Easy Strawberry Galette (Rustic Free-Form Tart)
A strawberry galette is a rustic, free-form tart: a single round of buttery pastry folded loosely around a juicy strawberry filling, then baked until golden. It is far easier than a covered pie because there is no tin and no crimping to get right, so the strawberries do the work.
This is what I make when I want pie without the pie commitment. You fold the edges over roughly and the more rustic it looks, the better. The one thing I learned the hard way: chill the dough before it goes in the oven, and toss the strawberries with a little cornstarch first, or you end up with a delicious puddle instead of a slice.
Prepping the strawberries so they don’t flood the crust
Use berries that are ripe but still firm so they hold their shape in the heat. Hull them and halve small ones, quarter large ones, so every piece cooks evenly. Toss them with the sugar, cornstarch, a little lemon zest and vanilla, then let them sit for about 15 minutes. The cornstarch and rest thicken the juices; before you fill the dough, tip off most of the liquid that has pooled at the bottom of the bowl. That drained syrup is what would otherwise soak through and make the base soggy, so leave it behind.
Keeping the base crisp under the fruit
- Keep the butter cold. Work it into the flour in pea-sized pieces and stop while it is still lumpy. Those visible flecks are what steam into flaky layers.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes. Cold dough rolls without tearing and holds its folds instead of slumping in the oven.
- Scatter a spoon of ground almonds or semolina on the base. This thin layer sits under the fruit and soaks up any juice that escapes, so the middle stays crisp.
- Leave a wide border and don’t overfill. A 5 cm rim of bare dough gives you enough to fold up and pleat around the fruit so the juices stay put.
- Egg wash and coarse sugar on the crust. The wash browns the pastry and the sugar gives it that sparkly, crackly edge.
- Cool before slicing. Straight from the oven the filling is loose; 20 to 30 minutes lets it set enough to cut clean wedges.
Swaps that actually work
To keep it vegan, use a firm vegan butter and brush the crust with plant milk instead of egg. The color is a touch paler but the finish is still golden.
For mixed berries, replace up to half the strawberries with raspberries, blueberries or pitted sour cherries. Cut the sugar slightly if you use sweet berries, add a little if you use sour cherries.
For a glossy top, brush the warm fruit with a spoon of strawberry or apricot jam as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Making it ahead and keeping the crust crisp
- Dough: make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge, or freeze it for up to a month and thaw overnight before rolling.
- Baked galette: it is best the day it is made. It keeps covered at room temperature for a day, or up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat in the oven, not the microwave. A few minutes in a warm oven crisps the base back up; the microwave turns the pastry soft.
For more berry desserts, try our vegan strawberry tart or strawberry crumb bars, and browse all our strawberry desserts.
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Easy Strawberry Galette
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup cold butter cubed
- 3-4 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- 4 cups fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough: mix the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or fingertips until crumbly with pea-sized pieces. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until it just comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F /190C and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Make the filling: gently toss the strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest. Let rest 10 minutes, then drain off most of the released juice so the galette stays crisp.
- Roll the chilled dough into a circle about 12 inches across on a floured surface and transfer to the baking sheet.
- Pile the strawberries in the center, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edges up over the filling, overlapping and pressing to seal any cracks.
- Brush the crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cool a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
A galette is a rustic, free-form tart made by folding a single round of pastry loosely around a filling and baking it flat on a tray. It needs no pie tin and the rough edges are meant to look homemade, which makes it much easier than a traditional pie.
Toss the berries with cornstarch, let them rest, and leave most of the released juice behind. Sprinkling ground almonds or breadcrumbs on the dough also helps absorb moisture, and chilling the dough keeps the base crisp.
Yes. Use vegan butter in the dough and brush the crust with plant milk instead of egg. A sprinkle of sugar still gives a golden, crisp finish.
Yes, but thaw and drain them well first, since frozen berries release more liquid. Add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to help the filling set.
Yes. The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.
Keep it covered at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it briefly in the oven before serving to crisp up the crust again.
Absolutely delicious! I’ll definitely make this again.
Great recipe for summer