I am truly "Team Simplicity" most weeknights when it comes to dinner and this Roast Carrot Tart in Puff Pastry is a prime example of this practice. Carrots are a regular item available to us at our local farmer's market and my kids love them for snacking. Funny enough, they're not the biggest fans of cooked carrots in any form. That said, this tart is a fun one I enjoy making for my husband and me. It's also one I readily whip together when friends come over for an impromptu dinner date.
Scroll down to see how quickly and easily this Roast Carrot Tart comes together in under an hour. Don't forget to pin and print the recipe card to add this to your weekly meal rotation.
Ingredients for the Roast Carrot Tart
This Roast Carrot Tart is ready in under an hour making it an easy and elegant dinner to assemble for a weeknight meal. Here's what we need to make this delicious dinner option:
- Prepared Puff Pastry: Dufour Puff Pastry is the one I use every time I make a tart with puff pastry. It's buttery and flaky in all the best ways we need and want in a puff pastry. Hands down it's my favorite.
- Carrots: You can use any carrot variety you like here; even rainbow carrots offer a beautiful presentation to the tart.
- Boursin Cheese: This gournay cheese is creamy and flavorful. It's great in a pinch to add a punch of flavor to any recipe and it works especially well in this tart. We don't need a lot and a mix of heavy cream helps to thin it out ever so slightly to make a sauce for the carrots to bake in.
- Fresh Herbs: Our aromatics that add flavor here. Use any mix you have on hand. My favorite herbs to have in rotation include thyme, sage, parsley, and chives.
- Egg for Egg Wash: To create the golden edges of our crust we will whisk one large egg with about a tablespoon of water. Brushing the edges of our tart with the egg wash will help create the golden crust of our tart during the bake.
For garnish options I personally love drizzling the tart with syrupy balsamic vinegar or hot honey. I also love to finish it with chopped fresh herbs like parsley and chives and even some of the carrot tops for true low waste cooking.
How to Prepare the Roast Carrot Tart in Puff Pastry
To prepare our Roast Carrot Tart, here's what we do:
- First, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Peel and slice carrots, lengthwise, about ¼ inch thick. Layer the sliced carrots on one of the prepared rimmed baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Roast the carrots for about 15 to 20 minutes until fork tender and edges begin to crisp slightly. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing the puff pastry.
- Take the second parchment paper and dust lightly with flour. Gently roll out the thawed puff pastry to form a 9”x12” rectangle. Using a sharp knife, light score the edges of the puff pastry to create a 1 inch border all around. This will help to form the crust of the tart.
- In a small mixing bowl stir together the Boursin cheese, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy. Spread the cheese mixture along the inner border of the prepared puff pastry. Layer the roast carrots on top and sprinkle with herbs. Brush the edges of the tart with egg wash.
- Bake tart for 30 to 40 minutes until edges of the puff pastry are golden brown and the bottom of the tart is golden and cooked through. Remove to cool slightly for 5 minutes to allow cheese to set before serving alongside your favorite salad.
More Simple Recipes for Elegant and Easy Weeknight Dinners
Puff Pastry is an ingredient I've usually got in my freezer to whip up easy and elegant weeknight dinners. It's the perfect item to have on hand for seasonal cooking as we can make a variety of tarts that highlight the beauty of seasonal produce. Here are two more recipes worth trying:
Roast Carrot Tart in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 3 ounces Boursin cheese
- 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs a mix of fresh thyme, parsley, and chives work beautifully here
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 14- ounce package thawed puff pastry
- Chopped fresh herbs for garnish
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Peel and slice carrots, lengthwise, about ¼ inch thick. Layer the sliced carrots on one of the prepared rimmed baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Roast the carrots for about 15 to 20 minutes until fork tender and edges begin to crisp slightly. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing the puff pastry.
- Take the second parchment paper and dust lightly with flour. Gently roll out the thawed puff pastry to form a 9”x12” rectangle. Using a sharp knife, light score the edges of the puff pastry to create a 1 inch border all around. This will help to form the crust of the tart.
- In a small mixing bowl stir together the Boursin cheese, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy. Spread the cheese mixture along the inner border of the prepared puff pastry. Layer the roast carrots on top and sprinkle with herbs. Brush the edges of the tart with egg wash.
- Bake tart for 30 to 40 minutes until edges of the puff pastry are golden brown and the bottom of the tart is golden and cooked through. Remove to cool slightly for 5 minutes to allow cheese to set before serving alongside your favorite salad.
Katie says
Could this be frozen after assembling, then baked later?
Looks SO, SO yum!
Frances Kellar says
Thank you, Katie! And yes, it can. A couple of notes if opting to do this: 1) make sure to store well in a freezer safe container to prevent freezer burn. You may wrap in plastic wrap or a plastic wrap alternative to keep as much air out. 2) You might notice, with an all-butter puff pastry, that it may not rise as higher after a double freeze but that effect is minimal and given you'll have the carrots on top, it should be fine. You'll want to make sure puff pastry properly defrosts overnight in the refrigerator when you are ready to enjoy it. Hope that helps!