This Puff Pastry Mushroom Tart is made with three kinds of cheeses, caramelized red onions, and garlicky mushroom with rosemary and thyme. This crispy savory mushroom tart makes a great appetizer, lunch, or a light dinner. Serve it as a starter at your next party, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Eve!
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Lots of textures and flavors - The puff pastry provides a light and flaky base that contrasts wonderfully with the sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. Gruyere cheese, pecorino cheese, and blue cheese each add their own unique flavors and textures. Drizzle the finished tart with truffle oil if you have it, it adds a depth of flavor and goes so well with the cheese.
Appetizer or a main dish - This tart can be served as a savory appetizer, a light lunch paired with a salad, or even as a side dish for dinner.
Easy to make - Even though this tart may look super fancy, it's actually pretty easy to make! All you need to do is sautee mushrooms, onions, and put it all on puff pastry with cheese. Anyone can make this dish with minimal effort!
Ingredients
- Puff pastry - The better the puff pastry, the better the tart. You can make your own or use store-bought puff pastry dough. You can most often find them in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Good quality butter puff pastry yields the best flaky tart.
- Mushroom - I'm using cremini mushrooms here but you can use white button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, wild mushrooms, or a mix.
- Onion - Red onion is what the recipe calls for but yellow onion or shallots also work great.
- Gruyere cheese - Gruyere is a Swiss cheese known for its nutty and slightly sweet flavor. When melted, it becomes creamy and adds richness to the tart.
- Pecorino cheese - Pecorino is an Italian cheese made from sheep's milk. It has a sharp and salty flavor that adds depth to the tart.
- Blue cheese - Blue cheese is known for its strong and distinctive flavor, characterized by its tanginess and pungency. Adding blue cheese to the tart provides a bold and complex taste that contrasts with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms and the sweet caramelized onions. You only need a little bit but I highly recommend adding it!
- Flavorings - I'm using fresh herbs, garlic, sea salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. I highly recommend adding the balsamic vinegar to the mushroom! You can't taste it very much but it balances out all the flavors really nicely. The finished tart is also drizzled with truffle oil before serving which is optional but highly recommended!
Variations and Substitutions
- Cheese - You can use mozzarella instead of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese instead of Pecorino cheese. If you need the tart to be dairy-free, use a vegan cheese alternative.
- Dried herbs - If you don't have fresh herbs or fresh garlic cloves, you can use dried herbs and garlic powder. Just keep in mind that you will need a lesser amount of dried herbs than fresh ones because the flavor is more concentrated.
- Onions - If you don't have red onion, you can use yellow onion or shallots.
- Oil - The mushroom and onion are sauteed using avocado oil but you can use any cooking oil you'd normally use if you don't have avocado oil.
- Mini tarts - Alternatively you can make this tart into single-serving puff pastry tarts. Just cut the puff pastry into small squares and add your toppings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and make sure your puff pastry is defrosted and refrigerated.
Caramelized Onions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add avocado oil, sliced red onion, and sea salt.
- Stir together and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water after about 5 minutes of cooking when the onions start to stick.
- They’re done when they start to caramelize and brown. You can cook them longer to get them more caramelized but it’s not necessary.
- Transfer the onions to a plate to cool.
Sauteed Mushrooms
- To the same skillet, add more avocado oil and sliced mushrooms.
- Toss the mushrooms with the oil and add fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, and sea salt. Toss again.
- Cook the mushrooms on medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly. They’ll start to release water after 3-6 minutes of cooking. After that, you won’t have to stir them as often.
- After 15 minutes of cooking, add minced garlic, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Stir everything together and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl or a plate to cool.
Puff Pastry Tart
- Lay your thawed puff pastry sheet on a lined baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you have a homemade dough, you’ll probably have to roll it out with a rolling pin but a store-bought pastry sheet should be ready to use.
- Using a knife, score a border 1cm from the edge around the whole sheet making sure not to cut through the dough.
- Use a fork to pierce the part of the dough that will have toppings. This lets air underneath the tart when it’s baking and prevents it from rising.
- Sprinkle the puff pastry evenly with grated gruyere and pecorino avoiding the edges.
- Spread the sauteed onions on top followed by the sauteed mushroom.
- Finish with crumbled blue cheese and a little more pecorino if desired.
- Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Lightly drizzle with truffle oil and balsamic glaze, and garnish with fresh thyme for serving.
Serving and Storing
You can serve the tart as it is or drizzle it with a little bit of truffle oil and balsamic glaze to make it extra fancy. You can also sprinkle fresh thyme or chives on top if you have them.
The tart is best served while it's still warm but leftovers can also be served straight from the fridge.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
Reheating: You can warm up the tart in the oven on a baking sheet at 300F for 10-15 minutes.
FAQs
I don't recommend it as it's not going to be as crispy after you defrost it and the cheese won't freeze very well but if you need to, freeze the sliced tart in a single layer first and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge overnight or in the oven at 350F.
Fresh mushrooms are the best option but if you only have frozen mushrooms, defrost them in the fridge first and squeeze out any excess water before cooking.
Similar Recipes
If you're looking for more recipes with mushrooms or puff pastry, give the four recipes below a try! To see all the latest appetizers, head over to Appetizers.
- Asparagus Tart with Pesto and Goat Cheese
- Spinach and Feta Triangles
- Whipped Goat Cheese Toast with Shiitake Mushroom
- Sautéed Mushrooms with Green Beans
📖 Recipe
Puff Pastry Mushroom Tart
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-8 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Puff Pastry Mushroom Tart is made with 3 kinds of cheese, garlicky mushroom, and herbs. It makes a great appetizer, lunch, or a light dinner.
Ingredients
Sauteed Onions
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- 2 cups thinly sliced red onion (2-3 medium onions)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Sauteed Mushroom
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- 450-500g cremini mushroom* (5-6 cups sliced)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I uses 1 tsp coarsely ground, use less if fine)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Puff Pastry Tart
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted and refrigerated**
- 200g (2 cups) gruyere cheese, grated (or mozzarella)
- ¼ cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup blue cheese (optional)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 2 tbsp raw sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp truffle oil (optional)
- Balsamic glaze and fresh thyme for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and make sure your puff pastry is defrosted and refrigerated.
Sauteed Onions
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add avocado oil, sliced red onion, and sea salt.
- Stir together and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water after about 5 minutes of cooking when the onions start to stick.
- They’re done when they start to caramelize and brown. You can cook them longer to get them more caramelized but it’s not necessary.
- Transfer the onions to a plate to cool.
Sauteed Mushroom
- To the same pan, add more avocado oil and sliced mushroom.
- Toss the mushrooms with the oil and add fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, and sea salt. Toss again.
- Cook the mushrooms on medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly. They’ll start to release water after 3-6 minutes of cooking. After that, you won’t have to stir them as often.
- After 15 minutes of cooking, add minced garlic, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Stir everything together and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl or a plate to cool.
Puff Pastry Tart
- Lay your puff pastry dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you have homemade dough, you’ll have to roll it out but a store-bought pastry sheet should be ready to use.
- Using a knife, score a border 1cm from the edge around the whole sheet making sure not to cut through the dough.
- Use a fork to pierce the part of the dough that will have toppings. This lets air underneath the tart when it’s baking and prevents it from rising.
- Sprinkle the puff pastry evenly with grated gruyere and pecorino avoiding the edges.
- Spread the sauteed onions on top followed by the sauteed mushroom.
- Finish with crumbled blue cheese and a little more pecorino if desired.
- Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Lightly drizzle with truffle oil and balsamic glaze, and garnish with fresh thyme for serving.
Notes
*To clean your mushroom, use a wet paper towel to wipe any dirt off. It’s important to clean them but don’t wash them under running water because they will soak up too much water.
**It’s important to keep your puff pastry sheet refrigerated until you’re ready to bake it. It’s a very butter-heavy dough so it’s easier to work with and and cooks better when it’s cold from the fridge.
Yu
What a delicious and elegant appetizer. I would never think of using mushrooms and other savory ingredients to make a puff pastry mushroom tart! I am going to follow this recipe and give it a try tomorrow; I can't wait!
Bernice
I can never resist anything made with mushrooms and this tart was exceptional! I served it alongside homemade mushroom soup for and extra fun(gi) treat.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Oh my gosh! This was so amazing. I usually make just caramelized onion tart but last night I made your recipe with mushrooms and this is our new favorite now.
Kathryn
We love this puff pastry mushroom tart! It was so delicious and easy to make as an appetizer. Making this again :)
Leslie
This is such a great savory recipe! I love that you used three different kids of cheese. This recipe is amazing!
Jacqueline Debono
I'm a big mushroom fan and this mushroom tart was so very good. Since I live in Italy, I used gorgonzola and I used cremini but added some dried porcini! Fantastic!
Elaine
I tried this recipe yesterday and it's so perfect! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
andrea
If I had to pick a food that was exactly what I'd want to eat it is this. It looks amazing. I love everything mushroom and truffle oil and add the puff pastry and I'm in heaven. I can't wait to make this!
Jenny
This tart is my kind of comfort food. I love your recipe. We are having your mushroom tart tonight as an appetizer with my in-laws for movie night at home. Thanks so much!
Jennifer
The tart came out great! Your recipe is easy and fuss-free. I paired the mushroom tart with a large leafy salad, added eggs benedict, and created a Sunday brunch buffet. Thanks so much; we will definitely make them again.