Easy Tomato Tart
This Tomato Tart is one of my favorite ways to use up fresh summer tomatoes. Flaky puff pastry is layered with creamy ricotta, pesto, prosciutto, and juicy tomatoes, then baked until golden and crisp. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but beautiful enough to serve at brunch, lunch, or your next summer gathering.
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A Note from Kim
A Taste of Summer in Every Bite
This tomato tart is a summer staple at my house! Along with my fresh homemade salsa, it’s one of the first recipes I make when tomatoes are in season. It has such wonderful flavor, is easy to make, and goes with just about anything. You can serve it as a main with a salad on the side or as an appetizer.
Flaky puff pastry is topped with creamy ricotta, layers of prosciutto, pesto, and heirloom tomatoes with a light sprinkling of mixed seeds. So simple and easy, a true summertime delight. Finish with fresh herbs, then simply slice, eat, and enjoy!
With love (and lots of good eats), 
I made this for a July 4th gathering, and it was so delicious! Everyone loved it! I used regular cherry tomatoes and drizzled hot honey on top! Thank you for the recipe!
— Taylor
Ingredients You’ll Need
Juicy ripe tomatoes, cheese, pesto, salty meat and herbs, all baked to perfection on a flaky puff pastry crust. It truly does not get much better! Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy tomato tart recipe:
- Puff pastry: You’ll need 1 sheet of puff pastry. Be sure it is defrosted according to package instructions before getting started.
- Ricotta cheese: I typically use light ricotta. You can find it near the cream cheese or near the Italian cheeses, like mozzarella. It will come in a tub like cottage cheese.
- Lemon zest: Mixed with the ricotta, it will brighten and balance out the richness of the cheese.
- Prosciutto: 2-3 ounces of prosciutto adds a sweet, salty taste.
- Pesto: You will only need about 1/4 cup. You can use store-bought or this homemade basil pesto from Sally is really delicious.
- Grape tomatoes: These or cherry tomatoes are best for this recipe. Regular tomatoes are too juicy, which can make the crust soggy.
- Beaten large egg: For brushing over the pastry to create a rich, golden sheen when baked. This will also help the seeds adhere to the crust.
- Mixed seeds: It isn’t completely necessary but for extra texture, I love adding a sprinkle of poppy seeds, onion seeds and fennel seeds (or a few dashes of everything bagel seasoning) to the pastry.
- Fresh herbs: For garnish to brighten the flavors and add color. I like fresh thyme for this recipe, but feel free to use fresh parsley or basil.
Variations and Substitutions
You can easily customize this recipe with your favorite additions. Here’s what I can suggest:
- Use a different cheese: A good substitute for ricotta is cottage cheese. You can blend it, if you’d like a smoother texture. Feel free to also sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese or goat cheese.
- Change the meat: You can use cooked bacon or pancetta instead of prosciutto.
- Make it vegetarian: Simply omit the prosciutto for a vegetarian version. You could also add other vegetables or black olives.
- Garnish: Feel free to add some extra garnish of fresh basil leaves and/or dollops of ricotta and pesto over the top (as pictured). A drizzle of balsamic glaze or hot honey would also be really delicious. Try adding red pepper flakes for a little spice!
How to Make a Tomato Tart
Making this tomato tart recipe is a breeze, and the best part is you don’t need any special equipment like a tart pan or rolling pin. A sheet of store-bought puff pastry does all the work for you! Simply layer on the flavorful toppings, fold the edges, and bake until golden brown.
Step 1: Mix ricotta. Combine ricotta cheese with lemon zest in a small or medium bowl.
Step 2: Spread ricotta. Preheat oven to 400°F and lay out the defrosted puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper or a lined baking sheet. Then, spread cheese mixture over the top of the dough in an even layer.
Step 3: Add prosciutto. Layer pieces of prosciutto over the top of the ricotta.
Step 4: Spread pesto. Add spoonfuls of pesto over the prosciutto and spread lightly with a spoon.
Step 5: Add tomatoes. Top pesto with tomatoes. Cut-side up is best to avoid a soggy crust. Evenly arrange over the top, leaving a 1-2 inch border.
Step 6: Egg wash. Fold down all sides of the pastry slightly over the tomatoes creating a tart. Brush the folded sides with the beaten egg.
Step 7: Add seeds. Sprinkle the sides of pastry with the mixed seeds. Place a few sprigs of thyme or just the thyme leaves over the top of the tart.
Step 8: Bake & Serve. Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, checking around 25 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, tent with foil. Cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with basil, ricotta, and pesto before slicing and serving.
Kim’s Recipe Tips
- Working with puff pastry: Don’t unfold the pastry too early! If it is not fully thawed, it can crack or break. If the pastry does start to crack, wait a few minutes and try again.
- To avoid a soggy crust: Place the tomatoes cut-side up when layering them over the pesto. You can also blot extra moisture with a paper towel, if they seem extra juicy.
- Baking the tart: All ovens are unique and run at slightly different temperatures, so check your tomato tart after around 25 minutes of cooking. If the crust is getting too brown, simply tent the crust with foil as it continues to bake. Mine was fine throughout the baking process, but it’s a good idea to check before baking it fully.
- Double this recipe: A typical package of puff pastry comes with two sheets, which is perfect for doubling this recipe. This is especially great if you’re serving at a party or large get together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Puff pastry is a light and flaky pastry made from butter, salt, water and flour. You will find it frozen in the freezer section of most local grocery stores. I like the puff pastry sheets Pepperidge Farm.
You can defrost the puff pastry overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Just be sure not to let it sit at room temp for too long. Working with cold dough is much easier.
For this recipe, it is not necessary to pre-bake the puff pastry before adding the filling.
Serving Suggestions
We often serve this easy tomato tart as an appetizer on a cutting board or cut into smaller squares on a serving platter. It pairs especially well with a glass of white wine.
Another great option is to enjoy it for lunch or brunch with red lentil soup or a fresh wedge salad or white bean couscous salad.
It also makes a lovely addition to a buffet table. It’s best served warm, but it’s also really tasty at room temperature, too!
Storing and Reheating Recommendations
- Storage: Place any leftover slices in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can rewarm this in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. You could also try reheating it in an air fryer.
More Tomato Recipes to Try
If you try this tomato tart recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Easy Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrost according to package instructions
- 1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2-3 ounces prosciutto
- 1 small jar basil pesto (homemade works too), you will only need about 1/4 cup
- 1 (10 oz) container grape tomatoes (you probably will not use all of the tomatoes in the container), halved and quartered
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon mixed seeds poppy seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds (or a few dashes of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning)
- fresh thyme and/or fresh basil leaves for garnish
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. and lay out the defrosted 1 sheet puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper or a lined baking tray.
- Combine 1/2 cup light ricotta cheese with zest of 1 lemon in a small bowl. Then, spread mixture over the top of the puff pastry.
- Next, layer pieces of 2-3 ounces prosciutto over the top of the ricotta.
- Add spoonfuls of pesto over the prosciutto and spread slightly with spoon.
- Top pesto with halved and quartered grape tomatoes. Cut-side up is best to avoid a soggy crust. Evenly arrange over the top, leaving a 1-2 inch border.
- Fold down all sides of the pastry slightly over the tomatoes creating a tart. Brush the folded sides with the beaten egg and scatter the folded sides with the mixed seeds.
- Place a few sprigs of thyme or just the thyme leaves over the top of the tart and bake for about 35 minutes. Ovens can run at slightly different temperatures, so check your tomato tart after about 25 minutes of cooking. If the crust is getting too brown, simply tent the crust with foil as it continues to bake. Mine was fine throughout the baking process, but it’s a good idea to check before baking it fully.
- Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. For a pretty presentation, sprinkle with basil leaves and add a few dollops of ricotta and pesto over the top. Cut into squares and serve!
Notes
- Storage: Place any leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can rewarm this in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. You could also try reheating it in an air fryer.
Did you make this recipe?
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I made this for a July 4th gathering, and it was so delicious! Everyone loved it! I used regular cherry tomatoes and drizzled hot honey on top! Thank you for the recipe!
Delicious! I added sautéed mushrooms. So so good!
Love this recipe. I added some grated cheddar over the top. Perfection!
So easy and delicious!!! Summer tomatoes make this the perfect summer appetizer. Will definitely make again!
This was absolutely delicious!! First time using puff pastry and it was heavenly!! Definitely will be making again and again!
Delicious!! Tomatoes AND pesto is a perfect match! I made two of the tarts and have been eating them all week for lunch! Super simple to warm in the oven and to get the crisp and flakiness back to the crust after refrigeration. Thank you for the recipe!
This is such a great way to use up our garden tomatoes. I’ve made this several times already. So good!
Incredibly Delicious! Easy & quick to make. I substituted 4% cottage cheese for the ricotta.. cottage cheese has less calories and more grams of protein than ricotta.
Ate 4 slices for lunch 😳 oh so good. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing.
That sounds amazing, love that swap! 😊 So glad you loved it, thanks for sharing!
This was delicious!! Best tart I have ever made. The use of puff pastry was a total game changer. Keep up the amazing recipes!
This was so good!! The layers of flavors were beyond incredible! I’ll definitely be making this again!
Yum, this was amazing! We loved the mix of fresh flavors and how easy it was to make.
Perfection–and endlessly adaptable! The puff pastry was a genius idea. I used goat cheese on top. So good! I’m already brainstorming new veggie combinations for next time. Thank you for this recipe!!
This is just perfect, a great way to use summer tomatoes.
This is really good!! Perfect meal with a side salad. It’s good as a starter. It’s terrific for a happy hour appetizer. This is so delicious.
I love how easy and delicious this is! Great flavor combination!
Made this for Mother’s Day. Everyone loved it!