Zucchini Tart with Goat Cheese
Make good use of the squash in your garden and bake a zucchini tart with goat cheese. This savory summer dish can be served any time of day! It’s simple to make, yet the presentation always impresses guests.
I will always find a way to bake with zucchini. The vegetable is just so versatile! It always adds moisture to my zucchini bread muffins and you’d never know by tasting these zucchini cupcakes that it has vegetable as a main ingredient. However, I prefer zucchini in savory dishes (especially ones with cheese). This zucchini tart is as delicious as it is stunning.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Excellent use of zucchini. It’s in abundance during the summer so why not bake with it?
- Beautiful presentation. The concentric pattern looks impressive, but it’s actually quite simple to prepare!
- Good for any time of day. Serve at breakfast or brunch with a fresh fruit salad. It also works well for lunch or a light dinner alongside a salad.
Ingredient Notes
- Pie crust: You can use store-bought or homemade pie crust.
- Zucchini and courgettes: Green and yellow squash add a nice visual appeal. Use a mandoline for easy slicing.
- Goat cheese: Plain, creamy goat cheese is best. Bring it to room temperature so it’s easy to spread.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme sprigs add a depth of flavor. Dried thyme can also be used.
- Lemon: Have a fresh lemon on hand to zest and for a squeeze of lemon juice.
Refer to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Substitute different herbs. Swap out the thyme for rosemary or tarragon. Oregano and marjoram are also good substitutes. If using dried herbs, cut the measurement in half.
Use another cheese. If you don’t have goat cheese, ricotta (drained) is an excellent substitute. You can also blend a soft cheese and hard cheese together, such as goat cheese and manchego or ricotta and parmesan, which I use in my zucchini galette.
How to Make a Zucchini Tart
- Chill the pie dough. Press dough into a 9-inch tart dish. Place in the refrigerator for 40 minutes, then the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Partially bake the pie crust. Line chilled crust with parchment paper and add pie weights. Bake at 375℉ for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden in color.
- Prepare the squash. Use a mandoline to slice the squash into long, then strips.
- Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Let the squash rest for 30 minutes. Discard liquid.
- Pat the zucchini dry with a clean dish cloth or paper towels.
- Combine the goat cheese, lemon zest, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer in the partially baked crust.
- Arrange the zucchini, skin side up, in a concentric pattern on top of the goat cheese mixture.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt before baking at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
Chill the pie crust before partially baking. This crucial step guarantees that the dough doesn’t shrink when baked and that the crust doesn’t turn out soggy. I use this trick in my quiche lorraine and it works like a charm!
Drain the zucchini. This important step helps soften the squash and remove some of the moisture. If there’s too much water in the zucchini, it will leak into the cheese mixture and cause it to separate.
Assemble squash with the skin side up. To make the finished dish aesthetically pleasing, make sure the zucchini’s skin is facing up when arranging it.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead the pie dough. Press the dough into the pie plate and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before partially baking. The cheese mixture can also be made ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Store tart covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s best when eaten the same day it’s baked.
Freeze for up to 3 months. After the tart has cooled, flash freeze it for an hour or until firm. Wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, absolutely! I suggest following the steps for my mushroom tart with puff pastry and using zucchini sliced into discs on top.
Yes, this is really important to make sure the filling doesn’t separate or turn out liquidy.
Yes, preheat oven to 350 F. Cover the tart with aluminum foil so the crust doesn’t burn and bake for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Related Recipes
Looking for more savory summer recipes? Try these next!
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Get the Recipe: Zucchini Tart with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie crust
- 8 oz (1 cup) plain creamy goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme from sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 large zucchinis
- 2 large courgettes, (yellow squash)
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Press pastry dough into a 9-inch quiche dish with a rim height of 1 1/4-inches. Press the dough all the way up the sides, folding any overhanging dough in on itself.
- Place dough-lined tart pan in the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 40 minutes. Transfer the tart pan to the freezer until very cold, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the tops of the zucchini and courgettes. Use a mandoline to thinly slice them into long strips. Cut each strip in half down the middle (lengthwise). Place the strips in a colander set over a plate. Gently toss it with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Place a clean kitchen cloth on the counter. Transfer zucchini slices to the towel and gently pat dry.
- When the tart crust is almost done chilling, preheat your oven to 375° F. Remove the tart pan from the freezer and line it with parchment paper. Place pie weights on top of the foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden in color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Keep oven on and finish preparing the filling.
- In a bowl, prepare the cheese mixture. Combine the goat cheese, lemon zest, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Spread cheese mixture in an even layer over cooled crust. If the mixture is too thick to spread, mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Layer zucchini and courgette slices on top of the cheese layer. Make sure the skin side is facing up (refer to photos as needed). Continue layering in concentric circles. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt.
- Bake tart at 375℉ for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the zucchini has darkened slightly. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
