Heirloom Tomato Tart

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Summery heirloom tomato tart recipe from scratch with a savory whole wheat crust, vegan ricotta, sweet caramelized onions and thin slices of colorful heirloom tomatoes. A free-form tart finished with a fresh basil chiffonade or crispy fried sage leaves, it can be an appetizer or an entree alongside a simple arugula or baby kale salad. Simply divine!

Tomato Tart

Heirloom Tomato Tart Recipe

The French version of pizza, an easy rustic tomato tart made by hand and topped with the best of summer’s heirloom tomatoes or favorite veggies. Nothing fancy, you really don’t have to be a pâtissier to make it, the hardest thing is waiting for it to come out of the oven. Resist the temptation to take it out too soon, let it get golden brown, flaky and crispy.

 vegan tart crust process shots

The Crust or Pâte Brisée

It’s simple, doesn’t require a tart pan, made with whole wheat pastry flour and vegan European style butter. A quick 10 minute freeze of the butter is recommend so it can be easily grated over the flour. Just like making biscuits or pie crust, you want to work fast with cold ingredients but don’t fuss too much over it. Take it to the next level by mixing in a tablespoon of caraway or fennel seeds. All things considered, if you want to use a store bought pie crust or some frozen puff pastry that’s fine too.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

The Tart Ingredients

  • Caramelized onions – use your biggest skillet and double batch it. They are perfect on so many other things besides this tart.
  • Heirloom tomatoes – the best tasting of all tomatoes, sweet not acidic, without a doubt the best tomatoes for tart, focaccia and bruschetta. Go for different sizes and a mix of colors layering the largest slices on the bottom and topping with smaller ones.
  • Cashew ricotta cheese – this creamy fromage frais is totally optional but recommended, makes a great canvas for the caramelized onions to sink into and results in a more filling tart. A layer of chive pesto makes for a lovely alternative.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

How to Make Heirloom Tomato Tart

  1. Caramelize the onions – Preheat an extra large skillet over medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook down stirring often until caramelized, about 45 minutes.
  2. Prepare the cashew ricotta – this is best done a day in advance so it can be completely chilled and thickened up.
  3. Make the tart crust – add the flour to a mixing bowl and grate the chilled butter over the flour. Quickly work the butter into the flour until it resembles wet sand. Pour in the cold water and mix it in with a spoon until a dough is formed. Cut the dough in half and form two balls. Place each dough ball in between two pieces of parchment paper (aprox 16 inch square) and press it down into a disk. Use a rolling pin to go over the top and roll it out into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes until it sets a bit.
  4. Assemble the tart – place the tart with the parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Start by spreading 1/4 cup or so of cashew ricotta over the bottom of each crust leaving one inch of space at the edges. Top with half of the caramelized onion and finish with a layer of tomato slices. Fold the edges over the pie patching it if it breaks. (Optional- brush the edges with some aquafaba or olive oil if desired).
  5. Bake – Preheat your oven to 400″F and bake the tomato tarts for about 35 minutes or so until golden brown. Allow to cool off completely and serve.

Vegan Tomato Tart

Recipe Tips + FAQ

  • Make ahead – prepare the crust, cashew ricotta and caramelized onions a couple of days in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. The pie crust can also be frozen and thawed out in the fridge the night before using it.
  • Storage – any leftovers can be refrigerated in lidded containers and enjoyed cold or reheated under the broiler or a toaster oven.
  • Topping ideas – grilled vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini rounds, basil pesto, vegan feta or mozzarella and fresh herbs like parsley and thyme. During the late fall and winter months i’d swap the heirloom tomatoes for some crispy roasted broccoli, cauliflower wings, or nutty butternut squash alongside the caramelized onions and fried sage. I can’t even choose a favorite!

Best Tomato Tart

Heirloom Tomato Recipes

watch how to make tomato tart

Tomato Tart
5 from 2 votes

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Summer heirloom tomato tart from scratch with a savory whole wheat crust, vegan ricotta, sweet caramelized onions and thin slices of colorful heirloom tomatoes. Finished with a fresh basil chiffonade or crispy fried sage leaves, it can be an appetizer or an entree alongside a simple arugula or baby kale salad. Simply divine!
Print Recipe
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

The Crust

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 6 Tbsp vegan salted butter (cold) (I used Miyoko’s European style)
  • 4 Tbsp water ice cold
  • 1-2 Tbsp caraway or fennel seeds optional

Toppings

Instructions

  • Prepare the cashew ricotta - this is best done a day in advance so it can be completely chilled and thickened up. Alternatively you can use a store bought version or omit altogether.

Caramelize the Onions

  • Preheat an extra large skillet over medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook down stirring often until caramelized, about 45 minutes. No need to add any sugar or more oil, if need be a little splash of water to create some steam and prevent burning is enough. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the Crust

  • Add the flour to a mixing bowl and grate the chilled butter over the flour. Use your hand and quickly work the butter into the flour until it resembles wet sand. Pour in the cold water and mix it in with a spoon until a dough is formed. Cut the dough in half and form two balls.
    Place each dough ball in between two pieces of parchment paper (aprox 16 inch square) and press it down into a disk. Use a rolling pin to go over the top and roll it out into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes until it sets.

Assemble the Tart

  • Place the tart with the parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Start by spreading 1/4 cup or so of cashew ricotta over the bottom of each crust leaving one inch of space at the edges. Top with half of the caramelized onions and finish with a layer of tomato slices (large slices on the bottom and small ones on top). Fold the edges over the pie patching it if it breaks.(Optional- brush the edges with some aquafaba or olive oil if desired). Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt and chili flakes.
  • Bake - Preheat your oven to 400"F and bake the tomato tarts for about 35 minutes or so until golden brown. Allow to cool off before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil or crispy fried sage leaves alongside a dark leafy green salad.

Video

Notes

  • Make ahead - prepare the crust, cashew ricotta and caramelized onions a couple of days in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. The pie crust can also be frozen and thawed out in the fridge the night before using it.
  • Storage - any leftovers can be refrigerated in lidded containers and enjoyed cold or reheated under the broiler or a toaster oven.
  • Topping ideas - grilled vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini rounds, basil pesto, vegan feta or mozzarella and fresh herbs. During fall and winter swap the tomatoes for roasted butternut squash alongside the caramelized onions and crispy sage.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 3g | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Keyword: tomato tart, vegan,
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 301kcal
Author: Florentina

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4 Comments

  1. Incredible recipe, forget about leftovers because there won’t be any. I just wish i had doubled it because I could have eaten twice as much. This weekend I’m making it again!

  2. Florentina’s recipes look so mouth-watering 🙂

    This tart looks divine & caramelized onions R the bomb

    Beautiful photography. Too bad there is not smell-o-vision for laptops yet <3

  3. I wanted this so bad today and didn’t have time to make the crust. I did however have a pack of organic pita and decided to try it that way, with fingers crossed but expectations low. OH MY YUM!!! Was absolutely delicious!!! Followed all the rest and will make this again and again!! Would likely work well on stacked flour tortillas too, for a flaky thin crust. Thank you for this one!!

    1. So happy you love it Suzi, I hope you get to try the homemade flakey crust as well, it’s quite amazing if I say so myself ~ Florentina Xo’s

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