Cheesy Butternut Squash Tart
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This Cheesy Butternut Squash Tart is the perfect holiday appetizer! Puff pastry is layered with non-dairy cheese and thinly sliced butternut squash.
With the holidays right around the corner, I have lots of yummy recipes on my mind. And we’re kicking things off with this Cheesy Butternut Squash Tart. A holiday appetizer that looks fancy, but is honestly so freaking easy! it also tastes AMAZING! Bring this to your holiday party to impress your friends and family.
Step One: Prep the Puff Pastry
Whenever I do a recipe with puff pastry, I always get the same comment…”puff pastry isn’t vegan”. Well, lucky for us, many pre-made puff pastry brands use oil instead of butter. Which, in fact, makes it vegan-friendly! So, just be sure to check the label before purchasing.
Puff pastry does need to be thawed for about 40 minutes before you can use it. Be sure to keep that in mind, and pull it out of the freezer before you want to start cooking.
Once the puff pastry dough is thawed, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently roll it out so that it is slightly larger than its original size – no need to overthink it, just a little rolling. Transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and use a knife to create a 1-inch border around the dough – being sure not to cut all the way through. Use a fork to score the inside rectangle of the dough. This will keep that portion from rising.
Step Two: Prep the Toppings
The cheesy topping for this cheesy tart is a delicious blend of dairy-free Boursin, vegan mayo, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper.
The vegan mayo makes the sauce easier to spread. And the Boursin is super rich and tasty. Just add everything to a bowl and mix to combine.
For the butternut squash, we won’t use a whole squash. You will just use the “neck” – or the top portion that doesn’t have seeds. Peel it and use a mandoline to slice it into super thin pieces.
Step Three: Assemble & Bake
To the prepared puff pastry, add the cheese mix to the center and spread it out to the border that you created with the knife.
Layer on the butternut squash slices – I was able to do about 2 layers of squash.
Brush the edges of the puff pastry and the squash with some melted vegan butter. Sprinkle some garlic powder on the edges. Top the squash with more thyme & a little pepper. Place it in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the dough is browned and crispy.
Step Four: Serve
Pull the tart out of the oven and let it cool for 5-ish minutes. This will allow the cheese to settle and make it easier to slice.
Cut the tart into 8 pieces and serve it up! This is best served right away, but I ate it cold too, and it was still super delicious!
You need to give this one a try this holiday season – you and your guests will love it!
Tips & Tricks
The puff pastry takes about 40 minutes to thaw – so just be sure to pull it out of the freezer ahead of time.
Puff pastry can be found in the frozen dessert section at the grocery store. Be sure to check the label before purchasing to ensure it is vegan-friendly – I used Pepperidge Farm!
If you can’t find the Boursin, you can sub Kite Hill chive cream cheese.
I used the “neck” of the butternut squash. Peel it and use a mandoline to cut it into slices that are 1/16″ slices. Reserve the leftover squash for another recipe. You want the squash to be super thin so that it will fully cook in 20 minutes.
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Cheesy Butternut Squash Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 6 ounces dairy-free Boursin see notes
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped, plus more for topping
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 16-20 slices butternut squash see notes
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter melted
- garlic powder to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the Boursin, mayo, thyme, garlic and a pinch of salt & pepper in a bowl.
- Place the thawed puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and gently roll it out so that it is slightly larger than its original size. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Use a knife to create a 1-inch border around the dough – being sure not to cut all the way through. Use a fork to score the inside rectangle of the dough. Add the cheese mixture to the center portion of the dough and spread to the edges. Top the cheese with the slices of squash – I was able to do about 2 layers.
- Brush the edges of the dough and the squash with the melted butter. Sprinkle some garlic powder on the edges. Top the squash with more thyme & a pinch of pepper. Place in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the dough is browned and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and serve.
Video
Notes
- The puff pastry takes about 40 minutes to thaw – so just be sure to pull it out of the freezer ahead of time.
- Puff pastry can be found in the frozen dessert section at the grocery store. Be sure to check the label before purchasing to ensure it is vegan-friendly – I used Pepperidge Farm!
- If you can’t find the Boursin, you can sub Kite Hill chive cream cheese.
- I used the “neck” of the butternut squash. Peel it and use a mandoline to cut it into slices that are 1/16″ slices. Reserve the leftover squash for another recipe. You want the squash to be super thin so that it will fully cook in 20 minutes.
Where can you find puff pastry without butter?
I linked the one I used in the recipe card at the bottom! A lot of brands use oil instead of butter 🎉