I love using puff pastry for easy weeknight meals and this Vegetarian Zucchini Tart in Puff Pastry is a zucchini recipe that is elegant enough for entertaining any time of week. You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to make this meatless recipe for an easy summer dinner the whole family will love. Scroll down for the step-by-step preparation and get the recipe card today to add to your main course menu tonight.
Ingredients for this Zucchini Tart in Puff Pastry
When zucchini season hits I’m looking for all the new recipes to incorporate this summer staple of fresh zucchini. This tart is a great way to use up all that fresh zucchini for an easy light dinner recipe. Here’s a short list of basic ingredients we need to make it:
- Zucchini: It goes without saying! You can use smaller zucchini or a large zucchini; either way we’re looking at about a cup of fresh zucchini sliced into half moons.
- Yellow Onion and Leeks: We will saute onions and leeks in a little oil and cook them low and slow to caramelize. This helps them become a bit sweeter which will be delicious in this tart.
- Tomatoes: We’ll use some fresh tomatoes here from our garden. We grew a lovely batch of spoon tomatoes we got from Baker Creek and they’re so cute and sweet! Alternatively, you can use grape or cherry tomatoes and cute them in halves or quarters. They add a lovely pop of color to our vegetable tart.
- Mixed Greens: Chard and Broccoli Greens are in this healthy recipe though you can also use a mix of kale and spinach too.
- Ricotta: We’re creating a light sauce to layer on our puff pastry. Good quality ricotta works well here though if you’re wanting to keep it vegan, use your favorite vegan cheese.
- Prepared Pesto: We’re using a prepared zucchini and basil pesto but you can use any of your favorite recipes for pesto though I have a few here and here.
- Puff Pastry: Good quality puff pastry is where it’s at and I absolutely love DuFour. They also make a plant-based puff pastry for an easy vegan swap.
- Garnish Options: I love a good chunk of fresh herbs here post bake. Fresh basil gets a rough chop and added as a garnish. We also love a fresh grate of parmesan cheese, some red pepper flakes and dried italian seasoning and, if you have it, a good syrupy balsamic vinegar.
Preparing the Zucchini Tart in Puff Pastry
There are three layers of preparation to this simple recipe. To start: preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
To prepare the vegetables, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add leeks and onions and season with salt and pepper. Allow leeks and onions to caramelize over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook vegetables for another 5 minutes until the zucchini is softened. Add the greens and cook them down until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing the puff pastry.
Next, in a small bowl whisk together the prepared pesto and ricotta until well combined. Set aside. Take out the sheet of puff pastry and place it on the parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly flour a rolling pin and gently roll out the puff pastry into a 12×24” sheet. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the rectangle in fourths. Use a sharp paring knife to score a 1/2 inch border around the puff pastry.
Evenly distribute the ricotta-pesto mixture across the four puff pastry using a spoon or spatula. Top each puff pastry with a couple tablespoons of the vegetables (you will have vegetables left over; see notes at the bottom of the recipe card for tips on what to do with them).
Prepare your egg wash by whisking together 1 tablespoon water with 1 cracked egg. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are a golden brown and the bottom of each puff pastry is golden and cooked through. Garnish as desired and enjoy this delicious dish immediately.
Serving Tips & FAQ
This Zucchini Tart in Puff Pastry is the perfect side dish or main dish for your summer nights. The best way to serve this delicious dish is right out of the oven. Arrange the tarts on a platter and serve alongside a summer salad. These tarts will keep well at room temperature for about an hour, if entertaining. A couple of answers to some frequently asked questions about substitutions:
- Can I swap another cheese for the ricotta? You can use a blend of grated mozzarella cheese and gruyere. You can also use your favorite vegan parmesan cheese or vegan cheese.
- If I have leftovers, what is the best way to store them? For best results, store leftover zucchini tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day. Make plans to have these for lunch the next day; they lose their crispness after a day and the bottom of the crust may turn soggy.
- Is there a way to use feta cheese if I don’t like ricotta? Given the tangy flavor of the feta I wouldn’t recommend it as it can alter the flavor profile combined with the pesto. In that case, I would just use the pesto alone and, if you wanted some cheese, add in a bit of shredded mozzarella.
Easy Vegetarian Zucchini Tart in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 2 bunches of mixed greens chard and broccoli greens
- 1 pound yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound leeks thinly sliced from 6 small or 2 mediums/large
- 1 medium zucchini sliced into half moons
- 1/3 cup grape or cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 2 large cloves garlic grated
- 1/4 cup ricotta
- 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
- 1 thawed sheet puff pastry cut into 4 squares
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add leeks and onions and season with salt and pepper. Allow leeks and onions to caramelize over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook vegetables for another 5 minutes until the zucchini is softened. Add the greens and cook them down until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside to cool slightly while prepping the puff pastry.
- In a small bowl whisk together the prepared pesto and ricotta until well combined. Set aside.
- Take out the sheet of puff pastry and place it on the parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly flour a rolling pin and gently roll out the puff pastry into a 12×24” sheet. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the rectangle in fourths. Use a sharp paring knife to score a 1/2 inch border around the puff pastry.
- Evenly distribute the ricotta-pesto mixture across the four puff pastry using a spoon or spatula. Top each puff pastry with a couple tablespoons of the vegetables (you will have vegetables left over; see notes for tips on what to do with them).
- Prepare your egg wash by whisking together 1 tablespoon water with 1 cracked egg. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are a golden brown and the bottom of each puff pastry is golden and cooked through. Garnish with freshly chopped basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan. If you have a good syrupy balsamic vinegar, that is good here too.
Notes
- Double up the ricotta mixture and puff pastry squares to make additional servings (helpful if feeding a larger crowd)
- Use the vegetables in a frittata.
- Add the vegetables to a baked pasta dish.
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