Ina Garten zucchini and goat cheese tart with overlapping spiral rings of zucchini on a golden flaky crust, one wedge cut
Dinner Recipes

Ina Garten Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

Ina Garten Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart turns thin zucchini slices, creamy goat cheese and a flaky butter crust into a golden savory tart in 2 hours 20 minutes. It's an easy make-ahead lunch tart for Sunday brunch, summer dinner parties or spring potlucks, and it's vegetarian.

Salt the zucchini for 30 minutes and squeeze out the liquid before it goes on the tart. Skip that and the water leaks into the crust, leaving you with a soggy bottom instead of a crisp one.

Ina Garten got this tart from Maria Sinskey, who cooks for the visitors at her husband Robert's Napa Valley vineyard. Maria's trick is a splash of white wine vinegar in the dough, which keeps the crust flaky under all that cheese.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

What you need for this recipe

Cuisinart 14-cup food processor

Pulse the flour and cold butter to pea sized crumbs without warming the dough.

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J.K. Adams French rolling pin

Rolls the dough into an 11 inch circle on a floured board, ready for the cheese.

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Nordic Ware half sheet pan

The tart bakes free form on parchment at 400 degrees until the edge turns golden.

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Ina's pantry Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb

The salt Ina measures with. Other brands are saltier, so her amounts fit this one.

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Ina Garten Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

0.0 from 0 votes
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

40

minutes
Cooking time

50

minutes
Calories

420

kcal

Overlapping rings of zucchini sit on a tangy layer of herbed goat cheese inside a buttery, flaky crust. As it bakes, the edges turn golden and the slices soften into a tender spiral.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, 1/2-inch-diced

  • 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

  • 5 tablespoons ice water

  • 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick (see note)

  • 2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided

  • 8 ounces plain creamy goat cheese, such as Montrachet, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

  • Make the dough: Pulse 1 1/4 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 10 tablespoons cold diced butter in a food processor 12 to 14 times, until pea-sized crumbs form. With the machine running, pour in 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar and 5 tablespoons ice water, then pulse until the dough just comes together.
  • Chill the dough: Dump the dough onto a floured board, form it into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Then chill it for 30 minutes so the butter firms up again.
  • Salt the zucchini: While the dough chills, put the 1 1/2 pounds of sliced zucchini in a colander over a plate and toss with 2 teaspoons salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes so the salt draws out the extra water.
  • Squeeze and season: Spread the zucchini on a clean dish towel, roll it up and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid. Then toss the slices in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Mix the goat cheese: Mash together 8 ounces goat cheese, 1 teaspoon minced thyme, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Set it aside at room temperature so it spreads easily.
  • Roll out the dough: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough on a floured board into an 11-inch circle, then set it on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
  • Spread the cheese: Spread the goat cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. That bare edge becomes the golden crust.
  • Layer the zucchini: Lay the slices in tightly overlapping circles, starting at the very edge of the pastry, since the zucchini shrinks as it bakes. Keep going inward until the whole tart is covered.
  • Bake the tart: Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.
  • Slice and serve: Cut the tart into wedges and serve it hot, warm or at room temperature. It tastes good any of those ways, so there's no rush.

Tools for this recipe

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Love this one? It is from Ina's book Make It Ahead.

FAQs

Can I assemble this zucchini tart ahead of time?

Yes, roll out the dough and assemble the whole tart, then cover it and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Bake it just before serving so the crust stays crisp.

What can I use instead of goat cheese?

Cream cheese or ricotta works if you want a milder flavor, though the tart loses some of its tang. Mix in the thyme and lemon zest the same way, since they carry most of the flavor.

How do I cut the zucchini into even slices?

Pick zucchini of similar diameters so the rounds come out the same size. Slice by hand with a sharp knife or use a mandoline, aiming for 1/8 inch thick.

Do I need a food processor for the crust?

No, you can cut the cold butter into the flour and salt with a pastry cutter or two knives until the pieces are pea-sized. Then stir in the vinegar and ice water until the dough just holds together.

How do I get a great 11-inch circle of dough?

Roll the dough out a little bigger than you need, about 12 or 13 inches across. Then fold it into quarters, trim the rough edge with a sharp knife and unfold it into a neat circle.

This week on Amazon

Prime Big Deal Days run October 6 and 7, two days of deals for Prime members. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Nordic Ware half sheet pan.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Nordic Ware half sheet pan.

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Ina's new cookbook Simply Ina comes out October 20. Pre-orders are open.

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