Caprese Tart

This Caprese Tart recipe makes the perfect savory appetizer for parties and gatherings! A flaky puff pastry tart shell is topped with juicy summer tomatoes, basil leaves, fresh mozzarella cheese, and a tangy balsamic glaze. Delight your guests with these tasty appetizers at your next party!

This combination of flavors is one of my favorites! I love to use it in all sorts of recipes, from Caprese Chicken to Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, I can find a way to turn most things into a Caprese dish! But what exactly is Caprese?

What is Caprese?

If you’re not familiar with it, caprese refers to a salad made up of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil or basil pesto. You can serve caprese as a pizza, pasta, or sandwich as well.

Supposedly the Caprese salad is named after the island of Capri, which is where this dish originated. Some say it’s also an homage to the Italian flag, with its colors of red, white, and green! I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s a fun story!

What ingredients do I need to make Caprese Tarts?

This savory tart recipe is made with fresh ingredients from the grocery store! Here’s what you need to make this great appetizer:

• 1 puff pastry sheet
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes and/or yellow sunburst tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded fresh Mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 6 large fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Balsamic glaze

How to make this Tomato Puff Pastry

This appetizer looks and tastes a bit fancy, but it’s such an easy recipe to make! Your guests never have to know you didn’t spend hours in the kitchen!

1. First, thaw the puff pastry sheet for 30-40 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease a baking sheet (or line it with parchment paper), and unroll the puff pastry dough so it lays flat. Press together any seams that might have come apart. Use a rolling pin (gently) if necessary to spread the dough.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the pastry are golden brown, then remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
4. Sprinkle the puff pastry with the Mozzarella cheese. Slice the fresh tomatoes in half, then spread them over the pastry shell on top of the cheese. Then sprinkle and Parmesan cheese over the tomatoes. Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese melts.
5. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil. Drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic glaze over the top of the tart, then cut into pieces to serve!

Are these tomato tarts served warm?

These are best served warm when the cheese is still melty. But if you prefer, you can eat them at room temperature too.

These tarts make a perfect light summer dinner. Serve them with a big green salad, and call it a night! Finish the evening off with a nice glass of wine or this Summer Rosé Sangria.

Substitutions

Can I use phyllo dough instead of puff pastry?

You should not substitute phyllo dough in this recipe. While phyllo dough and puff pastry are very similar, they have different ingredients and are used for different things. The puff pastry has layers of fat which makes it light and fluffy when baked. Phyllo dough is thin and much flakier.

Your recipes will turn out best if you use the correct pastry dough for the job!

However, phyllo dough is perfect for making Baklava! So you can use it to make this fantastic dessert.

Can I use dry basil for this recipe?

Don’t use dry basil- the best thing about this recipe is the flavor of all the fresh ingredients. Dry herbs will not give the same result for this recipe.

What kind of mozzarella cheese should I use?

Whole-milk mozzarella cheese has the most full flavor, and it melts so nicely! You can use part-skim, but either way, I recommend freshly-grated cheese rather than the pre-bagged kind.

How to store leftover Caprese Tarts

These tarts store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. The tart shell may get a bit soggy the longer you have them, so they are definitely best served fresh.

More Tomato Recipes

If you’re looking for ways to use up those garden-fresh tomatoes, I’ve got the perfect recipes for you!

• Tomato, Onion, and Bacon Pie is a Southern classic dish! I decided to add my own twist with caramelized onions, bacon, and lots of cheese. I think this could take a blue ribbon at a state fair if you get my drift. You might want a couch nearby after you have a slice, though – we are talking full food coma – but it’s oh-so worth it!
• Need a light summer salad? Try this Cucumber Tomato Salad. The crisp cool cucumbers combined with the bursting tomatoes are just the beginning of this salad. Add in the crunch of the onions, the saltiness of the feta, and this tangy vinaigrette, and you have one heck of a salad.
• You can use canned tomatoes in this luscious Tomato Tortellini Bisque. With heavy cream and cheesy tortellini, this is comfort food, elevated!
• Do you grow green tomatoes? Fried Green Tomatoes are another Southern classic side dish. Dip tomato slices in cornmeal, flour, and buttermilk, then fry ‘em up for a delightful bite!

Enjoy this easy summer tart with fresh garden tomatoes, cheese and fresh herbs from your garden!

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This post was originally published February 20, 2015. It has been updated with pictures and in format on July 6, 2023.