Flaky puff pastry, creamy, herby cheesiness, and colorful summer vegetables in every bite of this delicious tart!
These Summertime Puff Pastry Tarts are everything you want in an easy summer meal. Flaky, buttery puff pastry is topped with a creamy whipped feta and ricotta spread, melty cheese, and colorful slices of ripe tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, and onions. They’re beautiful enough for entertaining yet simple enough for lunch, brunch, or a light dinner. Make them ahead and serve warm or at room temperature.
I’m using summertime vegetables because they’re in season, fresh and delicious, but you can use whatever vegetables you love. The puff pastry becomes crisp and deeply golden as the tart cooks while the vegetables soften and lightly caramelize over the creamy cheese filling. Fresh mint, oregano, garlic, and basil bring bright Mediterranean flavor to every bite, while the colorful layers of summer vegetables make these savory tarts especially beautiful for the table.
Why You’ll Love These Puff Pastry Vegetable Tarts
Flaky, buttery
crisp golden edged
Pillowy puff pastry
Creamy, melty, herby
Feta and ricotta cheese
Juicy, sweet tomatoes
Tender, caramelized zucchini
Sweet, vibrant bell peppers
Cool, fresh, sweet, earthy herbs
How do I make the puff pastry perfect?
Puff pastry sheets bake into light, flaky layers with crisp, buttery edges that create the perfect base for the creamy cheese and vegetables. If you know me, you know I like to get puff pastry from the restaurant supply store because they’re larger and easier to work with than the smaller ones you get at the grocery store. But don’t worry. Any size puff pastry will do.
Egg gives the pastry borders a glossy, deeply golden finish.
Water thins the egg to create an easy egg wash for brushing over the pastry.
Sesame seeds add a delicate crunch and nutty finish to the golden pastry edges, if desired.
What do I need for the cheese filling?
Feta cheese adds creamy, salty, and tangy Greek flavor to the filling. Here’s my favorite brand.
Whole milk ricotta cheese creates a soft, creamy texture that balances the stronger flavor of the feta.
Gruyère, Gouda, mozzarella, or a combination adds rich, melty cheesiness and helps create a luscious layer beneath the vegetables.
Extra virgin olive oil adds richness and smoothness to the cheese filling.
Garlic brings savory warmth that complements the cheeses and fresh vegetables.
Fresh mint adds a bright, refreshing herbiness to the creamy filling.
Dried oregano brings classic Mediterranean aroma and earthy flavor.
Freshly ground black pepper adds a little warmth and balances the rich cheeses.
Which vegetables work best on this tart?
Ripe tomatoes become juicy and sweet as they bake, adding vibrant color and fresh summer flavor. For the prettiest vegetable tarts, use heirloom tomatoes in several colors.
Zucchini becomes tender and lightly caramelized while adding a delicate, fresh flavor.
Red bell pepper brings natural sweetness, a little smokiness, and a tender bite.
Yellow bell pepper adds another layer of sweetness and beautiful bright color.
Red onion softens and caramelizes in the oven, adding a sweet and savory bite. Yellow or white onion would work, too.
Extra virgin olive oil helps the vegetables caramelize while adding richness.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper enhance the natural sweetness and savory flavor of the vegetables.
Dried oregano adds the same earthy Mediterranean flavor to the roasted vegetables.
Do I need to garnish my tart?
Fresh basil adds a fragrant, fresh finish and beautiful pop of green just before serving.
How do I make the feta and ricotta filling?
In a bowl, combine the feta, ricotta, all of the shredded cheese, olive oil, garlic, mint, oregano, and black pepper. Mix until creamy and well combined.
Is there a trick to preparing the puff pastry?
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper. Unfold the puff pastry sheets and place one sheet on each prepared pan. If necessary, gently roll each sheet into a large, even rectangle. Using a sharp knife, lightly score a ½-inch border around the edges of each pastry sheet without cutting all the way through. Prick the center of each sheet several times with a fork, leaving the borders untouched.
How do I assemble the vegetable tarts?
Divide the whipped feta mixture evenly between the two pastry sheets. Spread half over the center of one sheet and the remaining half over the other, keeping the filling inside the scored borders. Arrange half of the sliced vegetables in overlapping layers over each tart, alternating the tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and red onion to create a colorful pattern. Then, brush the vegetables lightly with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
How long do I bake the puff pastry vegetable tarts?
Whisk the egg with the water to make an egg wash. Brush it over the exposed pastry borders and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through if needed, until the pastry is deeply golden and puffed and the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized.
What’s the best way to serve the tarts?
Allow the tarts to cool for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, then cut each tart into 6 portions. Serve warm or at room temperature. The tarts pair perfectly with a Greek salad for brunch or lunch, or with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp for dinner.  You could even use them as a beautiful appetizer. Kali Orexi!
Dimitra’s Tips
If the tomatoes are especially juicy, sprinkle them lightly with salt and place them on paper towels for 10–15 minutes. Pat them dry before adding them to the tarts. This helps prevent soggy pastry. I also like to slice the vegetables thinly so they cook completely before the puff pastry becomes too dark.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
You can prepare the whipped feta and ricotta filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container.
Are there other vegetables that work well on this tart?
Try adding caramelized onions, olives, asparagus, mushrooms, eggplant, or pesto.
Can I make these into mini tarts?
To make mini puff pastry vegetable tarts, cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares to make 8 mini tarts. Score a ½-inch border around each square and prick the centers with a fork. Divide the cheese mixture and vegetables evenly among the squares. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 22–28 minutes, or until deeply golden and puffed.
Do you have more vegetable tarts?
Briam/Tourlou Puff Pastry Tart: Greek Ratatouille Tart
Watch the Video
Summertime Puff Pastry Vegetable Tarts
These Summertime Puff Pastry Tarts are everything you want in an easy summer meal. Flaky, buttery puff pastry is topped with a creamy whipped feta and ricotta spread, melty cheese, and colorful slices of ripe tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, and onions. They're beautiful enough for entertaining yet simple enough for lunch, brunch, or a light dinner. Make them ahead and serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the Puff Pastry
- 2 large puff pastry sheets (Restaurant Depot), thawed but still cold
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sesame seeds, optional
For the Creamy Feta Filling
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère, Gouda, mozzarella, or a combination
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Vegetable Topping
- 2–3 ripe tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into very thin rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine the feta, ricotta, all of the shredded cheese, olive oil, garlic, mint, oregano, and black pepper. Mix until creamy and well combined.
Unfold the puff pastry sheets and place one sheet on each prepared pan. If necessary, gently roll each sheet into a large, even rectangle.
Using a sharp knife, lightly score a ½-inch border around the edges of each pastry sheet without cutting all the way through. Prick the center of each sheet several times with a fork, leaving the borders untouched.
Divide the whipped feta mixture evenly between the two pastry sheets. Spread half over the center of one sheet and the remaining half over the other, keeping the filling inside the scored borders.
Arrange half of the sliced vegetables in overlapping layers over each tart, alternating the tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and red onion to create a colorful pattern.
Brush the vegetables lightly with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
Whisk the egg with the water to make an egg wash. Brush it over the exposed pastry borders and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through if needed, until the pastry is deeply golden and puffed and the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized.
Allow the tarts to cool for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, then cut each tart into 6 portions. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
For the prettiest vegetable tarts, use heirloom tomatoes in several colors.
Slice the vegetables thinly so they cook completely before the puff pastry becomes too dark.
If the tomatoes are especially juicy, sprinkle them lightly with salt and place them on paper towels for 10–15 minutes. Pat them dry before adding them to the tarts. This helps prevent soggy pastry.
The whipped feta and ricotta filling can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.
To make mini puff pastry vegetable tarts, cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares to make 8 mini tarts. Score a ½-inch border around each square and prick the centers with a fork. Divide the cheese mixture and vegetables evenly among the squares. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 22–28 minutes, or until deeply golden and puffed.
Try adding caramelized onions, olives, asparagus, mushrooms, eggplant, or pesto.
Serve the tarts with a Greek salad for brunch or lunch, or pair them with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp for dinner.
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