Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts

These Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts, filled with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers, and baked in a flaky and cheesy crust, are a delicious savory pastry treat that you can serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

This vegetable and cheddar tart with its cheesy filling and cheese-filled crust is a cheddar lover's dream. 

Plus, it's filled with sautéed zucchini, onions, peppers, and topped with sliced cherry tomatoes. Serve the tart with a salad full of leafy greens, sliced fruit, or a bowl of berries for a delicious meal. Another plus, this is a great make-ahead dish that can be reheated again just before serving.

The crust of this tart is flaky and buttery like standard pie crust, but it also contains a few ingredients that bring it to another level... such as cheddar cheese, cheddar cheese powder, and a secret ingredient, hot sauce.

What to Use for the Cheese Powder in the Crust:

I used King Arthur's Better Cheddar Cheese powder (of course I had some on hand). You can also go online and search for cheddar cheese powder. Another option that I love, if you have a Penzey's store nearby, is to use their Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle, which is also great sprinkled on popcorn and garlic cheese toast. 

If you don't have any powdered cheese available (it's great in pizza crust dough by the way) you can also substitute finely grated parmesan cheese for great results. 

As a last resort, you can always buy the boxed mac and cheese and use the powdered cheese packet that comes in the box. It works! 

The crust for these savory tarts is like no other. It's so cheesy good. 

I made these in five individual four and 3/4 inch tart pans with removable bottoms. To prevent them from leaking onto your oven flour, be sure to place them on a parchment lined rimmed half sheet pan before baking.  

How to Make these Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts:

First, make the crust by processing the ingredients in a food processor, adding the cheddar cheese and water at the end. Don't over process. The ingredients should be pea-sized when you dump it out of the food processor. 

Next, briefly knead the dough together, form it into a disk, and refrigerate it for a half an hour. 

After that, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick and line the tart pans with the dough. I used a bowl as a guide to cut the dough into circles. There's no need to gather up the scraps and re-roll them. Instead, just patch them together in the tart pans. 

Once you've assembled the crusts, place them in the refrigerator while you make the filling. 

 

To Make the Filling:

First, sauté zucchini, onions, and red peppers in butter until tender. 

Next, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and thyme. Divide the zucchini mixture, cheddar cheese, and egg mixture among the five tart pans and top them with thinly sliced cherry or grape tomatoes. 

Finally, bake the tarts on a baking sheet at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes. 

I am definitely making these again. 

Recipe tips and variations:

I highly recommend using a scale when measuring the crust ingredients. It's really helpful in getting the right consistency.

You can also make these into mini appetizer tarts by using a mini cupcake pan. Just chop the veggies into smaller pieces. 

You could also substitute mushrooms or other vegetables for the zucchini and peppers if you like. 

Be sure to see the section about what to substitute for the cheddar cheese powder. 

Feel free to get creative! Just don't forget the cheese! 

 

Friday #DairyMonth Recipes

3 Ingredient Strawberry Cream Cheese Fruit Dip by Blogghetti

Tropical Milkshake by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Cheesy Potato Casserole by Hostess At Heart

Cheesy Chive, Onion and Bacon Rolls Ups by A Little Fish in the Kitchen

Easy Cheesy Corn Dip by The Spiffy Cookie

Fresh Cherry Clafouti by The Freshman Cook

Fried Cauliflower Feta Balls by Magical Ingredients

Fried Ice Cream Bars by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Easy Alfredo Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Marinated Boccancini Salad by Palatable Pastime

Smoked Fish Dip by Art of Natural Living

Three Cheese Garlic Grilled Cheese by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts by Karen's Kitchen Stories

Thank you to Jolene's Recipe Journal for coordinating this great Dairy Month Event! 

Originally published in March, 2014 and updated in June, 2022 with new photos, instructions, and printable recipe card. 

Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts

Yield: 5 Tarts

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

These Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts, filled with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers, and baked in a savory cheesy crust, are a delicious savory pastry treat that you can serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces/114 grams) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cup ( 5.75 ounces/150 grams) unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce/28 grams) powdered cheddar cheese or finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 ounces (43 grams) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• A dash of hot sauce of your choice
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) ice water

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 to 5 ounces of zucchini, skin on (about 1/3 of a medium zucchini), cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
• 1/4 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 C milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• A handful of (about 10) grape or cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced, salted, and placed on paper towels to remove extra moisture.

Instructions

To Prepare the Crusts

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the dry ingredients and the butter and pulse until you get a crumbly mixture.
2. Add the cheddar cheese, hot sauce, and the water, and pulse (not too much) until the ingredients are blended into a chunky mess of pea sized pieces of dough. If it is too dry (mine was not), add a tablespoon or more of water.
3. Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, press it into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
4. Roll the dough out to a 10" by 13" rectangle. Cut the dough into circles to fit five 4 3/4 inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Pull the extra pieces together to continue to create dough circles. Press the dough into the pans. Alternatively, to make mini tarts, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and press into the cups of a mini muffin pan. The dough is really easy to shape and patch.
5. Place the shaped crusts in the refrigerator while making the filling.

To Make the Tarts

1. Saute the zucchini, onion, and bell pepper in the butter until the zucchini is tender but not mushy. Some pieces can be slightly browned. That is a good thing. Turn off the heat and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and thyme together.
4. When the crusts are chilled, evenly divide the vegetables into the crusts.
5. Evenly divide the shredded cheddar and place it into each crust.
6. Pour the egg mixture evenly into each crust.
7. Top with slices of cherry/grape tomatoes (6 for the larger tart pans, maybe one or two for mini tarts).
8. If you are using the 4 1/4 inch tart pans with removable bottoms, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet so it will catch any leaks.
9. Bake the tarts for 18 to 23 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans.
10. Serve warm.
11. If you make them ahead, or to reheat leftovers, refrigerate and reheat the tarts for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

399.5

Fat (grams)

27.77

Sat. Fat (grams)

16.16

Carbs (grams)

25.33

Fiber (grams)

1.56

Net carbs

23.75

Sugar (grams)

3.56

Protein (grams)

12.74

Sodium (milligrams)

660.85

Cholesterol (grams)

162.48

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2014/03/vegetable-and-cheddar-tarts.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

tarts, cheddar, zucchini

Appetizer, lunch

American

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