Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts (Print Version)
Buttery pastry layers filled with deeply caramelized onions and tangy goat cheese create these sophisticated individual tarts.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pastry Base
01 - 1 sheet (approximately 9 ounces) puff pastry, thawed if frozen
→ Caramelized Onions
02 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
→ Cheese & Finishing
09 - 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
10 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook stirring frequently for 25–30 minutes until onions turn deep golden brown and develop sweet caramelized flavor. Stir in thyme and black pepper during final 5 minutes of cooking.
03 - While onions cook, unroll puff pastry onto lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 equal rectangles and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a 1/2-inch border around each rectangle without cutting completely through dough.
04 - Brush the scored edges of each pastry rectangle with beaten egg using a pastry brush. This creates golden, glossy finish during baking.
05 - Divide caramelized onions evenly among pastry rectangles, keeping within scored borders. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese generously over onions.
06 - Bake for 15–18 minutes until pastry is puffed, golden brown, and crisp, and cheese has melted slightly.
07 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh chives or parsley if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature as appetizer or elegant snack.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of sweet slow cooked onions and tangy goat cheese creates this perfect balance that makes people pause after their first bite
- These tarts look like something from a French bakery but require minimal hands on time
02 -
- Low and slow is the secret to properly caramelized onions, so resist the urge to turn up the heat
- Scoring the pastry border creates this natural raised edge that holds all the toppings in place beautifully
03 -
- Pat the cooked onions gently with paper towels if they seem too juicy before adding to pastry
- A pizza cutter makes cutting the puff pastry rectangles so much easier than a knife