Elevate your summer gatherings with this Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart. Made with just 5 ingredients and ready in 30 minutes, this savory puff pastry recipe stars juicy tomatoes, creamy goat cheese and a burst of basil pesto. It’s a visually stunning and deliciously simple dish that’s perfect for brunch, lunch or as an elegant appetizer.
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I love creating dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Today, I am excited to share a recipe that perfectly captures the essence of summer: Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart.
For this recipe, a layer of pesto is spread onto a store-bought puff pastry base so you get herby, tomato-y and cheesy flavors with each bite. You can absolutely use your favorite store-bought pesto, but I highly recommend trying my easy basil pesto recipe. It’s fresh, nutty and delicious.
Because this tomato puff pastry tart has so few ingredients, use the best, ripest tomatoes you can get your hands on (I like heirloom ones). And while this is totally optional, using a few different colored tomatoes makes the produce look like the star of the show it is.
If you’re looking for more summer tomato recipes, check out my Quick Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce and Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad.
- Puff pastry: Puffs up when baked, creating buttery, flakey layers. For the best flavor, look for an all-butter puff pastry.
- Tomatoes: Heirloom tomatoes are the star of this tart, offering a burst of flavor and a rainbow of colors. If heirloom tomatoes aren’t available, any ripe, juicy tomatoes like beefsteak or Roma will work just as well.
- Pesto: While store-bought works just fine, I find that homemade basil pesto takes it up a notch in freshness and flavor.
- Goat cheese: Creamy and tangy, goat cheese is the ideal counterpoint to the sweet tomatoes and rich pesto. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, feta or ricotta cheese are excellent alternatives that still provide a creamy texture and tangy taste.
- Fresh basil: Topping this tomato tart with fresh basil screams summer and if you make your own basil pesto, you’ll already have some on hand.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What makes this tomato tart special is that it’s so easy to make. With just a few fresh, simple ingredients, you can whip up a gourmet creation that looks like it was made in a fancy French bakery. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just looking to impress, this tomato and goat cheese tart is sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection!
- Preheat the oven. Turn the oven on to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds, and place on a paper towel to dry. Doing so will prevent them from leaching moisture and turning the puff pastry soggy.
- Roll the puff pastry. Lightly flour a work surface (a small, fine-mesh strainer does this really easily!). Then, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle that’s 10 inches wide and 14 inches long. Transfer the puff pastry to the baking sheet.
- Begin to assemble the tart. Spread the pesto onto the base of the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the side. An offset spatula—with its long, flat angled blade—is good for this.
- Add the cheese. Dollop the goat cheese evenly on top of the pesto.
- Add the tomatoes. Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the goat cheese.
- Bake. Bake the tart for 12 minutes or until the puff pastry’s edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and sprinkle with salt, top with basil and serve.
- Puff pastry comes frozen and will need to thaw before you can roll it. Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight before using. Don’t try to do so at room temperature. While it may be faster, it’ll ensure your puff pastry is gummy and very tough to work with and roll out.
- To avoid a soggy tart, I lightly salt the tomato slices and let them sit for 10 minutes. This draws out excess moisture, which I then blot away with paper towels.
- Instead of one big tart you slice into pieces, you can make individual tomato and goat cheese tarts. To do so, slice the puff pastry into 8 or 9 pieces. Then, follow the same topping instructions, dividing the pesto, cheese and tomatoes among the tarts. Your baking time will vary, so keep an eye on the tartlets and pull them out when they’re golden brown.
- You can top the tart with cooked, crumbled bacon or slices of prosciutto after it comes out of the oven.
Like most recipes starring puff pastry, this tomato tart is best enjoyed fresh to preserve its crispness and flavors. However, if you have leftovers store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll still taste great for up to 24 hours after making them. And if you prefer a warm pastry, you can reheat it at 250°F for a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tomato and goat cheese tart is delicious when served hot, cold or at room temperature. I prefer it warm when the goat cheese is slightly melty and the tomatoes taste like they’ve been kissed by the sun.
Each component of the heirloom tomato tart can be prepared in advance, but it’s best to assemble and bake it shortly before serving to maintain the integrity of the ingredients and the crispness of the puff pastry.
Baking the tart at a higher temperature will help the puff pastry become crispier quicker. To prevent the puff pastry from getting soggy, it helps to dry out the tomatoes first. Placing them on paper towels before assembling the tart will suck out their excess moisture.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 (17.3-oz.) package puff pastry (1 sheet), thawed
- 4 medium heirloom tomatoes
- 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade basil pesto
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- Fresh basil, for garnish
- Sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the heirloom tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and place them on paper towels to drain.
- Lightly flour your work surface then roll the thawed puff pastry into about a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Transfer the puff pastry to the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread the pesto onto the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Divide the goat cheese into dollops and scatter it on top of the pesto. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the goat cheese.
- Bake the tart for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove it and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Slice or tear the basil and scatter it atop the tart, then sprinkle the tart with sea salt and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Puff pastry comes frozen and will need to thaw before you can roll it. Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight before using. Don’t try to do so at room temperature. While it may be faster, it’ll ensure your puff pastry is gummy and very tough to work with and roll out.
- Goat cheese is easiest to divide and crumble when it’s chilled (not at room temperature), so stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Instead of one big tart you slice into pieces, you can make individual tomato and goat cheese tarts. To do so, slice the puff pastry into 8 or 9 pieces. Then, follow the same topping instructions, dividing the pesto, cheese and tomatoes among the tarts. Your baking time will vary, so keep an eye on the tartlets and pull them out when they’re golden brown.
- You can top the tart with cooked, crumbled bacon or slices of prosciutto after it comes out of the oven.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste.
Not only is this dish beautiful, its also delicious!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Mary!
Love this Kelly! I’ve been eating a lot of goat cheese lately so this is perfect! Pinned.
My goat is cheesing looking at this.
I just saw a heirloom tomato panzanella that I would love to make!
I would love to make a fresh Cobb salad with them.
I would make a tomato, cucumber, green pepper and red onion salad
YUM! Just made this with beautiful yellow heirlooms. Puff pastry is the best, also! My kitchen smells yummy now! Thanks for posting!
I would make a fresh summer pasta with all my yummy harvest – basil and peppers and cheese!
refreshingly summery and sunny to look at tart,beautiful food clicks :-)
I am going to make this and serve it with some chardonay! With heirloom tomatoes I love making a delicious caprese!
I would make this tart. It looks delicious!!
I would make yummy BLT’s since thats my favorite tomato sandwich with delish fresh tomatoes
I would make a rosemary chicken panini with roasted tomatoes
Those tomatoes are stunning! What a delicious looking meal!
I would make a Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil or just eat them plain sprinkled with a pinch of salt. YUM.
Heirloom tomatoes make the prettiest pizza.
I forgot to mention, I’d probably use any extra heirloom tomatoes to make a simple caprese or just to top a delicious romaine salad alongside this beautiful tart! I’m adding you on IG now :)
This looks HEAVENLY! I love caprese, I love basil pesto, and anything pizza-like is always welcome in my kitchen haha. Thanks for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
I really love this recipe! Another recipe I might make is a layered salad with meats and cheeses, basil, onions etc…
An heirloom tomato stack with fresh mozzarella and a pesto drizzle!
I love to take avocado halves and fill the centers with a salsa fresca made with heirloom tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic salt and pepper. It’s a great way to take advantage of the wonderful produce available at this time of year!
I never think to buy varying colors of tomatoes at the same time – you’ve shown that it makes for much prettier meals! And, it increases the variety of phytochemicals, which is a bonus.
Sliced tomatoes, avocado, and red onion. Season with seasoned garlic salt, red wine vinegar and olive oil
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OH I love tomatoes and Heirlooms are wonderful, Your tart is beautiful and one way to use them , a simple quick way would be my favorite sandwich cucumber and tomato , or cucumber and tomato salad ( forget the bread ) ;). Caprese Salad is wonderful too, or just out of hand. YUM!
I would make a classic and simple Caprese Salad. Love the fresh ingredients as it.
I would make a layered Capresi Salad with some great balsamic and good olive oil.
I would keep it simple with a tomato sandwich. I ate them growing up and they are my comfort food.
I would make a pizza. Start with a pastry crust, spread basil pesto across it. Top it with the tomatoes and provel cheese.
Bake to perfection. Mmmm.
I would make this recipe-it just make so much sense-it’s what i like to call “A HAPPY MARRIAGE”.
A caprese salad would be fabulous!
This looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try it.
I would either make this or Deb’s tomato cobbler…the tart looks divine!
I’m new to Just a Taste & this is one of the first recipes I made. I used tomatoes from my garden (another first this year for me!!) and it was DELISH! My palate doesn’t care for goat cheese, so I subbed feta instead.
I would eat them raw with a bit of salt or try my hand at this beautiful tart :-)
So yummy – and so easy!
I would love to make a pizza with em.
Beautiful Tart! Love the colors!
I would definitely make a BLT with green apples!
I’d make an heirloom tomato pasta salad with lots of beautiful, colorful summer veggies…a kind of “farewell to summer” dish
I’d do a salad, and add cucumbers, goat cheese, and flat leaf parsley, tossed with a light vinaigrette.
I’d make a bruschetta.
I would make tabbouleh :) Yumm… can’t go wrong with a good tomato
When I get heirloom tomatoes, my mind immediately goes to Caprese with Burrata. Probably the perfect appetizer.
Although, this tart does sound pretty fantastic.
I would make a Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and heirloom tomatoes.
I love heirloom tomatoes. I bought some in Orient (North Fork) on the way to the ferry last week. I simply made a sandwich with mayo, sliced tomatoes sprinkled with salt and pepper and lettuce. Amazing. There’s nothing like a summer tomato. I would like to try a tart of some kind, if I can get the tomatoes to last that long!
I would make Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup with a dollop of Creme Fraiche!
This tart is lovely!
I’d make a galette!
I have this dish http://warfieldfamily.com/2011/08/the-one-the-only-the-german-mozzarella-bake/ I love making, and the tomatoes give it the most flavor, so I think it would be the best in this!
This tomato tar right here looks perfect! I love tomatoes and goat cheese together!
I love a good caprese, and once we get closer to fall, there is this amazing cheesy cauliflower bake with heirloom tomatoes that I’m dying to make :)
A fresh panzanella salad!
i would either make a red tomato pesto (who ever decided that pesto was just basil green? :) )
or i would empty them, and stuff them with organic beef mince, mushrooms, rice and lots of herbs !
Oooh, I’ll probably fry ’em! :-D Thanks for the giveaway, BTW, I’m already your loyal follower on all mentioned platforms! :-)
I would make a pizza caprese with heirloom tomatoes!
I would make a club sandwich: bacon, lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, mayo, and turkey.
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I love these tomatoes sliced on a plate with cucumbers and vidalia onions, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Beautiful tart, Kelly! We are also enjoying heirloom tomatoes! Pinning this beauty!
This is gorgeous, Kelly! I love that you used puff pastry for the tart crust…genius!
Grilled cheese with tom’s and pesto or maybe a yummy bruschetta
I’d made quiche! Yum
Kelly this is stunning! I love tomatoes in any form! I have a Tomato Chutney recipe I posted last week that I’d love to try with heirlooms!
I would make a beautiful Caprese salad, or try out your tart. Yum!
I would make a basil, tomato, mozzarella panini!
Wow – this looks spectacular – the puff pasty & heirloom tomatoes – I’d have thought it came from Martha! My recipe pales in comparison, but I love to take fresh Italian bread, still warm from the giant ovens at the Italian store, and brush the loaves with olive oil, and layer cheeses, tons of tomatoes and basil leaves. Mangia!
There is NOTHING better than an heirloom tomato sandwich! Toasted bread, mayo, bacon, lettuce and HUGE slices of heirloom tomato. Oh, and s&p
I would make Caprese salad
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It’s truly been a great summer for the tomato, and don’t you just love finishing a post with a recipe that takes a few minutes to write up? Love this Kelly!
This tart looks so good…will definitely try this with heirloom tomatoes!
Gorgeous tart, I love heirlooms! I’d probably make Caprese salad, my go-to tomato recipe!
i like to make frittatas or quiches with those colorful beauties!
I would definitely make a tart or a pizza or maybe something bruschetta-esque…
I would make your tart….amazing!!!
I’d probably let the flavor of the tomatoes shine on their own — just tomatoes and a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper on a good crusty bread.
Thia looks SO yummy! I would also try a simple capress. Now I’m going to raid my fridge! So hungry!
This tart is so beautiful. I’ve had two heirloom tomatoes from my plants so far this summer and I wish I had more to make this tart.
Holy crap that looks incredible, totally bookmarking and trying this. Great job as usual!
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You are totally speaking my language here. Beautiful!
This tart is so pretty and looks delicious!! My favorite thing to make with heirlooms is simple- caprese with burrata! (the kind from whole foods with the green wrapper is the best)
Looks so vibrating n fresh! Love it :) btw needed to ask u some food places in NY – like best farmers market n best place to buy fresh bread :)) thanks in advance :) Hope you are doing great :)
A beautiful to nod to the final days of summer! With heirloom tomatoes I love making a capellini pasta dish, it’s so fresh and delicious!
this looks amazing girl!
Could this tart be any prettier?! Loving the rainbow effect!
This is so beautiful! And it sounds so incredible!
I’d have to go with this tart! I love how it shows off the colors!
Those tomatoes are just beyond! Too pretty to eat!
I love the colours on this tart. Tomatoes are so fun – yum!
It is gorgeous! Perfect way to end summer!
Love this, so simple and so yummy !!
A Tomato Stack with roasted corn and avocado would spotlight these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes.
Lovely heirloom tomato tart, Kelly! Love that you used plenty of basil pesto for that super fresh flavor to enhance those beautiful tomatoes and goat cheese. Yes, please!