Butternut Goat Cheese Tart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Flaky puff pastry with thinly sliced butternut squash layered with creme fraiche, shallots and goat cheese baked to tender, golden perfection. A vegetarian dish without nuts or eggs, balancing richness and subtle sweetness. The tart relies on buttered squash for caramelization and soft texture. The cheese melts just enough to soften, not drown the flavor. Simple, earthy, rustic but refined. Ideal for starter or light main. Visual cues over strict times. Squash must be tender but hold shape; pastry puffy and browned. Crispy edges hint readiness. Adds savory warmth and a hint of tang without overpowering. A versatile pub lunch or dinner plate.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
6 to 8 servings
#vegetarian
#baking
#French-inspired
#fall recipes
#savory tarts
#goat cheese
#puff pastry
You want flaky, buttery folds of puff pastry baked with tender butternut squash slices that give softness without sogginess, topped with the tangy creaminess of fresh goat cheese. If you’ve ever overloaded this kind of tart and wound up with a wrecked mush, you know the challenge. Timing should be rough guide, not gospel; watch the pastry edges puff and crisp, watch squash slices turn translucent but still intact, test them gently with a fork. Shallots add subtle hints of sweetness and sharpness that cook out slowly and layer flavors. Don’t skimp on butter brushed over the vegetables; it drives that golden roast with nutty notes. The goat cheese—fresh and mild—is added only at the end to warm lightly, melting atop but not turning liquid. I learned this alternating temps and layering by mistakes easily—soggy bottoms, burnt edges, bland tart. So here’s a scrappy method that respects texture and taste, and works every time, if you watch those visual and tactile signs. A hearty vegetarian plate with simple ingredients tuned just right for that perfect mix of crunchy, soft, tangy, buttery, sweet. Add a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of fresh thyme for extra lift if you want something unexpected but elegant. Great stand-alone or starter plate. I usually make a bigger batch and keep slices leftover, cold or warmed, perfect any time you’re hungry but don’t want to fuss.
Ingredients
- 235 g commercial puff pastry, thawed slightly (half a lb)
- 80 ml sour cream (about 1/3 cup plus a tablespoon)
- 1 small French shallot, finely diced
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled
- 20 ml melted butter (1 tablespoon plus a splash)
- 130 g fresh goat cheese, broken or sliced into small rounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional twist)
- Fresh thyme leaves (optional addition for aromatic lift)
About the ingredients
Puff pastry quality makes or breaks. Use commercial ready-rolled, thaw but not warm to handle easily without tearing. If you make your own, keep it cold, flaky layers depend on it. Sour cream adds tang and moisture but can be swapped with crème fraîche or thick Greek yogurt; if yogurt, drain overnight to avoid too much liquid. Shallots offer mild sweet onion punch; support with a bit of garlic powder if you like more assertive flavor. Butternut squash chosen for subtle sweetness but firm flesh holds slices intact better than other squashes; if unavailable, sweet potato or kabocha pumpkin substitutes well but adjust cooking times—denser roots need longer. Butter brush critical to caramelize the veg; olive oil can substitute but changes flavor. Goat cheese freshness matters; crumbly soft fresh is best, aged or hard harder to melt nicely on top. Salt and pepper keep simple but add steam for herb variations like thyme, rosemary, or sage to tailor aroma. Keep layering fine but consistent thickness—too thick means undercooked squash; too thin and it dries out.
Method
- Set oven rack low, around bottom third. Heat oven to 205 °C (400 °F). Line baking sheet with parchment.
- Lightly flour workspace. Roll pastry out into a roughly 25 cm (10 inch) square. Transfer carefully to sheet. Spread sour cream evenly over dough, leaving narrow border edge bare; stops sogginess. Scatter diced shallot atop sour cream. Watch the shallots; raw adds bite and fragrance, caramelizing a bit in oven adds depth.
- Take butternut squash, cut off top third at narrow end; slice this piece paper-thin on mandoline or sharp knife. Set aside. Halve bigger bottom, scoop seeds out with spoon and discard or roast separately. Slice other half thinly; thickness governs cooking time, aim thin but not translucent so it holds shape.
- Layer the bottom slices on dough overlapping slightly, recreate gentle scales or roof tiling effect. Then build layers with reserved thin slices to finish surface. No gaps; we want squash completely blanketing sour cream layer. Brush squash gently with melted butter; adds shine, promotes browning. Sprinkle with salt and fresh black pepper. Hint of thyme leaves layered in here really shines – optional but recommended.
- Pop into oven. Expect 28-32 minutes baking—the puff pastry should rise golden and flaky, edges crisp but not burnt. Squash must yield easily when prodded with a fork, no resistance but not mush. Watch smoke or excessive browning; ovens vary. If edges rise and color unevenly, shield with foil halfway through.
- When soft and golden, scatter goat cheese evenly over top; don’t pile or it won’t warm through cleanly. Return to oven for 4-6 minutes max. We’re after warmed cheese that’s slightly melting, not fully liquefied or bubbling gold. Too much heat kills the delicate freshness. That step wakes the goat’s cheese and melds flavors gently.
- Let rest a few minutes before slicing into generous squares. Resting solidifies pastry edges and cools cheese just enough so it doesn’t run. Serve warm or near room temp.
- Avoid soggy bottom by not overload sour cream or layering very watery squash slices—if your squash is extra moist, pat dry with paper. Preferably chill pastry before baking to avoid shrinkage.
- If you can’t find butternut squash, sweet potato or kabocha works but adjust times and sweetness.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven well before starting; uneven heat ruins puff pastry rise. Keep bench lightly floured for rolling but don’t overdo it or pastry becomes tough. Spread sour cream evenly and thinly—too much sogs dough, too little means dry top layers. No need to peel butternut more than skin; peel entire squash carefully, discard woody seeds. Slice with mandoline for uniformity; uneven slices cook unevenly. Layer squash like shingles; this helps moisture distribute evenly, supports structure of tart. Butter on squash encourages golden sheen and prevents too-dry edges. Salt thoughtfully, spices can come later. Oven position matters—bottom rack cooks pastry base through without burning top. Check at 25 minutes for progress; squash edges browning nicely, pastry puffed with visible layers, soft when pressed gently. Add goat cheese only at last minutes, short heat retains fresh tang. Remove and let cool a tad; tarts slice cleanly when not piping hot. Leftovers reheat well in oven or toaster oven; stovetop reheats lose crispness. Avoid cutting hot, cheese runs; patience key. Variations? Adding caramelized shallots instead of raw changes texture and sweetness profile, but takes longer and shifts timing. Don’t crowd baking sheet; air circulation critical for puff pastry.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter brush on squash slices before baking prevents dryness and encourages browning. Key for that nutty roasted flavour. Don’t skip; oil changes flavor, butter’s tactile and aromatic lift needed. Thin layers cook evenly; too thick? Raw inside or mushy. Mandoline helps but steadiness counts. Watch edges color, foil shield halfway if getting dark early. Thickness governs timing here; thinner shortens, thicker drags cook needed.
- 💡 Sour cream spread must be thin and even; too much soaks pastry bottom, soggy disaster. Leave border bare; stops run-off soaking crust. You can swap crème fraîche or strained Greek yogurt but drain sieved overnight. That keeps moisture controlled; extra water kills pastry rise and crispness. Deployment of raw shallots adds bite upfront, caramelizes slightly in oven. Caramelizing fully needs longer time, shifts taste profile but raw is fresher punch.
- 💡 Add goat cheese last few minutes; cheese melts gently, softens without liquefying or browning. Too hot, cheese loses fresh tang and turns crumbly or oily. Added too early makes mush underneath. Goat cheese freshness affects melting; aged varieties tougher, fresher crumbly or soft works best. Scatter thin but even; pile means uneven heat, cold center bits. Allow cheese to rest on warm tart to heat through mild before slicing.
- 💡 Squash texture is a tactile guide—firm but fork-tender, not mush. Visual cues like edges curling, faint golden tips, slight translucency on slices but shape intact. Cooking times approximate; ovens vary big time. Mid-bake check at 25 mins. If smoke or dark spots appear, tent foil gently. Crisp edges signal pastry readiness but check base, use spatula test if unsure. Oven placement matters: lower third rack cooks bottom through gently while top crisps.
- 💡 Rest tart before slicing; pastry cools slightly, cheeses firms gently, edges solidify—makes cleaner cuts. Cutting hot means cheese drips, compacts layers unevenly. Leftovers reheat oven or toaster oven only; microwave loss of crunch. If pastry shrinks or cracks after baking, chill pastry before rolling. Handling temps influence puff; warm pastry tears, cold stays flaky. Slicing dry squash slices before layering stops extra moisture pooling.
Common questions
Can I substitute butternut squash?
Sweet potato or kabocha pumpkin swap well but adjust cook times. Denser roots need longer. Flavor changes slightly sweeter or earthier. Texture differences too; test fork tenderness midway. Slice evenly so cooking stays predictable.
How to avoid soggy pastry bottom?
Spread sour cream thin; thick paste wilts puff. Leave border bare; no runoff soaking crust. Dry squash slices well with paper towel before layering. Butter brush juices off squash sides, seals surface. Chill dough well; cold dough rises better. Bake on lower rack for crisp base.
When to add goat cheese exactly?
After initial bake of squash and pastry. Scatter cheese, back to oven 4-6 minutes max. Melt gentle should not bubble or brown. Longer heat kills freshness, risks greasy top. Cheese melts, softens bite, melds flavors without drowning them.
Best way to store leftovers?
Store wrapped in fridge, cool fully first. Reheat oven/toaster oven only; retains crisp. Microwave ruins crust. Leftover slices eat cold also fine, unwrap for freshness. Avoid stacking; cheese tends to smear when squeezed.
