Tomato Caprese Tart

If Tomato Caprese Salads are all the rage throughout the summer, and they are, why not take it a step further and turn it into a Tomato Caprese Tart? Total winner, you guys. Each piece is one – two bites, and each bite of tomato tart explodes with flavor in your mouth.

My husband couldn't come up with a single way to make them better, LOL.

What is Tomato Caprese?

Tomato Caprese is an Italian dish – typically a salad or appetizer – that interleaves slices of juicy fresh tomatoes with slices of mozzarella and basil leaves. The Caprese part of the title refers to the Island of Capri, where this dish is touted to have originated.

The beauty of it is that it's incredibly easy, requires very few ingredients, and uses fabulous summer tomatoes. It's really not the same with anemic winter tomatoes.

What is a Tomato Caprese Tart? 

Start with a par-baked pie / tart shell. This can be purchased frozen at the market, and then pre-baked, or make your own from scratch. It's surprisingly easy.

While the tart shell bakes, slice up some ripe but firm tomatoes. Tomatoes can be incredibly juicy this time of year, but some are juicier than others. Pass up the super soft ones for this tart.

Lightly salt the tomatoes and let them drain a bit either on paper towels or a cooling tray fitted into a baking sheet.

Whip up a basil pesto, or get a store-bought one you like – add some extra olive oil to it, and drizzle it over the tomatoes. I've also used my favorite Lemony Basil Pesto, and it works great with this recipe.

Slice the mozzarella.

Layer 2/3 of the mozzarella on the base of the par-baked tart, and arrange the tomatoes on top. Bake. Roughly 15 minutes before the tart is done, add the reserved mozzarella in-between the rows and sprinkle on a little grated Parmesan if you want. Finish baking.

Cut into large or small pieces, depending on whether you're using it as an appetizer, side dish or main.

Serve at room temperature with sturdy toothpicks.

Is Mozzarella Vegetarian?

Traditional mozzarella is not vegetarian. It uses an animal rennet, typically an enzyme harvested from the stomach or lungs of a slaughtered calf.

However, many modern types of mozzarella are strictly vegetarian because they use microbial rennet. Always check the ingredient list, as it will list if it uses a vegetable rennet.

Here's a list of 15 manufacturers of vegetarian mozzarella:

As a bonus, most are dairy-free!

365 (Whole Foods) (As a note, Whole Foods launched their own plant-based cheese line in March 2019)

BelGioioso

Boars Head

Cabot

Cacique

Clover Sonoma

Good & Gather (Target)

Happy Farms

Horizon Organic

Kirkland Signature (Costco)

Organic Valley

Sargento

Stella Cheese

Tillamook Dairy Co-Op

Trader Joe's

What Kind of Crusts Can Be Used For This Tomato Caprese Tart?

Any of these tart or pie crusts work with this recipe. Just be sure to follow the directions on the package for pre-baking before adding the tart filling. If using frozen puff pastry, first thaw it, and score it around the edges using a sharp knife, about 1 1/2 inches in from the outside edge of the sheet. This is a great post on working with frozen puff pastry.

Make your own buttery, flaky pie crust

Store-bought pie crust 

Frozen puff pastry

Tips For Making a Winner Tomato Caprese Tart

• Since there aren't a lot of ingredients to this recipe, the quality of each ingredient needs to shine.
• The tomatoes should be ripe but firm. Pass up the soft ones for this recipe. They'll completely fall apart when baked.
• Drain the tomatoes. But if you're in a hurry, this isn't as critical as you might think. The mozzarella layer does a great job of protecting the crust from tomato juices.
• Don't slice the tomatoes too thick. Slicing them 1/4″ thick is perfect when creating bite-sized pieces when the tomato tart is baked.
• Be sure to par-bake the crust before add the filling.
• If you use your own pesto, it should have more oil than you normally use, so that it can be drizzled over the tomatoes and baked. The herbs will dry a bit during baking, making it easy to serve on small bite-sized pieces.
• A mini-chopper is the best quick way of making this pesto. A food processor and blender both result in unevenly chopped basil and parsley.
• Cool for 15 minutes before slicing, to allow the cheese to firm up a little. Use a sharp chef's knife to slice them.
• This recipe is designed to be an appetizer, but I've also served it as both a side dish and vegetarian main with a large kale salad (freshly picked from my container garden on the deck!)

My Favorite Equipment for This Tomato Tart

Mealthy Mini-Chopper

As a note, if you're interested in purchasing this Mini-Chopper, it's a combination chopper and Immersion Blender. I use it several times a week and can highly recommend it.

I'm part of their affiliate marketing program and can offer you a $10.00 savings off of any purchase of $59.95 or greater. Just type

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Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month's theme is a Vegetarian BBQ, and our host is Susan who blogs at The Wimpy Vegetarian.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it's a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious BBQ inspired dishes!

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