Today's tart is a different take from the traditional puff pastry tart. We're making ours with flaky phyllo pastry and herb roasted garlic butter brushed between each sheet. Garden fresh tomatoes are then sliced thin on top with more roasted garlic, onions, and fresh basil.
The end result is a golden, crispy pastry that serves as a light stand alone dish, a bright appetizer for wine and cheese boards, or a side served with something heartier like a perfectly grilled steak.
Ingredient Notes
- Phyllo Dough- Phyllo is a very thin pastry dough that's popular in Mediterranean cuisines, but it layers beautiful creates a lovely flakey shell when baked. It's versatile enough for sweet and savory dishes. We love it here because it's super light and showcases the garden vegetables superbly.
- Tomatoes- Juicy, tangy but also sweet, we actually used a variety of tomatoes here which offered a subtly different flavor profiles. You can use whatever you have on hand be it plum, cherry, heirloom, better boy, even black krim.
- Onions- I always prefer Vidalia when it comes to a vegetable tart. Their sweetness plays off the acidity of the tomatoes well.
- Basil- I topped the tart with basil before baking and after. The fresh basil leaves are for presentation and brighten up the dish when serving for guests. Basil darkens quickly when baked so it's nice to add some additional leaves for fresh greenery.
Variations
- Puff Pastry- You absolutely can use puff pastry here. Even a simple all butter pie crust, thought the end result will be more of a galette than a pastry.
- Vegetables- If you have a surplus of squash in the garden or just can't enjoy acidic foods, there are plenty of other vegetables you can use in place of tomatoes. Think zucchini, butternut squash, carrots (sliced very thinly), potatoes, or asparagus.
- Cheese- I scattered chunks of mozzarella here and you want to be careful with a delicate pastry like this because some cheeses can be a bit too watery and will saturate your dough. Parmesan and Romano are nice when grated, Gouda would be a nice variation as well. Any mild, hard cheese works with today's recipe.
- Onions- We touched lightly on this earlier, but if you don't have Vidalia onions on hand, white onions and red onions can also be used in its place. Shallots and chives would be a nice addition as well.
Other Tomato Recipes to Love
- Tomato & Onion Tart- Topped over a buttery tart shell, we baked tomatoes, caramelized onions, and sprinkled sweet raisins for an comforting, unexpected treat.
- Tortellini with Blistered Tomatoes- Cheesy tortellini is tossed with blistered tomatoes and lots of cheese for a light summer meal.
- Vidalia Onions & Grape Tomatoes with Spaghetti- A deceptively easy dish that is boasting with flavor. This is a pasta go-to for busy weeknights or cozy weekends in.
Tomato Phyllo Tart
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 phyllo sheets
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced thin
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (plus a few whole leaves reserved for garnish)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt butter with olive oil and 2 cloves crushed garlic. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a 16x12 in baking sheet, lay one sheet of phyllo down. Brush with the melted butter and top with another layer of phyllo. Repeat this process until all 12 sheets are used up.
- Fold the edges of the tart over to create a crust. Brush with any reserved butter.
- Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, then onions, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, and chopped basil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Finally, top with the shredded Mozzarella and grated cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crispy depending on your oven range. Remove and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with reserved basil leaves. Serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Bake
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Claudia Lamascolo says
This is a favorite of mine and we make this often, it's a great recipe and love the different toppings. A definite keeper!
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, Beautiful looking tart... Love creations like this but I'd have to watch the onions but could work around them. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Sandee says
Looks fabulous. I ate some.
Have a fabulous day, Catherine. ♥
Heather says
This tomato phyllo tart looks so delicious. I can't wait to make it for my family. They are going to love it.
Beth says
Just looking at this is making me so hungry! I love all those flavors and that phyllo base. Yum!
Samantha Donnelly says
This looks amazing, and so many variations you could make with it, I love using puff pastry in cooking
Mosaic Art says
omg this looks SOOOOO GOOD!!! I am making the tomato phyllo tart this weekend, I can't wait.
Rhian Westbury says
I've not heard of Phyllo Dough, I usually just get shop bought puff pastry for something like this. But it looks so tasty that I may have to give it a go, I love a good tart x
Everything Enchanting says
This is such an interesting recipe! I am literally drooling over this phyllo tart 😋😉. Looks absolutely delicious ❤️.
Yeah Lifestyle. says
This looks like the perfect tart for my girl-friends as we meet once a month and bake tasty goodies for each other
Gloria says
Love this rustic tart recipe. Perfect for brunch, as an appetizer or side dish for dinner too. Easy to make is a bonus too.
Marta says
I was looking for a way to use up some phyllo dough that's been in the fridge forever and tomatoes that we're getting too ripe on the vine in the garden. This tart was so perfect for both. I loved the contrasts of textures and flavors in this recipe.
Jamie says
It looks so good and tasty!
I am so excited to make this for loved ones.
Definitely a perfect appetizer!
Ann says
Oh yum! This looks like a good recipe to use up my garden tomatoes! Thanks for the share!
Kathryn says
This tomato tart is gorgeous and delicious! We loved the phyllo dough and it's perfect as an appetizer or meal! Thanks for the recipe!
Tracy says
Absolutely love a savory tart and this one was so so sooooo good. Perfect way to use the last of those summer tomatoes!! Thank you!
Helene says
My garden is full of tomatoes, so your recipe arrived just in time. I love the idea of using phyllo pastry instead of traditional puff pastry. This tart is full of flavor and delicious.
Dennis says
Your tomato tart was so easy to make and amazingly delicious! We had friends over and they raved about the tart! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us
Jenny says
Absolutely my favorite meal. When tomatoes are in season, nothing can beat your phyllo tart. Thanks so much for such a lovely recipe.
Lisa says
I love this tomato tart. Perfect as an appetizer! Then I eat the leftovers for lunch.