Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese

Close-up of the baked tomato goat cheese tart highlighting the caramelized edges of creamy goat cheese and the layered roasted heirloom tomatoes.

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Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese

This French inspired heirloom tomato tart is a summer stunner that’s as tasty as it is simple to pull together. Juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes bake down into a sweet, jammy layer, with tangy Dijon mustard and creamy goat cheese, all nestled in a buttery homemade crust.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: 6

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
4 ½ ounces unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water

For the Filling

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2-3 large ripe tomatoes or more if using smaller tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
8 ounces goat cheese fresh or slightly aged, sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon roughly chopped chives optional
flaky sea salt, such as Maldon for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the Dough

Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor, or whisk together in a large bowl.
Add the cold butter cubes and either pulse or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons of cold water.
Pour into the flour mixture and pulse several times or stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of cold water, one teaspoon at a time, just until the dough holds together in a ball. Do not knead or overmix.
Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Prepare the Tart Shell

When ready to assemble the tart, roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Transfer the dough to a tart pan (or a baking sheet for a free-form tart). Trim any overhanging edges by rolling your pin across the top of the tart pan. You can save the scraps to make a mini tart if desired.
Spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the bottom of the crust. Transfer the prepared tart shell to the freezer to chill while you prepare the filling (or for at least 15 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Assemble the Tart

Slice the tomatoes into ½-inch thick rounds. If they are especially juicy, gently remove some seeds and blot with paper towels.
Remove the tart shell from the freezer, then arrange the tomato slices in an even layer over the mustard. Season with salt, pepper, and half of the chopped thyme.
Lay the goat cheese rounds evenly over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with the remaining thyme. Drizzle the entire tart with olive oil.
If making a free-form tart, fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pleating as needed.

Bake and Finish

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is browned and bubbling. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it toward the end of baking.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more chopped thyme, chives or other fresh herbs.
Allow the tart to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Cutting too soon will result in a soggy crust and juices running everywhere.

Notes

Drain juicy tomatoes before layering to avoid a soggy crust. Pre-roasting them is another great idea to remove excess moisture and concentrate the flavor.
Always use cold butter and keep everything chilled when making your tart dough. It's the key to a flaky pastry!
Stick to flavorful in-season tomatoes, never refrigerated or hot house.
Drizzle a little bit of honey over the tomatoes before baking to increase their sweetness.
Let the tart cool before slicing. It's tempting, but this step is essential to avoid a mess.

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