Healthy Puff Pastry Vegetable Tart

You know those nights when you want to make something that looks fancy but don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen? That’s exactly why I love this puff pastry vegetable tart. It’s become my go-to recipe for casual dinners and even last-minute guests who pop by.

I discovered this tart recipe a few years ago when I had some leftover vegetables in the fridge and a forgotten box of puff pastry in the freezer. Now it’s one of those dishes I make at least twice a month. The best part? It takes just a few minutes to put together, and while it bakes, I can help the kids with homework or catch up on emails.

Whether you’re looking for a light lunch or an easy dinner, this tart fits the bill perfectly. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand – I’ve tried it with everything from summer squash to winter root vegetables, and it always turns out great.

What Kind of Puff Pastry Should I Use?

Store-bought puff pastry is perfectly fine for this recipe, and it’s what most home cooks reach for when making savory tarts. The pre-rolled sheets are especially convenient since they save you the time and hassle of rolling out the dough yourself. While all-butter puff pastry will give you the richest flavor, regular puff pastry made with vegetable oils works great too and is usually more budget-friendly. Just make sure your pastry is completely thawed before using it – this usually takes about 30-40 minutes at room temperature. And here’s a helpful tip: look for puff pastry that’s sold in sheets rather than blocks, as it’s much easier to work with.

Options for Substitutions

This colorful tart is pretty adaptable and you can switch things up based on what you have in your fridge:

• Puff pastry: This is the foundation of the recipe, so it’s best to stick with puff pastry. However, you can use regular instead of light puff pastry, or even try frozen puff pastry – just make sure to thaw it properly.
• Vegetables: The beauty of this tart is that you can swap the veggies based on what’s in season. Instead of courgettes, try thin slices of eggplant or mushrooms. Bell peppers can be any color, or swap them for roasted butternut squash chunks. The cherry tomatoes can be replaced with sun-dried tomatoes for a more intense flavor.
• Goat cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Try feta, ricotta, or even mozzarella. Each cheese will give a different but tasty result.
• Herbs: Fresh herbs are great, but if you only have dried ones, use 1 teaspoon dried rosemary and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. You can also experiment with different herbs like oregano or basil.
• Semi-skimmed milk: Any type of milk works for the wash – whole milk, plant-based milk, or even a beaten egg if you want a shinier finish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making a puff pastry tart is dealing with soggy bottoms – to prevent this, make sure to pat your vegetables dry before placing them on the pastry, and consider pre-roasting the high-moisture vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini for 10-15 minutes. Another common mistake is not scoring a border around the edge of your pastry – create a 1-inch border and prick the inner rectangle with a fork to prevent the center from puffing up too much during baking. The temperature of your pastry is crucial – if it’s too warm when it goes into the oven, the layers won’t puff properly, so keep it cold until the last possible moment and work quickly when assembling your tart. For the best results, brush the border with milk (not egg wash, which can make it too dark) and bake in a properly preheated oven at 400°F/200°C – a cooler oven won’t create the steam needed for those flaky layers.

What to Serve With Vegetable Tart?

This savory puff pastry tart works really well as part of a casual lunch or dinner spread. A simple mixed green salad with a light lemon vinaigrette makes the perfect side dish, letting the tart be the star of the show. If you’re serving this for dinner, you might want to add some roasted chicken or a bowl of soup to make the meal more filling. I love to pair it with a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Grigio, which goes nicely with the goat cheese and roasted vegetables.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Once your tart has cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It’ll stay good for up to 3 days, though the pastry might soften a bit over time. If you’re planning to have leftovers, I’d recommend storing any unused goat cheese separately to keep things fresh.

Make Ahead: You can prep the vegetables and herbs a day ahead and keep them in the fridge in separate containers. This makes assembly super quick when you’re ready to bake! Just remember to bring the puff pastry to room temperature before using it.

Refresh: To bring back that lovely crispy texture, pop your leftover tart pieces in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-7 minutes. The microwave works too, but the pastry won’t be as crispy. I like to add a fresh sprinkle of black pepper before serving leftover pieces.

Preparation Time	60-75 minutes
Cooking Time	60-70 minutes
Total Time	120-145 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1000
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-100 g

Ingredients

For the pastry base:

• 10 oz pre-rolled light puff pastry
• sea salt
• 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk

For the topping:

• 2.75 oz goat cheese (crumbled, I prefer Montchevre)
• 1 large yellow bell pepper (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 7 oz baby courgette (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 red onion (finely diced for even cooking)
• sea salt
• 2 sprigs rosemary (leaves stripped and finely chopped)
• olive oil spray
• 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes (halved for presentation)
• 1 large red bell pepper (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced for quick caramelization)
• 4 sprigs thyme (leaves removed from stems)

Step 1: Prepare the Puff Pastry

Start by using a sharp knife to trim your sheet of puff pastry to a size of 25 x 28 cm (10 x 11 in).

Place the trimmed pastry on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

Score a border about 2 cm (¾ in) in from the edge all the way around the pastry.

Within this margin, prick the pastry with a fork.

Leave the prepared pastry to rest in the fridge for about an hour to chill.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Preheat the Oven

While the pastry is chilling, preheat your oven to 240°C (220°C Fan/Gas 9).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the courgettes, pepper, and red onion.

Add the garlic and herbs, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Line another large baking tray with baking parchment, lay the seasoned vegetables on it, and spray them 15-20 times with oil to ensure an even coating.

Step 3: Bake the Puff Pastry and Vegetables

Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush it all over with milk, sprinkling a little salt on top for flavor.

Place the puff pastry on the middle shelf of the oven, and the vegetable tray on the shelf above it.

Bake for 15 minutes, rotating both trays halfway through to ensure they color evenly.

After baking, remove both trays from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C (140°C Fan/Gas 3).

Set the roasted vegetables aside.

Step 4: Crisp the Pastry Base

Using a spoon or spatula, press down the inside section of the puff pastry to flatten it.

Return the pastry to the oven for an additional 25 minutes.

This will help create a super-crisp base perfect for your tart.

Step 5: Assemble the Tart

After the pastry has crispened, remove it from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas 6).

Carefully tip the roasted vegetables into the tart case, spreading them evenly.

Scatter cherry tomatoes and chunks or slices of goat’s cheese on top.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Final Bake and Serve

Return the assembled tart to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the goat’s cheese has softened and started to color at the edges.

Once baked to perfection, take the tart out of the oven, cut it into quarters, and serve warm.

Enjoy your savory vegetable tart!