This flaky Tomato Tart is one of my favorite things to make when heirloom tomatoes start showing up at the farmers market. Crispy, buttery phyllo is topped with creamy lemon-basil ricotta, garlic, and juicy fresh tomatoes.
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Why This Recipe Works
I love this Tomato Tart when summer tomatoes are ripe, colorful, and full of flavor. Here’s why it takes so delicious every time:
- Crispy, Flaky Layers: Eight layers of phyllo brushed with butter bake into a light, golden crust. If you love flaky savory tarts, my Smoked Salmon Tart is another favorite.
- Creamy, Garlicky Filling: Ricotta gets plenty of flavor from fresh basil, lemon zest, and toum. It’s creamy, bright, and savory without overpowering the tomatoes.
- Fresh Summer Flavor: The heirloom tomatoes go on after baking, so they stay juicy and fresh. A little sea salt and basil are all they need.
- Easy to Make Your Own: I love swapping the tomatoes for asparagus, zucchini, caramelized onions, or mushrooms. For another seasonal vegetable tart, try my Gruyere Asparagus Tart on Puff Pastry.
- Perfect for Sharing: I can serve this tart warm or at room temperature, so it’s great for brunch, appetizers, or an easy summer snack. It looks beautiful on a platter and is simple to slice and share.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. I ❤️ hearing from you!
Ingredients
- Phyllo Dough – Eight thin sheets create the light, crisp, and flaky base for the tart. Keep them covered while you work so they don’t dry out.
- Ricotta Cheese – Creamy ricotta forms the base of the filling and pairs perfectly with the fresh tomatoes. If your ricotta is especially wet, drain off any excess liquid first.
- Lemon Zest – The zest of one lemon adds fresh citrus flavor to the creamy ricotta without adding extra moisture.
- Fresh Basil – Finely chopped basil adds fresh, herby flavor to the ricotta filling. Save a little extra for garnishing the finished tart.
- Toum – This creamy garlic sauce adds plenty of savory garlic flavor to the ricotta. If you don’t have toum, substitute about 3 freshly grated garlic cloves.
- Heirloom Tomatoes – Choose 2 to 3 large, ripe tomatoes and slice them thinly for the topping. I love using different colors for a beautiful presentation, but any flavorful, ripe slicing tomatoes will work.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Layer the phyllo: Stack the phyllo sheets on the baking sheet, lightly brushing each layer with melted butter or olive oil.
- Make the filling: Mix the ricotta, lemon zest, chopped basil, toum, and salt until well combined.
- Assemble the tart: Spread the ricotta mixture over the phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
- Bake until golden: Bake for 17–20 minutes, watching closely after 15 minutes to prevent burning.
- Add the tomatoes: Top with thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes, sea salt, and fresh basil, then serve warm or at room temperature.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some of my favorite substitutions and variations:
- Zucchini: I like to top the baked tart with thinly shaved raw zucchini tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. It keeps everything light and fresh.
- Arugula: I add a simple arugula salad dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. You can also finish it with shaved Parmesan.
- Asparagus: I use roasted or poached asparagus tossed with olive oil, lemon, and salt. Try adding a drizzle of balsamic reduction before serving.
What to Serve with Tomato Tart
Side Dishes
- For a fresh summer spread, we love serving this tart with Tomato and Onion Salad or Fresh Italian Tomato Burrata Salad.
- To make the tart part of a heartier meal, pair it with Lemon Basil Pasta Salad or warm Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables.
Sauces & Extras
- For a creamy addition, serve slices alongside Whipped Feta Lemon Dip with Roasted Tomatoes or add a spoonful of 5-Ingredient Tomato Vinaigrette.
- We also love pairing the flaky tart with Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe or a little Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette for extra savory flavor.
FAQs
Yes, puff pastry works well if that is what you have in the freezer. The texture will be thicker and more buttery rather than thin and crisp, so bake it according to the package directions until golden.
No, the tomatoes are added fresh after the ricotta and phyllo have baked. This keeps the tomatoes juicy and helps prevent their moisture from making the phyllo soggy.
Phyllo dries quickly when exposed to air, so keep the sheets you are not working with covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Work one sheet at a time, brushing each layer lightly with melted butter or olive oil.
Phyllo is very thin and can go from golden to overbaked quickly. Start checking the tart around the 15-minute mark and remove it once the pastry is crisp and nicely golden.
It is best served warm or at room temperature. Letting it sit briefly after baking also makes it easier to transfer, top with the fresh tomatoes, and slice.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, although the phyllo will soften as it sits. For the best texture, remove the fresh tomatoes if possible and reheat the tart in a 350°F oven until warmed and crisp, then add the tomatoes back before serving.
More Tomato Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Spanish Tomato Bread (Pan Con Tomate) – Spanish Tomato Bread (Pan Con Tomate) is an easy 6-ingredient tapas recipe made with grated heirloom tomatoes served on crusty toasted bread.
- Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes – This Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes is a creamy and easy one-pot meal that pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese on the side.
- Roasted Tomato Soup – This roasted tomato soup is perfect when the weather is cold! It’s ready in under an hour and features the rich flavors of Campari tomatoes.
- B.L.A.T. Sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato) – This B.L.A.T. Sandwich takes a traditional BLT up a notch with layers of bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato, basil, and homemade aioli.
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Flaky Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- 8 sheets phyllo dough
- 1/2 stick butter, or a few tbsp olive oil for brushing dough
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2-3 tbsp basil, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp toum, garlic sauce or grate in 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt, or more to taste
- 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, large, different colors
- basil, for garnish
- 1 pinch sea salt, to garnish tomatoes
For the Toum (Garlic Sauce):
- 1 cup fresh garlic, peeled and trimmed, with no green stems
- 1 cup water, cold, enough to top off the garlic in the measuring cup
- 4 cups avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 lemon, medium, juiced
Instructions
Make the Toum
- Measure the garlic in a dry 1-cup measuring cup, then fill the cup to the top with cold water.
- Transfer the garlic and water to a food processor. Process for 1–2 minutes, until puréed. A food processor works best for this recipe.
- With the processor running, very slowly stream in the avocado oil. The mixture should thicken to a mayonnaise-like consistency.
- Add the salt and fresh lemon juice. If the toum is still runny, continue processing and add a little more lemon juice. If needed, whisk by hand to thicken.
Assemble and Bake the Tart
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place one sheet of phyllo dough on the parchment. Lightly brush it with melted butter or olive oil—though butter is preferred. Add another sheet and brush again. Repeat until all eight sheets are stacked.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, chopped basil, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons toum—or 3 grated garlic cloves—and salt to taste.
- Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
- Bake for 17–20 minutes, watching carefully after 15 minutes to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the tart to a platter or board. Top with the thinly sliced tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and chopped basil.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sandy Brown
Loved this and have made it multiple times!
lena gladstone
Happy to hear that you love this recipe Sandy. Appreciate you giving it a try. Happy cooking!
Alla
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 star (phone glitch doesn’t give all the stars)
So easy to follow, love this recipe. A very tasty appetizer and beautiful presentation.
Stephanie N
The garlic sauce is the most delicious and versatile item in my fridge! Not only is it marvelous in this recipe, but I adore it on charcuterie boards, sautéed in veggies, or mixed in to soups to give extra garlic-y goodness! A kitchen staple in my house!
Meliha
This looks so simple yet so tasty I have to try this .. good job
Stephanie
Finally got the chance to make this and absolutely loved it! Modified the toppings for my son son and he devour it all. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!!
Lena
This is so yummy, got so much compliments on this. Instructions says to serve warm, I served it cold and it was just so good.
Thank you so much for the amazing recipes.
@lena_pidghirnii
Coral
I absolutely love this simple but delicious recipe. The garlic toum sauce is a new staple in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing Lena!
K M
Just tried this and it was fresh, light and delicious! Perfect for a farmer’s market fresh brunch. I’ve only used phyllo/fillo dough once before, and years ago, so I completely forgot that it needs to be thawed enough to unroll and separate the layers properly, so be sure to work that timing in. I also plan to try this recipe again when I have time to make the Toum! I went the grated garlic route for this version, but it still turned out beautiful and yummy. Give it a try!!
lenaskitchen
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it. yes on the toum for sure next time. It’s so good.