For a fun and refreshing way to use up those tomatoes from your garden, consider this tomato tart. It’s so simple to make in the air fryer or oven, it is bursting with flavor from the honey Dijon Mustard, and make for a quick dish any time of the day.
If you have a garden or small farm where you grow tomatoes and you have a lot of tomatoes with no idea how to use them, you can consider making tomato tart.
Fancy enough to serve as an appetizer at your next gathering, but simple enough to make at home for a quick snack or meal.
This pastry is a very delicious snack and is perfect for many occasions such as holiday snacks, dessert for family gatherings, and a full meal if you don’t feel like eating much.
What’s more, it helps you combine the delicious taste of puffy pastry with the nutritious features of tomatoes.
How Did We Arrive To Tomato Tart
While a lot is not known about the origin of the tomato tart except that it started in southern Italy and made its way into America through Italian bakeries in cities like Philadelphia, there is a big and interesting history of tarts in general.
Tart, which is a pastry form, started in France, and this becomes evident when you understand that the French word “Tarte” which translates to pie, is the root word for tarts.
The process of making tarts originated from the medieval tradition of food layering. It could also be attributed to the process of making pies at the time.
Nonetheless, the first tart was made around 1550 and was associated with royalty and the affluent part of the society at the time.
It was the royal and noble version of pies that had existed 200 years earlier and is more popular with the commoners.
One of the distinguishing features of tarts at the time was the use of meat fillings in the tarts. As time went on, the use of custards and fruits as fillings also became rampant.
One of the earliest forms of tarts was the Italian Crostata which was also known as the Open Fruit Tart.
Ingredients Used for Tomato Tart
While a lot of ingredients go into the making of tomato tarts, some of the important ingredients include the following;
Tomatoes
Of course, this is the most important ingredient needed for making tomato tarts. To get the best out of the tomatoes, ensure that they are fresh, clean, and well washed.
Dijon Mustard
For this recipe we used the Honey Dijon Mustard for the sweet and savory flavor. Dijon Mustard originated from the French town of Dijon.
The town was popular for being the center of mustard making in the 17th century. Therefore, it is no surprise that the spicy, tangy, and delicious mustard powder is named after the town.
Dijon mustard is usually pale brown and has a tangy, sharp but spicy taste and flavor. The powder is made with mustard seeds, wine vinegar, salt, and water.
Dijon mustard is a bit acidic, but many commercial recipes use ingredients with lower acidity and this makes the potency of the mustard seeds shine through in the powder.
Dijon mustard works well in tomato tarts to provide an interesting flavor for the dish. It provides a creamy and tangy flavor to the dish, making it taste even better.
Smoked Gouda Cheese (Optional)
Of course, you can also use Parmesan cheese for this recipe. Parmesan cheese is an Italian type of cheese that is made from cow milk.
The cheese adds a nice flavor to the tart and is best used as freshly grated cheese. This is because it melts better than the pre-grated type.
Other substitutes for parmesan cheese include gruyere cheese or fontina. Both of these cheese types work perfectly well with tomatoes and other ingredients.
However, we opt in for the smoked gouda cheese instead. It provides a hint of smoky flavor which works well with the honey mustard.
This cheese also works well with eggs, vegetables (tomatoes, asparagus, greens – especially kale), and of course this cheese pairs well with meat and macaroni and cheese as used in this smoked macaroni cheese recipe.
Puff Pastry
Since you will be baking the tomato tarts, you will need puff pastry sheet to make the dish. Homemade or store-bought puff pastry will work well in this recipe as it will cut the down the processing time, leaving you with more time to enjoy your dish.
Herbs
Herbs like parsley and basil works well with gouda cheese. But you can also use cilantro, Herb De Provence which is a combination of thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano to name a few, and spices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, you can freeze the tart and reheat it later to enjoy. To reheat your tart, set the temperature to 350F on the oven and reheat the tart for about 10 minutes.
Tart is most often served warm or at room temperature.
Depending on the tart you are serving, you can pair savory tarts with your favorite salads or protein.
It depends. Fruit tarts are often sweet and meat tarts or vegetable tarts are often savory.
Substitutions and Variations
Apart from the aforementioned ingredients, many interesting ingredients and additions can find their way into your tomato tarts. They include the following;
- Almond Raspberry for the Almond Raspberry Crumb Tart
- Cheese and Asparagus for the Asparagus and Goat Cheese Galette
- Strawberry for the Strawberry Lemonade Tart
- Berries and Cream
- Baked Apples for Brown Butter Apple Tart
- Almond and Buckwheat
How Do You Store Tomato Tart?
As with many dishes, you can store the Tomato Tarts by freezing or refrigerating. The duration of the storage determines which of the two options you use.
By refrigerating you can keep the chocolate tart intact and fresh for about one month. If you are looking to keep the snack fresh for more than one month, freezing remains the best option.
For each of these storage options, you are advised to wrap the tomato tart in foil. You can equally reheat the tomato tarts after refrigerating or freezing.
To do this, you need to set the oven at a temperature of 350F and reheat the tart for about 10 minutes. If the tart is already in slices, you can microwave the individual slices at 5-second intervals until it gets warm.
Serving Suggestions
The best thing you can enjoy your tarts with is Wine. We have a full guide here on how many ounces is there in a bottle of wine. This will help you with the serving size.
The following are some of the best wines you can pair with the tart. However, if you don’t feel like taking wine, the following are dishes that you can combine with your tomato tart;
- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
- Margarita Chicken with Agave and Tequila
- Miso Butter Roasted Radishes
- Strawberry Avocado Grilled Balsamic Chicken Salad
- Greek Salad
- Caesar Salad
More Tart Recipes To Enjoy
If you loved this tomato tart recipe, consider trying one of these tart recipes next.
More Tomato Recipes To Enjoy
Upon trying this delicious tart recipe, consider trying one of these tomato dishes next:
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Tomato Tart
Equipment
- Oven Optional
Ingredients
- 2 Puff Pastry Sheets
- 8 tbsp. Dijon Mustard We used the Honey Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp. Dry Parsley Flakes Divided
- 1 tsp. Dry Basil Leaves Divided
- 2 Roma Tomatoes Sliced and Divided (1 tomato per pastry sheet)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- 2 tsp. Olive Oil Divided
- Smoked Gouda Cheese Optional
- 1 tbsp. Water
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 300°F (if needed; may differ depending on the air fryer you are using). Roll the pastry sheets to 12×12 inches. Then Cut down to 12×6 inches. Use the cutouts to create a barrier on the 12×6 pastry sheet. Feel free to twist the cutouts to create a design along the edges. Brush the water along the edges. And press the twisted cutouts along the edges (all 4 sides). Use a fork to poke dots on the sheet. Place the pastry sheet on a tray suitable to fit the air fryer (see notes below), and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat if necessary depending on the air fryer you have so that the pastry to do not burn. Best to check it periodically. Immediately after removing the pastry from the air fryer, use your fork to press down on the sheet to flatten it. Let it cool.
- Fill the pastry sheet with the honey Dijon mustard and use a spoon to spread it across the pastry. Next, slice the tomatoes and align the tomatoes on the sheet.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grate the cheese on top and sprinkle with olive oil (1 teaspoon per sheet). Repeat the process with the other pastry sheet. Air Fry at 300°F for an additional 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.
Andrea says
I’m loving this tart with the Dijon mustard and smoked gouda. Yummy!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Andrea
Colleen says
My garden is loaded with tomatoes so I made this tart. Not only is it so delicious, but it also looks impressive. I’ll be making it for guests next time.
Mirlene says
Thank you, Colleen
Irena says
This was really good. I followed your recommendation on using smoky cheese and oh boy, was it good?!! Love the combination of tomatoes, that cheese and all the herbs. Very moreish!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Irena!
Sharon says
Came out perfectly! We served this at brunch this weekend and while it looked fancy it also tasted delicous. Zero leftovers = a good sign. Thanks!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Sharon
Caroline says
I love tarts like this to really make the most of tomatoes when they are in season – yum!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Caroline.
Sara Welch says
Such a great way to use up my summer tomatoes! Turned out perfectly juicy and flavorful; easily, a new favorite recipe!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Sara
Vanessa says
I love how easy this was to put together! I served it to guests and it disappeared quickly – yum!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Vanessa
Tayler says
I made this tart for dinner last night and it was amazing! I’ll be making it all summer long!
kushigalu says
WOW. This tart just looks fantastic. Pinned your recipe to try this soon.
Amy Nash says
Made this with the first fresh tomatoes from our garden and it was absolutely delightful! Fresh and easy and tastes just like summer!