this galette for a picnic – that is me holding it in the photo. It is perfect for that kind of thing: the sturdy free-form crust holds everything together, it tastes just as good at room temperature, and it slices into neat wedges straight from the basket. No plates or fuss required.

If a savoury galette and a mushroom tart had a baby, this would be it – earthy mushrooms and melty cheese folded into rough, buttery pastry. It is my favourite thing to make when I want to feel like I cooked something impressive with almost no skill required. Cook the mushrooms down first to drive off their water; skip that and you get a soggy bottom, which is the one true galette tragedy. Serve it warm with a sharp green salad to cut the richness.

Why this galette works so well

• Rustic and easy. Free-form, so there is no pan and no fluting to fuss over.
• Creamy and savory. Caramelized onion, garlic, and mushrooms make a rich, herby filling with the cheese.
• Vegetarian comfort food. Hearty enough for a main, lovely as a side.
• Great warm or cold. Perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, and leftovers.

About the crust and filling

Mushrooms are the star. White or cremini mushrooms work beautifully, but a mix with oyster or shiitake adds extra depth. Cook them well with caramelized onion, a little garlic and thyme, and a splash of white wine so they lose their water and take on a deep, savory flavor.

Cheese gives the filling its creamy body. Ricotta or a soft fresh cheese works as the base, with a little grated hard cheese for savoriness. Use a vegetarian rennet-free cheese to keep it fully vegetarian.

Wholewheat crust and fresh dill set this galette apart. The nutty wholewheat dough holds up to the rich filling, and plenty of fresh dill brightens the cheese and mushrooms.

Tips and ways to change it up

• Cook off the liquid. Dry, well-sauteed mushrooms keep the filling from turning watery.
• Swap the herbs. Thyme or parsley work if you are not a dill fan.
• Add greens. A handful of wilted spinach folds nicely into the filling.
• Brush the edges. A little beaten egg or plant milk gives the crust a golden shine.

Make it a wild mushroom galette

Come autumn, this is the galette I make with whatever wild mushrooms I can get. A mix — chestnut, oyster, shiitake, a few chanterelles — gives far more depth than plain button mushrooms, and a small handful of dried porcini, soaked and chopped (save the soaking liquid to cook the filling in), adds a deep, savoury backbone that tastes like the forest floor in the best way. Finish a warm slice with a soft-poached egg or a few drops of truffle oil and it turns into a genuine autumn dinner. It joins my other free-form tarts like the strawberry galette and these savoury tart recipes.

Making it ahead and storing

• Fridge: store for up to 3 days, covered.
• Freezer: freeze baked slices for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: warm in the oven to crisp the crust back up.

If you love mushrooms baked into pastry, try our creamy mushroom pie or this mushroom and blue cheese tart. For another easy free-form bake, our beetroot galette uses the same fold-and-bake method.

Mushroom Galette

A rustic, free-form mushroom galette with a nutty wholewheat crust folded around a creamy cheese-and-mushroom filling with fresh dill. Easy, vegetarian, and great warm or cold.

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Rate

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Choose Serving Size 6

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Frying pan
• Rolling Pin
• Mixing bowl

Ingredients 

MetricUS (Imperial)

• 1 ½ cups wholewheat flour
• ½ cup butter cold, cubed
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4-5 tbsp water cold
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 cups mushrooms sliced
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 1 cup ricotta or soft cheese fresh
• ½ cup cheese grated
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp dill fresh, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 egg yolk or plant milk for brushing
• dried porcini mushrooms a small handful, optional, soaked

Instructions

• Rub the cold butter into the wholewheat flour and salt until crumbly. Add cold water a spoon at a time and bring together into a dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil and cook the onion gently until soft and golden, about 10 minutes — caramelizing it here adds a lovely sweetness. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute more.
• Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms, and cook until they release and lose their liquid, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble away, then let the filling cool slightly.
• In a bowl, mix the ricotta, grated cheese, egg, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cooked mushrooms and onion.
• Roll the dough into a rough circle about 12 inches wide on parchment paper. Pile the filling in the center, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pleating as you go. Brush the crust with egg yolk or plant milk.
• Bake at 390°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is set. Cool slightly before slicing.
• For a wild mushroom galette, use a mix of wild or exotic mushrooms and add a small handful of soaked, chopped dried porcini, cooking the filling in the strained soaking liquid.

Notes

Cook the mushrooms until dry so the filling does not get watery. Swap dill for thyme or parsley. For a vegan version, use soft vegan cheese, a flax egg, and plant milk to brush.

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