If you’re looking for an easy appetizer that looks impressive without requiring much effort, this tomato tart with puff pastry is here to save the day! It’s colorful, fresh, and packed with sweet-savory flavor.

This tomato tart is ideal for a weekend brunch, light lunch, or a flavorful game-day alternative for pizza. It can be served warm or room-temperature, which is great if you’re entertaining a grazing crowd. Other tomato recipes you might enjoy include my Air Fryer Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Shallots, this Classic Bruschetta, or my Sweet ‘n Spicy Balsamic Blistered Tomatoes with Burrata.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS TOMATO TART RECIPE:

I love recipes like this because they feel fancy without being fussy, ya know? Here’s everything you’ll need:

Firm Cocktail Tomatoes
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Red Onion
Mayonnaise
Lemon Juice
Mozzarella
Crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese
Thawed Puff Pastry
Basil Pesto
Flaky Sea Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
Chopped Fresh Herbs (like basil, thyme, or tarragon)

Once baked, slice it into squares and serve it straight from the oven on a cutting board. Be prepared, the crispiness of the puff pastry is so addicting, so these will disappear fast.

TOMATO TART TIPS AND NOTES:

PUFF PASTRY: While you can certainly make your own dough, I prefer to make things easy and utilize frozen puff pastry. Just let it thaw a little before you start to assemble and bake. Why make things harder on yourself when you can use this shortcut? However, if you insist on making your own crust, here’s a simple recipe here.

TOMATOES: Tomato season is usually July – October, but since you’re baking this you don’t need super ripe tomatoes for this to turn out delicious. I like to slice cocktail-size tomatoes, but you could easily swap those out for grape or cherry tomatoes as well (which are typically available year-round with good flavor). When tomatoes are baked, they release sweetness and soften.

RED ONION: This isn’t a mandatory ingredient, but I do enjoy the flavor they add. Just to make sure to slice them super thin so they almost melt into the other toppings.

MAYONNAISE: Using mayo as the base layer creates extra flavor and creaminess. I always recommend Duke’s Mayo, because “It’s got Twang”.

CHEESE: While I prefer mozzarella and feta, you can certainly swap those out for whatever melty or crumbly cheese you enjoy most.

FLAKY SEA SALT: Go ahead and splurge for a small jar of flaky sea salt to keep on your kitchen counter. Trust me, this makes a HUGE difference with this recipe. The crunchy little crystals randomly sprinkled over the sweet tomatoes is just heavenly. It honestly brings everything together, trust me.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:

Tomato Bruschetta with Pesto, Blue Cheese and Hot Honey

The Best Irish Pub Cheese For A Crowd

Easy Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Italian BLT Sandwich with Sun-dried Tomato Mayo

Cobb Salad Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Deep Dish Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe

Spinach and Artichoke Hot Crab Dip

Italian Stuffed Stromboli

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Copycat

Pepperoni Garlic Knots

VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!

Easy Tomato Tart with Puff Pastry and Pesto Drizzle

If you’re looking for an easy appetizer that looks impressive without requiring much effort, this tomato tart with puff pastry is here to save the day!

SERVINGS

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

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Ingredients

6 Firm Cocktail Tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/8 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 Small Red Onion, sliced very thin
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese
1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
3 tbsp. Basil Pesto
Flaky Sea Salt, as desired for sprinkling
Red Pepper Flakes, optional for garnish
Chopped Herbs (basil, thyme, or tarragon), optional for garnish

Instructions

Line a baking sheet or large platter with a double layer of paper towels. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on the paper towels, sprinkle with the salt, and set aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.
Stir the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper together in a small bowl, set aside.
Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the puff pastry and gently press together any cracks in the seams. Use a sharp knife to score the perimeter of the dough 1-inch from the edge, making sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Pierce the surface of the dough inside the scored rectangle with a fork so that the center of the pastry does not puff in the oven.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture in an even layer over the center of the puff pastry. Then layer evenly with shredded mozzarella.
Pat the tops of the tomato slices dry with a new paper towel, then arrange in a single layer on top of the mayonnaise. Then layer with red onions and feta.
Bake until golden-brown and crisp, 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Drizzle with pesto then sprinkle with flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and herbs.

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This recipe was made in partnership with Duke’s Mayo. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product or ingredient that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com! Here is the link to the recipe on Duke’s Mayo’s website.