This Tomato Tart with Blue Cheese is the perfect ratio of buttery crust to quiche-like filling. That is to say, it’s mostly crust and crispy-topped tomatoes with some blue cheese and cheddar thrown in for good measure. Tasty way to use up summer heirlooms for breakfast, brunch, or dinner! Originally published June 9, 2015.
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We got home yesterday from a weekend camping trip, and while unpacking the car, I found a leftover cake mix (my brother is a master Dutch-ovener). I opened my extremely organized, spotless pantry, looking for the baking mixes. Surely I have a spot for baking mixes? I couldn’t find it.
So I threw the box in without looking and slammed the door as hard as I could. Sorry, Sarah. Your attempts to declutter my house with Japanese joy-sparking methods have failed. You can take the girl out of the mess, but you can’t take the mess out of the girl. Or something like that.
But back to the camping. We went to Lake Tahoe, and it was awesome! So gorgeous. Are you big on camping? I love it. The crisp morning air, the lakeside lounging, the campfire conversations. The dirt under my fingernails, the sunburn, the rain during dinnertime, the bears…wait.
Remember when camping used to be about letting the adults do all the work? Those were the days.
You´ll love this tomato tart with blue cheese
Father’s Day is sneaking up on us! Just a couple of weeks. I’ve been posting plenty of grill recipes for you to try out, but in case the men in your life have finer tastes, I’m posting this tomato Ttart with Blue Cheese recipe. Or with whatever cheese you like, really, it doesn’t matter. The tomatoes are the star of the show, so make sure you pick some decent ones. Get your hands on some heirlooms if you can, nothing beats that flavor!
When I made this tart, someone asked me why it isn’t called a quiche, and I was stymied. I looked it up, and it turns out that the only real difference is the amount of egg filling there is. Savory tarts are pretty minimal, whereas quiches have quite a bit of egg filling. This recipe makes 2 9-inch tarts, and I made one in a tart pan and one in a quiche pan, so one of them was a little thicker. Add more cheese if you make it in a quiche pan! (More cheese. Never the wrong choice.)
Key ingredients
- Tomatoes, of course. I like to use Heirloom tomatoes because they are just so pretty. But you can use any fresh tomatoes you have on hand.
- Blue cheese gives this tart the perfect tang. But if you really don´t like blue cheese, you can use anything: mozzarella, Gouda, Parmesan, goat cheese, feta. All delicious, but I really do like blue cheese the best.
- Buttermilk powder adds a subtle tangy richness to the tart and can usually be found in the baking aisle near the powdered milk
How to make a tomato tart
For the crust, combine the flour, salt, and buttermilk powder in a food processor or large bowl. Add the cream cheese and pulse until the mixture starts coming together.
Here’s a look at the dough in the food processor. Don’t worry if you don’t have one! You can use a pastry cutter just fine. You want the butter only just cut into chunks still visible. You can see the dough in my hand that is sticking together. Any more dry than that, and you can keep going a bit more.
Next, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until it forms a ball. Do not overwork it! Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Once chilled, roll each disk out on a well-floured surface into a 12-inch circle. If the dough feels too firm, let it sit for a couple of minutes. Carefully transfer the dough into two 9-inch tart pans, pressing it gently into all the corners and edges. Trim away excess dough. Place the prepared tart shells back in the fridge while you make the filling.
To make the filling, combine the eggs, milk, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper until smooth. Sprinkle at least 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup of blue cheese into each tart shell. Pour the egg mixture evenly between the tart pans, then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top however you like.
Place the tart pans on baking sheets to catch any spills and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the center is set.
If you’d like an extra crispy, bubbly top, place the tarts under the broiler for about a minute at the end of baking, but don’t walk away! The cheese can go from beautifully bronzed to a little too charred very quickly. Serve warm with fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of thyme.
What to serve with this tomato tart
This is a show-stopping brunch piece, but you´ll want a few more things to round out your menu. I like to serve it alongside the following brunch dishes:
- Overnight Bacon and White Cheddar Scones >> apart from being delicious, they are impressive to boot
- The Very Best Fruit Salad >> everybody needs a killer fruit salad recipe, and this one is my favorite!
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls >> is it even brunch without cinnamon rolls?
- Lemon Asparagus with Pistachios >> the olive oil keeps it healthy, pistachios and lemon make it memorable.
How to store leftovers
Store leftover tomato tart tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because of the fresh tomatoes and creamy filling, this tart is best enjoyed within the first couple of days while the crust is still crisp and flaky.
How to reheat leftovers
To reheat, place slices in a 350 degree F oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through. This helps bring the crust back to life and keeps it from getting soggy. You can microwave leftovers if needed, but the crust will be much softer.
Can I freeze my leftover tomato tart?
You can freeze the baked tart, though the texture of the tomatoes may soften slightly after thawing. Let the tart cool completely, then wrap individual slices or the whole tart tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven until warmed through
More savory brunch recipes
Christmas Recipes
Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding with Ham and Asparagus
Recipes for Dinner
Cherry Tomato, Leek, and Spinach Quiche
Savory Breakfast
Breakfast Casserole with Biscuits
Christmas Recipes
Creamy Scrambled Eggs for a Crowd
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Tomato Tart with Blue Cheese
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, *
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
- 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup
- 10 tablespoons butter, cold
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 6 large eggs
- 1 & 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 coarse pepper
- 1 to 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 4-5 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- basil, fresh, to garnish
Instructions
For the crust:
- In a food processor or bowl, combine the flour, salt and buttermilk powder. Add the cream cheese and pulse until it comes together.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse until it looks crumbly. You should still see chunks of butter. (You can do this with a pastry cutter.)
- Add 2 tablespoons of ice water to the pie crust dough and toss. When you squeeze some in your hand it should stick together. If it doesn’t add the remaining water until it does.
- Knead the dough together on a floured surface, trying not to overwork it.
- Divide the dough in half. Flatten each one into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- On a well floured work surface, roll each disk into a 12-inch circle (you my have to let it sit out of the fridge to soften for a couple minutes).
- Gently transfer one shell to your 9-inch tart pan. Smooth the dough into all the nooks and crannies, then roll your pin over the top of the tart pan to remove the excess dough. Repeat process with the other tart. Throw the crusts into the fridge while you make the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
For the filling:
- Use a whisk to combine eggs, milk, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Add at least 1/2 cup cheddar cheese to each tart. Add 1/3 cup blue cheese to each tart.
- Divide the mixture into the prepared tart shells. Top with sliced tomatoes. Layer them however you like.
- Place the tarts on baking sheets just in case there is any spillage.
- Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the center is set.
- At this point if you want you can throw it under the broiler for a minute to crisp the top a bit. But DON’T walk away! Mine got a little charred on top as you can see, and I swear it was only in for 1 minute. (Turns out slightly burned cheese is totally delicious.)
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of thyme and fresh basil.
Helpful hint: after 15 minutes at 425, turn oven down to 350, then I had to bake it for 45 more minutes, not 15. Very yummy and worth the wait!
Great tip Cathy! Thanks for chiming in!
This looks delish! I’m hoping to make it for Mother’s Day. Can I make any portion of it, maybe the crust, the night before?
Great idea Alyssa! I would make the crust up until the point that you chill it, then just leave it in over night and pick up with the recipe in the morning. Be sure to let it sit on the counter for 10-30 minutes before you try to roll it out. Enjoy!!
This looks amazing! Have you tried making this the night before?
Hey Holly! No, I haven’t. Let me know how it goes!
Those Colours of that Tomato tart, they are so great, Thanks for that!
Thanks Franken!
A tart pan! This is what is missing from my life! And a blue cheese/tomato tart to go in it!
With all the tomatoes I’m sure you’re harvesting, this would be perfect! You have to make it Ami!
Is there any way I could replace the buttermilk powder since I don’t have that? What would you use instead? I want to make this for a baby shower brunch I’m hosting this weekend!
Hey Summer! The buttermilk powder is just there to add a little tang. Replace it with flour. Enjoy the shower!!