Treat yourself to this scrumptious Tomato Galette! This rustic tart is so easy to make and delicious that you'll return to the simple recipe all summer long ... it's the perfect way to show off fresh produce!
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There's something about making a pie that seems a bit fussy or a little too much work when you're craving something simple, especially on a hot summer day. Galettes, on the other hand, are totally doable!
A Galette is a type of French pastry. While there are different kinds, ranging from cakes to crêpes, the variety we're talking about today is a rustic, free form tart with a pastry crust and a sweet or savory filling.
This homemade Tomato Galette is a summer favorite. I have been making this recipe on repeat lately, and it's truly one of the best ways to showcase fresh, flavorful summer tomatoes!
You are going to love this recipe. Each bite of this rustic Tomato Tart, from the crave worthy tomato-basil flavor to the perfectly tender pastry crust, is truly mouthwatering. And you'll appreciate how easy it is to make too, whether you're throwing the recipe together on a busy weeknight or treating your friends at your next dinner party!
Ready to try this tasty recipe for yourself? Then keep scrolling for all the delicious details!
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple, easy to find ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Tomatoes - Make sure to use the freshest, tastiest tomatoes you can find for this recipe. While I've made this tart with all different types, I'd recommend using heirloom tomatoes, or tomatoes fresh from your garden or the farmers market, for the tastiest results.
- Filling - In addition to the tomatoes, the galette has a creamy pesto filling that's totally irresistible! It's made with a combination of cream cheese, pesto, and fresh lemon zest. If you have time, make it with this homemade Basil Pesto. Otherwise, store bought works, too (I recommend using Giovanni Rana Basil Pesto).
- Pastry - This recipe uses a homemade pie crust that's quick and easy to make (especially if you have a food processor) from just flour, butter, salt, and ice water. It's 100% worth making the pastry from scratch, but store bought pie crust will work if you're in a hurry.
You'll Also Need
If you have one, I'd recommend using a food processor to make the pastry. You'll also need a rolling pin and something to roll out the pastry on (such as a large board or this super handy silicone pastry mat, which I used). Grab some paper towels and a serrated knife to prepare the tomatoes, and a small bowl to mix together the filling, too. You'll also need a large baking sheet to cook the tart on, and you can make cleanup a little easier by lining the pan with parchment paper.
How to Make a Tomato Galette
This Savory Galette is super easy to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Make pastry. The pastry needs to chill before you roll it out, so you'll want to work on that first. You'll start by combining the flour and salt, then you'll cut the butter into the flour. The mixture should resemble course crumbs when you're done. Next, you'll add just enough ice water to form a ball of dough. Shape the pastry into a flat circle, then wrap it and chill it for at least one hour.
- Prep tomatoes. While the dough chills, slice the tomatoes about ¼-inch thick. Then place them on a few layers of paper towels. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, then let them sit for at least 15 minutes. Tip: Don't skip this step! Letting the tomatoes rest on the paper towels draws out the excess liquid, which might otherwise make your tart soggy.
- Stir together filling. To make the filling, stir together the cream cheese, pesto, and lemon zest. Then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Roll out dough + top with filling. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry into a 12-inch circle. Fold the pastry in half and then in half again, then transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Unfold, then spread the cream cheese filling over the pastry, leaving about a 1 ½-inch boarder.
- Layer tomatoes over filling. Blot the tomatoes with a dry paper towel, then place them over the filling, layering to fit.
- Fold pastry around filling. Next, you'll fold the edges of the crust around the filling, overlapping as needed. Then brush with an egg wash. Tip: This is meant to be a rustic-looking tart, so don't worry if it doesn't look perfect circular!
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to your oven, then bake the Galette until the crust is deep golden brown and the tomatoes look tender and roasted. Tip: Don't skimp on baking time! It will take around 40 to 45 minutes for the pastry to cook all the way through. If you undercook the tart, the crust may be soggy in the middle.
Okay, how easy was that? This gorgeous heirloom Tomato Galette really is simple to make, but you wouldn't know it from the mouthwateringly delicious flavor!
Tip: To save time when making the Galette, prepare the pastry the night before you plan to make it, then chill it overnight. Then all you need to do is roll it out, fill it, and bake it the next day.
Variations
This recipe is fun and easy to customize with a few simple swaps! Here are some ideas to try:
- Tomatoes - Vary your tomatoes depending on what's freshest! I used heirloom tomatoes this time (and they really do have the best flavor), but other varieties (like Beefsteak or Brandywine) can be used. Even halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes will work.
- Veggies - You can also swap out some of the tomatoes for other veggies, such as zucchini, corn, greens, onions, sweet peppers, and more. I would suggest lightly sautéing the vegetables, or roasting them briefly under your broiler, before adding them to the Galette. This will tenderize the veggies and remove any excess liquid.
- Cheese - Try adding some cheese to the cream cheese filling or sprinkling it under or over the tomatoes. Goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, parmesan, and cheddar would all taste great! You could also replace the cream cheese with ricotta.
- Herbs - Another way to add a pop of flavor is by stirring fresh herbs (like basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, dill, and more) into the filling or sprinkling over the baked tart before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this fresh Tomato Pesto Galette with a simple Green Salad, Warm Goat Cheese Salad, or this easy Garden Salad, and dinner is done! You could also serve it with a summery side dish, like French Potato Salad, Grilled Veggies, Greek Coleslaw, Red Skin Potato Salad, or Greek Pasta Salad. You could even pair it with a cold soup, like this refreshing Watermelon Gazpacho. And don't forget a delicious dessert, such as this easy Frozen Yogurt or these Cherry Tarts!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator, where they'll stay fresh for up to four days. You can warm the slices gently in your microwave or wrap them foil and reheat in your oven.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out my Vegetable Galette, too! Looking for more fresh tomato ideas? You'll love these recipes, too:
- Pan con Tomate (Spanish Tomato Bread)
- Tomato Pie
- Burrata Caprese Salad
- Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Caprese Skewers
- Avocado Tomato Sandwich
- Tomato Ricotta Toast
- Tomato Feta Pasta
- Pizza Caprese
- Easy Tomato Basil Pasta
- Tomato Crostini
Frequently Asked Questions
A galette is a type of flat, free form French tart, most commonly made by wrapping pie dough around a sweet or savory filling, then baking. Other types include Galettes Bretonnes, which are buckwheat crepes with a ham, cheese, and egg filling, and Galette des Rois, which is made with puff pastry filled with creamy almond custard.
Pies and galettes often have similar ingredients. However, pies are baked in a pastry-lined pie pan, while galettes are made by wrapping pastry around a filling and baking directly on a baking sheet (flat). Because of this, galettes have more of a free form, rustic shape than pies do.
Yes, galette crust is the same as pie dough. You can use pie dough (pastry) to make both galettes and pies.
If your galette is soggy, either your filling released too much liquid as it cooked, or you didn't cook the galette long enough for the pastry to get crisp. Before baking, you can remove excess liquid from the filling by blotting it off with a paper towel, lightly cooking it, or by mixing the filling with a thickener, such as cornstarch. To test that the pastry has cooked all the way through, don't go by color (the crust around the edges typically cooks much faster the bottom does). Instead, use a spatula to carefully lift the galette to determine if the bottom is done. You should also let the finished galette sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it, so any liquid in the filling has a chance to thicken as it cools.
Tomato Galette
Ingredients
For Pastry:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (cold)
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
For Filling:
- 3 large tomatoes
- 2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup pesto
- zest from 1 lemon
- kosher salt
- pepper
- 1 large egg
Equipment
- Paper Towels
Instructions
Prepare Pastry:
- Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. Stop when the mixture resembles course crumbs.
- Mix in water one tablespoon at a time, adding just enough for dough to clump together (typically 3 to 4 tablespoons total).
- Shape dough into a flat circle about 1-inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, then chill for at least 1 hour.
Prepare Filling:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Stack 4 large sheets of paper towel together.
- Core tomatoes, then slice ¼-inch thick. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels.
- Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper, then set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, pesto, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble Galette:
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll pastry into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Spread cream cheese filling over pastry, leave a 1 ½-inch border.
- Use a dry paper towel to blot tomatoes, removing more liquid. Then arrange tomatoes over cream cheese filling, layering as needed to fit.
- Fold pastry edge over tomatoes, overlapping where needed.
- Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush egg wash over pastry.
- Bake galette until dough is deep gold brown and crisp, and tomatoes are tender (about 40 to 45 minutes).
- Let galette rest for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
