Puff Pastry Tarts with Caramelized Onions, Pears, and Goat Cheese
Puff Pastry Tarts with Caramelized Onions, Pears, and Goat Cheese are THE perfect party appetizer! I’m always looking for appetizers that can be delicious at room temperature, and these definitely pass that test. You can only have so many slow cookers, and I’m always a little hesitant to have mayo or dairy dips sitting out too long without being chilled. These are truly delicious warm, but just as tasty at room temperature.
The onion and pear mixture can be made ahead of time if you’re prepping for a party, even the day before. Then once you’re ready to assemble and bake, everything is ready to pop in the oven. The bake time is only about 15 minutes. The caramelizing of the onions is where your time will be spent.
Simple Assembly
I buy a two-pack of puff pastry that can be found in the freezer section near the frozen desserts. Here is one of the more common brands I see in the store. This recipe uses one of the sheets and you should get 16 tarts, but you could easily double it and use both sheets. Once the pastry is thawed I just dollop some goat cheese on top. If you’re not a goat cheese fan you can certainly substitute any other cheese. I would recommend a white cheddar, Gruyere, or something else with a nice nutty bite.
Then just scoop the filling evenly over the goat cheese, and bake! The puff pastry will puff up and become golden, flaky, and delicious!
Since these are tasty at room temp they are great for traveling or bringing to a pot-luck if you’re not hosting. The flavor combinations in this tart are SO good. You have a buttery flaky crust, tangy creamy cheese, and sweet onions and pears with that hint of fresh thyme. It’s a beautiful and tasty bite! Enjoy!
Here are some of my other favorite party appetizers:
Goat Cheese Bruschetta – one of my personal favs!
Dill Pickle Ranch Cheese Ball – crowd pleaser!
Honey Garlic Sriracha Meatballs – this sauce is awesome on many things!
Caramelized French Onion Dip – family favorite!
Baked Sriracha Cream Cheese Wontons – an oldie but a goodie!
Rosemary Infused Peach Jam – great for a cheese board!
Chicken Satay Meatballs with peanut dipping sauce!
Walnut Pesto Burrata Toast – seriously to die for!
Puff Pastry Tarts with Caramelized Onions, Pears, and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 sheet store bought puff pastry (freezer section) thawed
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 pear diced
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 oz goat cheese
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme plus more for garnish
Instructions
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Add chopped onion and olive oil to a medium skillet. Cook onions over medium to medium low heat until they begin to turn brown, about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally, and season with salt and pepper.
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When onions are starting to turn brown, add in butter and diced pear. Stir and continue to cook until pears begin to soften, 5-10 minutes. Stir in fresh thyme. Remove from heat.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Slice the thawed puff pastry into 16 equal pieces. Arrange on a large baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Distribute goat cheese evenly between the puff pastry. Top with pear and onion mixture. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. Garnish with additional fresh thyme. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
The store bought puff pastry dough is in the freezer isle where you will find other frozen desserts and dough. It usually comes with 2 sheets.
If you are not a goat cheese fan you can sub out any other cheese you like. I would recommend a white cheddar, Gruyere, or fontina.
The onion and pear filling can be made ahead of time, even the night before. Just re-heat for a minute or so to bring it back to life.
Need more appetizer ideas? Check back to the original blog post of this recipe for links to my favorites!
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2 Comments
Cheryl
Delicious appetizer! 5 stars for super taste and ease – Will be adding this to my favorites list!
Laura Doerr
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making!