This Easy Tomato Pesto Tart With Puff Pastry is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that looks so much more impressive than the effort required to make it! Made with ready-rolled puff pastry, juicy fresh tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and vibrant green pesto, it’s the perfect recipe to make the most of Summer tomatoes.
I can’t stop making this tomato and pesto tart. It’s unbelievably good. It’s one of those recipes that feels almost too easy – embarrassingly simple, really – but delivers far more than it ought to. You’d expect something so effortless to be merely passable. But it isn’t. It’s glorious.
It’s the kind of dish that, if made once, you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.
It’s perfect for this time of year, when tomatoes are at their peak – sweet, fragrant and juicy. This simple recipe makes them shine. Serve it outside, if you can, with a green salad and a glass of something chilled. Summer on a plate.
why you’ll love this puff pastry tomato pesto tart
- Very quick and easy: ready in under 30 minutes with very minimal preparation.
- Visually stunning: Pretty enough to serve at a special occasion or party.
- Eat warm or cold: Delicious straight from the oven or served chilled.
ingredients
- One sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry (320g)
- 3-4 tablespoons green pesto – You can use homemade pesto or good quality shop bought – the ones in the chilled section are usually better quality than jarred pesto.
- Approximately 400g mixed fresh tomatoes, sliced – I like to use different colours and varieties for a pretty effect.
- A handful of mozzarella pearls (or use torn mozzarella)
- Garlic salt, freshly ground black pepper and dried oregano
- A few sprigs of fresh basil, to garnish
How to make this easy tomato pesto tart
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180°F/350F.
2. Unroll the puff pastry onto a baking tray that’s around the same size. Use a sharp knife to score a border about 1-2cm from the edge, but don’t cut all the way through.
3. Spread a generous amount of pesto inside the border. I find 4 tablespoons is plenty.
4. Arrange the sliced tomatoes over the pesto and nestle the mozzarella pearls between the tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a few twists of freshly ground black pepper and a little dried oregano.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and puffed, the mozzarella has melted and the tomatoes are beginning to caramelise.
6. Allow to cool slightly before topping with fresh basil, then slice and serve (it’s quite difficult to cut while piping hot.)
serving suggestions
This tomato tart is lovely with a simple rocket salad with balsamic dressing. For a more complete meal, serve with some boiled new potatoes.
storing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and use within two days. It’s good chilled or gently reheated in the oven (about 12-15 minutes at 180°C). I wouldn’t recommend reheating in the microwave – the pastry will become tough.
variations and tips
- Make it vegan: Use vegan puff pastry and pesto, and use a plant based alternative for mozzarella.
- If your tomatoes are very juicy, pat them with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture before baking to avoid a soggy tart. Having said that, I’ve used very ripe tomatoes for this many times and never had an issue so far.
more recipes perfect for Summer dining
Easy Puff Pastry Tomato Pesto Tart
An easy Puff Pastry Tomato Pesto Tart with ripe, juicy tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and fresh basil. A must try in the Summer when tomatoes are at their best.
Ingredients
- 320g Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
- 4 Tablespoons Green Pesto
- 400g Fresh, Ripe Tomatoes (I like to use different colours and varieties, but you don't have to)
- 100g Mozzarella Pearls
- 1/2/1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- A few fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180°F/350F.
- Unroll the puff pastry onto a baking tray that's around the same size. Use a sharp knife to score a border about 1-2cm from the edge, but don't cut all the way through.
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes over the pesto and nestle the mozzarella pearls between the tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a few twists of freshly ground black pepper and a little dried oregano.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp, the cheese has melted and the tomatoes are beginning to caramelise.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before scattering with fresh basil leaves and serving.
Notes
This tomato tart is delicious served with a simple green salad, balsamic dressing and a glass of something cold.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days. It can be reheated in a moderate oven (180C/160Fan) for 12-15 minutes. Leftovers are also good cold!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 134Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 447mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.