An easy and delicious goat cheese tart, this Tarte au Chèvre is a creamy mixture of onion and cheese, made easy with store bought puff pastry.Finished with a drizzle of honey
Why I Love This Goat Cheese Tart
If you are looking for a special, but easy dish, this Tarte au Chèvre (Goat Cheese Tart) would fit the bill perfectly. It’ seriously delicious, it comes together and bakes up quickly and it’s pretty much impossible to dig a fork into this rustic goat cheese tart without feeling you are celebrating.
With this easy rustic tart, crispy and buttery puff pastry combines with caramelized onions, crème fraîche, tangy goat cheese and melted Comté cheese, all topped with a sweet drizzle of honey and a topping of fresh, peppery arugula. It’s a feast for the taste buds and a lovely, cheese-filled indulgence!
You can Enjoy this lovely tart as an easy appetizer or as a main dish with a simple salad and a glass of white.
I love that this tart comes together quickly with store-bought puff pastry. Simply soften the onions in a skillet, then layer the tart and bake. It’s ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Just a few notes about some of the key ingredients …
✓ Puff Pastry: Any store-bought puff pastry is fine here. I love the pre-rolled sheets, for ease. You will need one sheet for this tart.
✓ Crème Fraîche: Crème Fraîche is fairly easy to find these days. It is usually found in the with yogurts or sour creams. If you can’t find Crème Fraîche (see below for how to make your own), or alternately substitute with mascarpone.
✓ Onions: You will need just one yellow cooking onion.
✓ Goat Cheese: A small, 3 oz log is all you will need here.
✓ Comté or Gruyere Cheese: Look for Comté cheese in the fine cheese section. (For Canadians, it’s easily available in the fine cheese section of Loblaws-affiliated stores as a black label cheese). If you can’t find it, Gruyere is another great option.
✓ Baby Arugula and Honey: Topping your warm tart with baby arugula is a nice fresh touch to counter the richness of the cheese. A drizzle of honey adds .a lovely sweet note.
How to make your own Crème Fraîche
Simply combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream (not a cream labeled as filtered) and 1 Tbsp of buttermilk in a clean glass jar. Partially cover the jar with a clean kitchen towel and let it stand at room temperature up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, stir and refrigerate. The longer it sits the thicker it gets.
Cook’s Notes
Try to just cook the onions just until softened, as they will brown up further as they cook in the oven.
You don’t absolutely need to line your baking pan with parchment, but if you have parchment, I recommend it for easy removal and cutting.
Use a roughly 9-inch round baking pan. You can use a cake pan or a pie plate.
Tip Tip
Cook your onions ahead and refrigerate, so making this tart is even easier! Simply add the cool onions to the tart when assembling.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
Get the Recipe: Goat Cheese Tart (Tarte au Chèvre)
Ingredients
- 8 oz. puff pastry, thawed (225g)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup créme fraîche, or mascarpone
- 3 oz. goat cheese log, sliced into about 5 slices
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup Comté or Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 large egg, for egg wash (optional)
For garnish:
- Baby arugula, for topping baked tart
- Runny honey, to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F (not fan assisted).
- Line a 9-inch round baking dish (cake pan or pie plate) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a skillet, heat a splash of cooking oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and a sprinkling of salt. Cook, stirring, until onion are softened and just beginning to colour. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Lay your sheet of thawed puff pastry over-top and press down into the pan. Trim into a round shape, discarding excess pastry, if necessary. Using a fork, pierce the pastry on the bottom several times, to stop it from puffing too much as it bakes.
- Place the puff pastry shell into the pre-heated oven to pre-cook for 5 minutes, then remove.
- Spread créme fraîche over the bottom of the pastry. Scatter cooked onions evenly over-top. Top with rounds of goat cheese, arranged evenly over the top. Season with a bit more salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle top with shredded Comté or Gruyere cheese.
- For egg wash, if using: In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the exposed sides of the pastry.
- Bake in preheated 425F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until puffy, golden and bubbly.
- Let stand a few minutes to set up, then lift out of the baking pan to a cutting board or serving plate. Top with baby arugula and a drizzle of honey. Slice and serve.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Would this work with a regular pie crust?
Hi Suzy and yes, I think it would. It would be a bit heavier, but not in an unpleasant way :) I’m not completely sure if you would need to do a little pre-bake of the crust before filling and baking. It might help keep the bottom from getting soggy (that’s why the puff pastry is given a little pre-bake). If you try it, let me know how it worked out.
I’m definitely giving this one a go, Jennifer! Love everything about it! Perfect with a glass of vino for a simple Friday night supper!
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
Honestly, I need not a special occasion to indulge in this scrumptious tarte! Absolutely love all the flavors and will not bat an eye if someone mentioned portion size – I can take care of most of it myself:)
Lol! I’m pretty much the same. I have no control when goat cheese is involved :)
We love goat cheese so I know this tart would be a hit in my house! This would be perfect for any meal of the day! I can totally see myself serving this up for a spring brunch!
Thanks so much Leanne and yes, a great tart for so many occasions :)
I am a savory breakfast kind of girl, so this tarte has me drooling!!! I love love love the flavors and ingredients you used here! And, the fact it’s easy to make with store bought puff pastry is a huge plus! This would be perfect for easy, lazy weekend breakfasts, but I love that it’s also super elegant and perfect for entertaining! I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks so much, Cheyanne and yes, this would be a wonderful weekend breakfast treat :)
This sounds amazing! I’m going to a get together this weekend. Do you think this would work in smaller appetizer sizes – maybe in a muffin tin?
Hi Kay and yes, I think you could do this in a muffin tin with just cutting the puff pastry into squares, pressing them in and filling! If you try it, let me know how it worked out!!
If made in individual portions, what would be oven temperature and baking time?
Hi Mary, I think the oven temperature would be the same. As for timing, individual portions will cook more quickly. Watch closely and check often. They are done when the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbly and golden, as well. (Curious how you’re cooking them, so report back what you did and how it worked out :)
I’m absolutely drooling over this tart Jennifer. What a perfect idea for my next girl’s luncheon!
Thanks Mary Ann and yes, perfect for a luncheon!
So simple yet so elegant! I love the added drizzle of honey! Pinned!
Thanks Annie! It’s this goat cheese lovers dream dish :)