Mushroom Tart

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Savory sautéed mushrooms, three types of Italian cheese and flaky puff pastry make this simple mushroom tart a perfect appetizer or light meal.

There’s something truly magical about the aroma of baking that fills the house during winter, especially in the festive holiday season. While whipping up desserts is always a joy, it’s even better when my oven time doubles as lunch prep. That’s where this flaky, savory mushroom tart fits in.

While we usually associate tarts with desserts – like these Mini Lemon Cheesecake Tarts or a more classic Chocolate Tart, we also love savory tarts around the house. This light Zucchini Tomato Tart is always a hit in the summertime, so I wanted to do a savory tart for the cozy season as well. I tried this mushroom tart and it was such a hit!

Plus, using store bought puff pastry means this tart can be on the table in no time.

You can serve this mushroom tart with a nice side salad like this Kale Pomegranate Salad or Apple Pecan Salad as the main course, OR you can serve it as a perfect appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. It works equally well served warm, or at room temperature.

Why You’ll Love this Mushroom Tart

It’s simple but impressive. While this flaky tart is simple enough to make, it tastes AND looks great too!

Rich flavors. The earthy mushrooms lend the deep flavors and the creamy filling and flaky puff pastry perfectly balance it out.

It’s perfect for any occasion. This mushroom tart recipe will make the perfect appetizer for a more formal gathering, but will also be perfect for a cozy family dinner, with a simple green salad!

It’s customizable. Feel free to add your own twist with different herbs, cheeses, or different sort of mushrooms to suit your taste. I use store-bought puff pastry, but you can make your own or even use this homemade pie crust recipe fitted to a tart pan for the base. You can also make individual tarts by cutting the puff pastry into smaller squares.

You can make a vegetarian version by swapping out the Parmesan for a vegetarian alternative. Parmigiano-Reggiano is not vegetarian-friendly since it contains animal rennet, but you can find vegetarian or vegan versions of Parmesan and similar hard cheeses on the market. Kraft grated Parmesan produced in the US (the kind in the green can) is apparently vegetarian in most cases, as long as “lipase” is not listed as an ingredient, as it occasionally is.

Ingredient Notes

Puff Pastry

Store-brought puff pastry works perfectly for this recipe – just make sure you thaw it according to package instruction and use it cold from the fridge for easy handling. You can also use homemade puff pastry if you want to go the extra mile! But making your own pastry from scratch would take time so keep that in mind.

If you can get an all-butter puff pastry, I think this makes all the difference with store bought puff pastry!

Olive oil

We use olive oil to sauté our mushrooms. Olive oil adds a nice flavor, but feel free to swap it with butter for a richer taste or any other cooking oil you have on hand.

Shallot

Shallots add a nice, subtle, sweet flavor to the mushroom filling. If you don’t have shallots, you can use a red onion instead.

Mushrooms

I love a mix of wild mushrooms for depth of flavor. But any mushroom will do. Try cremini, portobello, and/or shiitake mushrooms. Regular white button mushrooms work well too.

Garlic

Because what’s a savory tart without garlic? If you’re not a fan, you can reduce the amount or skip it, but it does add a lovely depth of flavor. Fresh is best, in my opinion.

Fresh thyme

Fresh herbs bring this mushroom tart to life. If you don’t have fresh thyme on hand, you can use dried. Or experiment with other herbs like rosemary or oregano. I love to garnish this tart with fresh basil leaves too, for an extra Italian flair.

Ricotta cheese

Fresh ricotta cheese creates a creamy base for the mushroom filling. If ricotta isn’t your thing, try cottage cheese, goat cheese, mascarpone, or even crème fraîche. They will provide a similar texture with slight variations in taste.

Parmesan cheese

Grated fresh off the block is best, but pre-grated works too.

Mozzarella

I went with a trio of Italian cheeses for this tart, and I love mild, salty mozzarella in this tart, but you can substitute with other good melting cheeses like gruyere cheese or a mild cheddar if you like.

Egg

You need the egg for the egg wash! Egg wash on the puff pastry is what gives it the beautiful golden brown color.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook for about 3 minutes, till they’re golden brown. Turn down the heat if they seem to be burning.

1. To the lightly caramelized shallots, add the sliced fresh mushrooms, salt, and black pepper.

1. Cook the mushrooms until the liquid has cooked off and the mushrooms are golden brown. This will take about 15 minutes.

1. Now add in the garlic and fresh thyme, and cook for about a minute before taking it off the heat. The mushroom filling is done.

1. For the creamy base, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.

1. Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet a little on a floured surface with a rolling pin, just to iron out the creases. I roll out to about 11×12, but don’t worry too much about exact dimension. It could vary depending on the size of your puff pastry. Move the puff pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

1. Use a knife to lightly score the puff pastry, a ½ inch from the edge, making a smaller rectangle on the inside to create an edge. Don’t slice all the way through, just make light line with your knife. Poke the inside rectangle all over, evenly, with a fork.

1. Now spread the ricotta mixture evenly on the inside rectangle and top it off with the mozzarella cheese.

1. Add the mushroom filling on top, and then finish it off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

1. Make the egg wash by whisking together water with an egg, and brush the edges of the tart with this mixture.

1. Bake the mushroom tart in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes till the edges are a deep golden brown color.

Your delicious, savory mushroom tart is done! Let the tart cool slightly before serving, or serve it at room temperature. Use a sharp knife to cut it into individual mushroom tartlets and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

This mushroom tart tastes best when fresh and slightly warm, because the puff pastry is flaky and the filling is melty. You can store it at room temperature for up to 2 hours, but the crust will soften.

It will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place in an airtight container. Place a paper towel between the mushroom tart and the container to absorb excess moisture and prevent soggy crust.

If you would like to freeze the baked mushroom tart, wrap the individual slices tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Make Ahead Instructions

If you’d like to get a head start on this tart, prep the mushroom filling and cheese mixture in advance and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to bake, just follow the instructions above, from step 7!

More Appetizers for the Holiday Season

Sautéed Carrots

Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Cheesy Garlic Bread