Tomato goat cheese tart recipe

This tomato goat cheese tart is the perfect summer meal. Ripe summer tomatoes baked in a buttery tart crust, filled with creamy goat cheese and caramelized onions. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese gives it a browned, bubbling top.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

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Tomato goat cheese tart

Summer tomatoes really shine in this simple tart. If you are lucky enough to have tomatoes in your garden (or a friend’s garden), this is a great way to showcase their delicious flavor.

If you can get your hands on some of the gorgeous heirloom varieties, grab them. Even if you can’t and the only tomatoes available in your market are red beefsteak tomatoes, as long as they are ripe, those will also make an amazing goat cheese tomato tart.

This tomato and goat cheese tart is featured on my Top 25 vegetarian recipes for dinner post, where you can find delicious options for a meatless meal or hearty sides to go with dinner.

What you need to know

This tomato and goat cheese tart can be prepped ahead of time. I have made it the day before and gently reheated in the oven.

The tart crust can be made and frozen, either baked or unbaked. Freezing the (unbaked) crust is a good idea, because it ensures the butter is cold before going into the oven.

You can also mix up the goat cheese, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, until you are ready to make the tart.

I also like to salt the sliced tomatoes, then place them on a few layers of paper towel to help draw out some of the moisture. This ensures the tart will not be mushy.

The best pan for this tart is a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trying to get the tart out of a pan without a removable bottom is a hassle.

Is there really a difference in tomato varieties?

Yes! See that purple tomato? It is super sweet and juicy. The green one, called a green zebra, is slightly tart and a bit more acidic. Yellow tomatoes are very mild and not very acidic at all.

The reason I mix tomatoes in this tart is not just for aesthetics, although that does count for something, but also to get different flavors going on in the tart. Like I said earlier, if the only tomatoes available to you are red beefsteak tomatoes, use them. As long as they are ripe, this tomato tart will be delicious.

Tomato goat cheese tart ingredients

A slice of this tomato tart makes a great warm weather supper. The ingredients for this easy tart are common pantry ingredients, plus a little produce.

• Tomatoes – Use ripe tomatoes for best results.
• Goat cheese – Creamy goat cheese makes a delicious addition to the tart.
• Onion – Lightly caramelized onion adds a ton of flavor.
  • Substitution: Swap onion for shallots if you prefer a milder flavor.
• Parmesan / Pecorino Romano – Slightly salty, this cheese makes a tasty topper for the tart.
  • Substitution: If you prefer a melty cheese, for those cheese pulls, try a combination of Parmesan and mozzarella.
• Thyme – Fresh thyme leaves pair nicely with the goat cheese and tomatoes.
  • Substitution: You can swap thyme for basil, parsley, rosemary or marjoram.
• All purpose + cake flour – This combination makes a really tender crust. You can use all AP flour, if you prefer.
• Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt.
• Baking powder – Baking powder helps the crust expand in the tart pan and gives it a little lift.
• Salt – A pinch of salt brings out the flavors of the tomatoes and adds flavor to the crust.

How to make

This tart is actually very simple to make. It looks rather impressive and laborious, but I assure you, it is not.

Here’s a quick summary of how to make this tomato goat cheese tart. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe. 

1. Make the crust – Make the dough, then place in tart pan.
2. Blind bake – Dock the dough (gently prick the surface, but don’t go all the way to the bottom), then place a piece of parchment on top and place pie weights or dried beans on top to help weigh it down. Chill crust before filling.
3. Baked crust – This is what your blind baked crust should look like. It should be light golden brown, not too dark.
4. Add cheese – Add herbs to goat cheese, stir to combine, then spread over baked crust.
5. Add onions – Scatter cooled, lightly caramelized onions on top of cheese.
6. Shingle tomatoes – Shingle the slices of tomatoes in next, nestle them together.
7. Top with cheese – Top with shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
8. Bake – Slide the tomato tart into the oven, and bake until bubbly and browned on top.

Tomato goat cheese tart FAQ’s

Tips and tricks for success

• Place sliced tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with paper towels (kitchen roll), then sprinkle lightly with salt. This will help to not only season the tomatoes, but it will pull some of the moisture out to keep the tart from getting mushy.
• Make sure the dough is COLD before sliding it into the oven to blind bake. If the dough is too warm, the butter will melt, and ooze out, making a mess.
• If the cheese on the top of the tart hasn’t browned to your liking, put the tart under the broiler for roughly 60 seconds. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn!

Variations and substitutions

• Serve unbaked – After the tart shell has been baked and filled, you can serve the tart as is, if you prefer. If you choose to do this, I would mix the goat cheese and Parmesan together instead of topping with Parm.
• Dairy-free / vegan – Swap out the cheeses for vegan versions to make a dairy-free tart.
• Herbs – You can use a variety of different herbs. Try basil or rosemary in place of thyme.

Serving suggestions

I like to serve this tart with a big, green salad if I’m having it for lunch or a light dinner. If you are serving this for a brunch spread, I like to have a sweet option alongside it, like a batch of muffins. Another delicious savory side to this tart, would be my crispy cheesy hash browns.

Helpful tools and equipment

• Tomato knife – To easily slice through tomatoes, a thin, serrated blade is best.
• Tart pan with removable bottom – The best pan to use for making tarts like this, the tart will slide right out and there is no fear of anything sticking.
• Pastry blender – This makes quick work of blending butter into flour. Useful when making dough, scones, biscuits, etc.
• Pie weights – Use these to hold down your pie crust for blind baking. Otherwise, it will puff up and you won’t be able to properly fill the pie shell. You can also use dried beans.
• Rolling pin – I love this rolling pin. It is a straight pin, as opposed to a tapered one. It is the perfect diameter, it is comfortable to use and easy to use.

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Originally published 8/5/13. Most recent update 7/24/24.