This Tomato Caprese Tart layers mozzarella cheese and basil pesto on fresh tomatoes in a pastry shell, for an easy side dish or appetizer.
If you use a store-bought tart shell and pesto, this recipe comes together super-quick and easy. Once it's assembled, slide it into the oven to bake for 15 minutes to melt the cheese.
Updated May 1, 2022
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? I love to make vegetable tarts, and use both puff pastry and make tart shells from scratch. This Tomato Caprese Tart was inspired by this Zucchini and Corn Tart with Mozzarella and this super easy Tomato Tart with Artichoke Spread.
Total winner, you guys. If you use it as an appetizer, 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. Woot!!!
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What is a Caprese salad?
Caprese is an Italian dish 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 and basil. It's seriously not the same with anemic winter tomatoes.
Ingredients
- Pie Crust - store purchased, or make this pie / tart crust.
- Tomatoes - they should be fully ripe, but firm. If they're too juice, the tart will be too watery. Roma tomatoes can also work well.
- Basil Pesto - store purchased, or make your own pesto in 10 minutes or less.
- Mozzarella Cheese - buying pre-grated mozzarella makes this tart even easier.
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Instructions
Step 1 (40 minutes)
Bake the tart shell. Either make your own tart shell or purchase one frozen and par-bake it.
Step 2 (while tart bakes - 20 minutes)
Prep the tomatoes. While the tart shell bakes, slice up some ripe but firm tomatoes. Tomatoes can be incredibly juicy at the peak time of year, but some are juicier than others. Pass up the super soft ones for this tart. Otherwise the tart will be soggy.
Lightly salt the tomatoes and let them drain a bit either on paper towels or a cooling tray fitted into a baking sheet.
Step 3 (while tart bakes - 10 minutes)
Make the pesto if you're not purchasing it pre-made. Drizzle it over the tomatoes. I use my favorite Lemony Basil Pesto for this recipe, which can be made in 10 minutes.
Step 4 (2 minutes)
Assemble. Slice the mozzarella, and layer ⅔ of it on the base of the par-baked tart, and arrange the tomatoes on top.
Step 5
Bake. Lower the oven temperature, and slide the tart into the oven. Roughly 15 minutes before the tart is done, add the reserved mozzarella in-between the rows. Finish baking.
Step 6
Slice. Cool for a few minutes, and slice into the size pieces you want. If you're making this for an appetizer, be sure that each piece has tomato, pesto and mozzarella on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recommended Equipment
Tart pan or pie plate - I prefer a tart pan as its rectangular shape and removable sides makes it easy to cut into small squares.
Cooling rack - for draining the tomatoes
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Is mozzarella cheese 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.
Can I use frozen puff pastry to make this tomato tart?
Yes! Any pie crust or puff pastry work with this recipe. I use both Pepperidge Farm and Dufour's frozen puff pastry. I like them both, but prefer Dufour's. Whichever you use, be sure to follow the directions on the package for thawing and pre-baking before adding the mozzarella and tomatoes.
This is a great post on working with frozen puff pastry.
Tips For Making a Perfect Tomato 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.
- Slice the tomato slices ¼" thick when creating bite-sized pieces.
- Be sure to par-bake (pre-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.
- Cool for 15 minutes before slicing, to allow the cheese to firm up a little. Use a sharp chef's knife to slice them.
Tomato Caprese Tart Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 10" pie crust, store bought or homemade
- 2 pounds tomatoes, ripe but firm
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 ounces mozzarella, sliced ¼" thick
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)
Instructions
- If making your own crust, line a tart pan with a removable bottom with the pie dough, and par-bake it following these instructions.
- While the crust is baking, core and slice the tomatoes ¼" thick. Lightly salt, and let them drain on paper towels or a cooling tray nested in a baking sheet. Make a pesto using the basil, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil. (See below) Drizzle the pesto over the tomatoes.
- Making the pesto: The most flavorful way to make pesto is to use a mortar and pestle. The quickest most flavorful way is using a mini-chopper. Add the basil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper into the mini-chopper and chop it to a fairly fine consistency. Add the olive oil, and whirl again to mix it. A food processor can be used in a pinch, but it tends to create an inconsistent texture, with some basil pieces much larger than others.
- When the crust is finished par-baking, lower the oven temperature to 375˚F. Cover the bottom of the crust with most of the ¼" thick slices of mozzarella, retaining a couple of slices. If needed, slice the mozzarella pieces to fit, instead of overlapping them. The cheese creates a barrier between the crust and the tomatoes, preventing the crust from becoming soggy. Layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese, overlapping them.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and tuck the remaining slices into the top of the tart, between the tomatoes. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tomatoes begin to give off liquid.
- Cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before slicing into individual appetizer squares. Serve with sturdy toothpicks.
Notes
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 ¼" 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!)
Jane
Such a beautiful, simple, and quick treat for any summer occasion when tomatoes are at their best! Stunning photos and great guide to help us make it as beautifully as you did!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank so much Jane!! I'm still trying to get up my nerve to do videos 🙂
Liz
I love anything "caprese" and your tart looks phenomenal, Susan!! Those deep red tomatoes are giving me tomato envy---hoping my garden will be producing soon!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm waiting on my tomatoes too! And I agree - I love anything caprese!
Rita Held
Looks and sound delicious -- and quite easy
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's super easy - especially if you purchase a frozen crust and pesto! Thanks so much!
Karen
This is so gorgeous! I can't wait to make it! The pesto sounds amazing on its own.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much! I'm making your zucchini pizza next week!!
Barbara Kiebel
I make a tomato pie in the summer so I'm literally salivating over this already knowing how fabulous it must be. Beautiful too Susan!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Barb! I love tomato pie, and this is very very similar. It's so summer!