Do you remember our easy Apple Tart? Well, think the same idea, but savoury. Introducing my mushroom tart recipe – call it “Tarte Fine aux Champignons” in French if you feel fancy! Flaky puff pastry topped with melted Gruyère, sautéed mushrooms and baked until crispy and golden. Let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
I feel like French food has a reputation for being time consuming and complicated. But for homestyle dishes, it usually isn’t. More often than not, it’s about a couple of hero ingredients making a dish shine – and this Mushroom Tart is exactly that. Just 4 ingredients – puff pastry, mushroom, cheese and butter, Simple and ridiculously good!
A Simple French Mushroom Tart
This is something I used to whip up back home when we needed a quick lunch or dinner that made everyone happy. Crispy and flaky butter puff pastry layered with melting cheese and sautéed mushrooms, all baked to perfection – Tarte Fine aux Champignons as we call it. What could go wrong!?
To enjoy it at its best, finish it with a sprinkle of salt flakes and fresh thyme leaves. A drizzle of truffle oil will bring it to another level if you have some. You’ll be surprised by the work-to-reward ratio here. A true winner!
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this Tarte Fine aux Champignons. Please do your best to get a puff pastry made with butter rather than oil. Butter beats oil everyday when it comes to flavour. Take it from a Frenchman!
Frozen puff pastry – As I say above, butter is better! Butter puff rises more beautifully and gives you more delicate flaky layers and importantly, it has better flavour. Look for a packet that clearly says, “butter puff pastry.” If it doesn’t mention butter, it usually means it’s made with oil instead, which is still ok to use but won’t have the same flavour.
Size – This recipe calls for a 25cm / 10″ square of puff pastry which is the standard size here in Australia. If your sheet is larger, simply trim it to size. If you only have smaller pieces, press the offcuts together to form one larger sheet.
Swiss brown mushrooms – Also called cremini mushrooms in some countries. They have more flavour than white cup / button mushrooms, though they will work fine too. You could also use larger mushrooms like portobello, just slice them up into smaller pieces.
Gruyère cheese – My logical pick for this recipe because I used it so much in France. Gruyère is a staple cheese in France like cheddar and tasty cheese here in Australia. It’s a firm Swiss-style cheese with a nutty flavour that melts beautifully and has a rich flavour that doesn’t overpower the mushrooms.
Other cheese options – Comté would elevate it even more if it’s reasonably priced where you are but it is expensive here in Australia which is why I don’t use it. Swiss cheese / Emmental would be my next choice. Otherwise, use any good melting cheese you enjoy such as mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby or Tasty.
Unsalted butter – Adds flavour to the mushrooms and is also brushed on the pastry edges to help them turn golden.
Cooking salt / kosher salt – Used to season the mushrooms. If you’ve only got table salt, halve the amount. For salt flakes, increase by 50%. (We also use some salt flakes at the end as a lovely touch to finish the dish.)
Black pepper – Cracked black pepper, the one we usually use.
Thyme leaves – Thyme and mushrooms are a classic pairing. I like it best sprinkled at the end rather than cooked in the mushrooms because you get a better flavour for this dish.
Truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil – If you happen to have truffle oil, this a great opportunity to use it because it goes so well with mushrooms and adds a really gourmet touch to it. A small drizzle is enough to deliver a big impact and elevate the dish. I know it’s a bit pricey so I wouldn’t go and get it especially. You can always use a good extra virgin olive oil instead.
How To Make Mushroom and Gruyère Tart
This tart comes together in three simple steps: cook the mushrooms, assemble the tart, then bake until the pastry is crisp and golden. There is an actual fourth step “Eat it!” but I didn’t bother writing it down because the moment you see it come out of the oven, you’ll understand.
Preheat the oven and tray – Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat to 210°C / 410°F (190°C fan). Starting the tart on a hot tray helps the pastry cook immediately and become crisp underneath.
Cook the mushrooms – Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms soften.
Transfer to a colander over a bowl to drain. When testing this recipe, my mushrooms didn’t release much liquid. Draining them is mostly a safety step, just in case they do because this would soften the puff pastry.
Edges – Place a sheet of baking / parchment paper on the bench and lay the puff pastry on top. Fold the edges inward to create a 1 cm / 0.4″ border around the pastry. No need to use egg or anything to hold in place.
Brush the pastry edges with melted butter.
Cheese – Spread the grated Gruyère evenly over the pastry. Mostly avoiding the rim.
Mushrooms – Top with the cooked mushrooms, spreading them evenly too.
Bake – Lift the baking paper and tart onto the hot tray. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden, puffed and crisp, including underneath.
Finish – Sprinkle the tart with fresh thyme leaves and salt flakes. Drizzle with truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Serve – Cut into 4 or 6 pieces or more if you want smaller. Enjoy while hot!
How To Serve Mushroom and Gruyère Tart
Serve the tart warm, straight from the oven. For a lovely French meal, add a French Bistro Salad or my Baby Gem Salad that we shared last week. It also pairs well with other fresh salads like our Favourite Tomato Salad, the Garden Salad, a Mega Italian Salad or more classic like a Rocket with Balsamic Dressing.
It would also work great cut it into small squares and passed around as an appetiser or canapés.
That’s it for this one! If you make it, please let me know how it goes. I always enjoy reading your feedback or seeing your versions. Bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – Mushroom and Gruyère Tart
Yes. Assemble the tart and keep it in the fridge on a tray. Make sure the mushrooms are fully cooled before assembling and keep the pastry cold so it puffs properly. Bake straight from the fridge on a preheated hot tray. I haven’t tried to assemble, freeze and cook. But please let me know if you do!
See ingredients list above. ☝️😊
Yes, if they have a similar shape and structure to Swiss brown mushrooms. White cup / button mushrooms or portobello work well because they slice neatly and sit flat on the pastry.
Avoid other mushrooms with irregular shapes. They don’t layer evenly, so you won’t get a consistent topping, and they don’t give the same texture once baked on a flat tart like this.
Yes. Reheat at 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) for about 10 minutes until the pastry crips again.
Watch How to Make It
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JB’s Mushroom Tart
Ingredients
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10″ square), barely thawed (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 400g / 14oz Swiss brown mushrooms , sliced 0.5cm (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , use half for table salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (tightly packed) Gruyère cheese , grated (Note 2)
- 2 tsp (10g) unsalted butter , melted (for brushing)
Toppings
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 pinch sea salt flakes
- truffle oil or good extra virgin olive oil , to drizzle (optional) (Note 4)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Sauté mushrooms 5 minutes. Place puff pastry on baking paper, fold a 1 cm / 0.4" border, brush edges with butter, top with Gruyère and mushrooms. Bake on the preheated tray for 30 minutes. Finish with fresh thyme, salt flakes and truffle oil.
FULL RECIPE
- Hot tray – Place a baking tray in the oven. Turn the oven on and preheat to 210°C / 410°F (190°C fan).
- Cook the mushrooms – Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft. Transfer mushrooms to a colander over a bowl to drain in case of excess liquid.
- Prepare the base – Place a sheet of baking paper / parchment paper on the bench. Put the puff pastry on top. Fold the edges inwards to create a 1 cm / 0.4″ border and brush them with melted butter.
- Assemble – Spread the grated Gruyère evenly over the pastry. Top with the mushrooms, spreading them evenly too.
- Bake – Lift the baking paper and tart onto the hot tray in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp (sides and underneath).
- Finish and serve – Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and salt flakes. Drizzle with truffle oil or a good virgin olive oil (optional but highly recommended). Cut and serve hot.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Remembering Dozer
This photo takes me back to the early days at the old HQ, helping Nagi shooting recipes for the first cookbook “Dinner”. The studio downstairs was being renovated so we had to make do with what we had, I am sure you’ll appreciate the garbage bags taped on the window! And Dozer, of course, right where he believed he should be. Sitting between my legs, convinced he wasn’t taking up any space at all. Always there, watching, making sure things were done properly, or at least in a way that involved snacks! But we all know he was a meat lover and this time I don’t think he realised we were shooting our stuffed butternut pumpkin! 😅
Can you give the weight for the puff pastry. I’m in Canada and our pastry doesn’t come in 10″ sheets. I thought I might try and make my own.
This is so easy and 100% delicious. A terrific lunch dish and perfect for my vegetarian friends. I will make it again – and again. Thank you.
Thanks Nicola! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
The “PC brand Butter puff pastry”in the freezer section comes with two rolls in the box and each roll is 10” square. Hope this helps .
Thanks for your suggestion Deb. The problem is PC Puff isn’t all butter. It also contains vegetable oils and palm oils, and I prefer to avoid palm oils.
Ingredients
Enriched Wheat Flour, Water, Butter (milk), Vegetable And Palm Oil Shortening Product (vegetable And Palm Oil, Water), Corn Starch, Wheat Gluten. May Contain: Egg, Soy, Sesame, Mustard.
Great recipe JB! Husband who is not entirely sold by veg dishes even commented yum!! 🌟🌟🌟
Hi Beverley! Thank you for commenting! I’m glad you guys liked it 🙂
Hey team
Super keen to make this….just wondering your thoughts of putting garlic in it….?
Hi Moya, I almost did! But I wanted to keep the number of ingredients as low as I could for that one. You know it will taste even better with garlic 🙂
Everything tastes better with garlic 🤣
Lovely and 2 lessons for me thank you JB.
1. Drain mushroom liquid
2. Use HOT pan, makes great Puff!
Hi Dennis, yes the draining mushroom trick is just in case because not all mushrooms leave water behind but better be safe right! And the hot pan is the real trick to keep your puff crispy underneath 🙂
Lunch was sorted, the tart was delicious. My husband, the carnivore, said he didn’t even mind it didn’t have a meat component. Thank you for the great recipe Nagi and JB. Love the Dozer photo!
Hi Gabriella, thank you for your husband’s comment and yours too!
This mushroom tart looks absolutely delicious! I love how simple French recipes can be while still delivering incredible flavors. It reminds me of the balance between simplicity and depth – kind of like how some of the best games are easy to learn but hard to master (like 2048, one of my favorites at kuakua.app/games/2048 for a quick mental break).
Definitely saving this recipe for the weekend. Thanks for sharing, JB!
Thank for your comment Alex! This tart definitely ticks a lot of boxes in term of a quick and easy one 🙂
Dear Nagi,
Your recipes are always so creative and delicious but some nights I just need a night off from cooking. The mushroom tart is going to be one of those nights. Thank you JB.
Is it also possible Nagi you could include a few easy air fryer recipes sometimes? That would be fabulous. Healthy recipes so I don’t feel too guilty about not really cooking that night but still interesting and yummy if possible!
Thank you also for the tributes to Dozer which are so beautiful and heartwarming. Our world has so much unnecessary conflict and violence at the moment, acts of love and kindness really remind you how beautiful our world can be when we all just believe in love and looking after each other and our planet.
Dianne
Hi Dianne, thank you so much for your kind message, I’m really glad the mushroom tart made your “night off” list! That’s a great idea about air fryer recipes. We’re not planning to focus on them right now, but we’ll definitely keep it in mind. And thank you for your beautiful words about Dozer ♥️
Tart looks rich and delicious but I only came to remember Dozer 🙂 much love from Hawaii 🌺
Hi! Thank you for commenting and coming here just for Dozer is the best reason really ♥️
Excellent recipe. A fantastic photo. Really great memories of a great dog.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jen, thank you for commenting. I hope you get to try the recipe soon 🙂
Just made two! Perfect!! Thank you!!!
Yes!! Thanks Karen!
Definitely on the Saturday night dinner menu.
Secondly, as a trivial piece of trivia, cremini are just young Portobellos.
So how was it?? I wanna know! And thank you for telling that about creminis, I didn’t know it!
My husband made this for dinner paired with some sous vide fillet steak (reversed seared) we added a touch of garlic to the mushrooms, delicious! Thanks JB!
Thank you Amanda and Dale for the feedback! That dinner sounds delicious 🙂
Oh, la la! This is merveilleux! Merci beaucoup.
Hi Susan, haha oui oui! Thank you very much!!
Very cute pic of Dozer. A dog with immense personality it seems. I still look for his section with every recipe. Thanks for sharing the memories. Sending joy and peace for continued healing and comfort.
The recipe looks delicious – can’t wait to try it.
Hi Patricia, thank you for commenting. Dozer is still an important part of RecipeTin Eats ♥️
Thank you for the funny photo of you and Dozer (between your legs!!). You’d be a good player of the Twister game 🙂
Haha I’m not bad at it that’s true! Thanks Marca!
Please explain what Tasty cheese is. I’m in USA and I’ve not heard of it.
It’s a type of cheddar that has a strong, sharp taste and slightly crumbly texture. Very popular in Australia and NZ for cooking.
Tasty is a cheddar that actually has some flavour, unlike Colby and Edam that are basically flavourless.
Thank you for wonderful recipe and for allowing Dozer to live on with your precious Dozer memories!
A really tasty easy dish, I used all my leftover bits of cheese and cut the pastry into individual pieces before baking,they look so nice on the plate that way and the cheese remains contained
Thank you Suzi, great job on making them individual!!
You are welcome Debora! It’s very important for us to keep Dozer spirit up. Thank you for your comment. ♥️
I prepared thi evening as individual portions. Wonderful. Thank you
wonderful delicious. I prepared individual portions with the same lenght of time in the oven. Easy to serve. Thank you
Hi Anna Maria, thank you for the feedback! I’m glad everything worked out 🙂
Thanks for the delicious recipe JB! Made it for a family gathering and everyone loved it! Great pic of Dozer.
Hi June, that sounds great! How many were you? Was it enough?? 🙂