Caramelised Onion Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart

Discover this show-stopping caramelised onion tomato and goat’s cheese tart with buttery puff pastry, sweet caramelized onions, and tangy goat cheese. Easy elegance!

What Makes This Tart Special?

This caramelised onion tomato and goat’s cheese tart combines golden, sweet caramelized yellow onions with tangy fresh goat cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes atop flaky puff pastry, creating layers of contrasting flavors—savory-sweet caramelized onions balanced by creamy, acidic cheese and jammy tomatoes with a buttery, crisp pastry base.

I stumbled onto this beauty one Sunday afternoon when I had surprise guests coming over and needed something that looked fancy but wouldn’t stress me out. You know that moment when you open the fridge and see random vegetables staring back at you?

That’s how this tart was born. The magic happens when those onions slowly caramelize into golden, jammy sweetness, and honestly, the smell alone will have everyone wandering into your kitchen asking when dinner’s ready.

For another stunning tomato and goat cheese tart (this time with a homemade flaky crust and melty onions), don’t miss our ultimate tomato and goat cheese tart—it’s rustic, elegant, and absolutely showstopping.

Why You’ll Love This Tomato Caramelised Onion Goat Cheese Tart

This goat cheese tart with caramelised onions and tomatoes is about to become your go-to entertaining recipe, and here’s why:

It looks ridiculously impressive but uses store-bought puff pastry as your secret weapon. Nobody needs to know you didn’t hand-laminate that dough at 5 a.m.

The flavor combination is absolutely addictive. Sweet, tangy, savory, creamy—every bite hits different notes. I’ve watched people who claim they don’t like goat cheese devour two slices.

It’s flexible as heck. Serve it warm for dinner, at room temperature for lunch, or cold from the fridge at midnight when you’re sneaking leftovers. It’s delicious every single time.

Caramelizing onions is pure kitchen therapy. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching those onions transform from sharp and white to golden and sweet. Just you, a pan, and the gentle sizzle of patience paying off.

I learned this onion technique from a chef friend who insisted on low and slow cooking. According to Serious Eats, the Maillard reaction that creates those complex caramelized flavors happens best between 140–165°C, which is why patience absolutely matters here. Don’t rush it.

Nutritional Peek (Per Serving)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	420
Protein	12g
Carbohydrates	38g
Fat	25g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	9g

Values are approximate and based on 4 servings

What You’ll Need

Creating this easy caramelised onion tomato tart with goat’s cheese starts with simple, quality ingredients. Trust me, when you’re working with this few components, each one really shines through.

Amount	Ingredient	Notes
4	Yellow Onions	Medium-sized; they’ll cook down significantly
2 tablespoon	Brown Sugar	Helps kickstart the caramelization
Splash	White Wine	For deglazing; use something you’d drink
1 Roll	Puff Pastry	Thawed according to package instructions
½ cup	Fresh Goat Cheese	The tangy, creamy kind—don’t substitute with the aged firm stuff
15-20	Cherry Tomatoes	Look for the sweetest ones you can find
As needed	Olive Oil	Extra virgin for the tomatoes, regular for cooking onions
½ teaspoon	Oregano	Dried works perfectly here
To taste	Salt	Flaky sea salt for finishing is gorgeous
To taste	Black Pepper	Freshly cracked makes a difference

The goat cheese is really the star here alongside those onions. If you’re curious about working with different artisan cheeses.

Equipment You’ll Need

Essential Tools:

• Large skillet or frying pan (for caramelizing onions)
• Tart pan (or baking sheet works too)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Small mixing bowl (for marinating tomatoes)
• Fork (for docking the pastry)
• Parchment paper

Nice to Have:

• Aluminum foil (if you want to char those tomatoes under the broiler)
• Pastry brush (for any finishing touches)

How to Make This Beauty Step-by-Step

Let me walk you through making this caramelised onion tomato and goat’s cheese tart like we’re cooking together in my kitchen. Pour yourself a glass of wine (you’ll need some for the recipe anyway), and let’s do this.

1. Get your oven ready and prep the tomatoes. Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F)—you want it properly hot for that puff pastry to puff beautifully. Halve those cherry tomatoes and toss them in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and oregano. Give them a good massage with your hands to coat everything evenly, then set aside to marinate. They’ll get jammy and sweet while they wait.

2. Start the onion magic. Peel your yellow onions, halve them through the root, and slice them into even half-moons—about 5mm thick is perfect. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, drizzle generously with olive oil, then add the sliced onions and brown sugar. Stir everything together so the sugar coats the onions. This is where the magic begins.

3. Caramelize with patience. Keep those onions moving constantly as they start to brown—this prevents burning while encouraging even caramelization. If they’re browning too quickly, lower the heat to medium.

You want them golden and soft, not charred. This takes about 15-20 minutes of active stirring, so put on some music or a podcast. When the onions are gorgeously browned, add a good splash of white wine to deglaze the pan (it’ll sizzle dramatically—so satisfying). Let the wine evaporate for about 30 seconds.

4. Finish the onions low and slow. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan, season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to low. Let those onions soften and become translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add another splash of water if needed, but by the end, all liquid should be evaporated. You’re aiming for sweet, jammy, melt-in-your-mouth onions that hold together.

5. Prepare your pastry base. Line your tart pan with parchment paper, then unroll the puff pastry and press it gently into the pan. Take a fork and dock the entire bottom of the pastry—just poke holes all over. This prevents the pastry from puffing up too much in the center and creating a dough balloon. Nobody wants a dough balloon.

6. Build your layers. Spread the caramelized onions evenly across the bottom of the pastry—they’re your sweet, savory foundation. Next, take the goat cheese and break it into chunks with your fingers, distributing it evenly over the onions.

Don’t worry about making it perfect; those rustic chunks will melt into creamy pockets. Finally, arrange the marinated cherry tomatoes on top, cut side facing down. Press them gently into the cheese.

7. Bake to golden perfection. Slide the tart onto the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. You’re watching for the puff pastry edges to turn deep golden brown and puff up beautifully. The tomatoes should be softened and slightly blistered.

8. Optional: Add some char. If you want those tomatoes gorgeously charred (and honestly, you do), cover the pastry edges with aluminum foil to protect them, then switch your oven to broil. Give it just 2-3 minutes—watch carefully because broilers are aggressive. Those tomato tops will char and caramelize into something truly special.

9. Rest and serve. Let the tart cool for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. This lets everything set up so your slices are clean, not a molten mess. Though honestly, even a molten mess tastes incredible.

Pro Tips & Guidance for Tart Success

Starting with this goat cheese tart with caramelised onions and tomatoes, here are the lessons I’ve learned through trial, error, and plenty of taste-testing.

Don’t rush the onions. Seriously, this is where most people stumble. Caramelization is a chemical process that needs time and moderate heat. According to King Arthur Baking, true caramelization happens when the natural sugars in onions break down at temperatures between 140-165°C (284-329°F).

Crank the heat too high and you’ll get burned onions with bitter undertones instead of sweet, golden perfection. Give yourself at least 20 minutes for this step.

Room temperature puff pastry is your friend. Take the pastry out of the fridge about 10-15 minutes before you need it. Too cold and it cracks when you unroll it; too warm and it’s sticky and won’t puff properly. You want it flexible but still cool to touch.

Dock that dough thoroughly. Those fork holes are crucial. Without them, steam gets trapped under the pastry and creates a giant bubble that pushes all your toppings off to the side. I learned this the hard way at a dinner party. Poke generously.

Don’t skip marinating the tomatoes. Even that short 20-minute marinade while you’re caramelizing onions makes a huge difference. The tomatoes absorb the oregano and olive oil, and they release their juices more readily during baking, creating little pockets of concentrated tomato flavor.

Use fresh goat cheese, not aged. Fresh, soft goat cheese melts into creamy tanginess. Aged goat cheese stays crumbly and firm. For this tart, you want that melty, creamy texture that oozes between the onions.

What If Things Go Wrong?

Why are my onions burning instead of caramelizing? No worries—your heat’s just too high. Lower it to medium or even medium-low, and add a splash of water to stop the burning. Stir more frequently and give them more time. Patience wins this race.

My puff pastry didn’t puff. What happened? This usually means the pastry got too warm before baking or the oven wasn’t hot enough. Make sure your oven is fully preheated to 220°C, and keep the pastry cold until you’re ready to build the tart. Also, check that your puff pastry hasn’t expired—old pastry loses its rising power.

The bottom of my tart is soggy. How do I fix this? The culprit is likely excess moisture from the onions or tomatoes. Next time, make sure the onions have no liquid left when you finish caramelizing them, and pat the marinated tomatoes dry with paper towel before arranging them on the tart. You can also blind-bake the pastry for 5 minutes before adding toppings.

Can I make the components ahead to save time? Absolutely! Caramelize the onions up to 3 days ahead and store them in the fridge. Marinate the tomatoes the morning of. Then assembly takes just 5 minutes before baking. This tart is actually perfect for entertaining because you can do the fussy bits earlier.

What if my goat cheese tastes too strong? Some goat cheeses are tangier than others. If yours is quite sharp, reduce the amount to ⅓ cup and add ¼ cup of cream cheese or ricotta to mellow it out. You’ll still get that characteristic tang without it overpowering everything.

Delicious Variations & Twists

This easy caramelised onion tomato tart with goat’s cheese is incredibly versatile. Here are some riffs I’ve tried and loved.

Add some greens. Toss a handful of baby spinach or arugula over the hot tart right when it comes out of the oven. The residual heat wilts the greens just enough while adding fresh, peppery notes.

Make it meaty. Crumble some crispy bacon or pancetta over the onions before adding the goat cheese. The salty, smoky pork plays beautifully with the sweet onions and tangy cheese.

Go Mediterranean. Swap the oregano for thyme and add sliced Kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Try different cheeses. While goat cheese is traditional, crumbled feta, shredded gruyere, or even blue cheese chunks create entirely different but equally delicious tarts. Each brings its own personality to the party.

Make mini tarts for parties. Cut the puff pastry into squares or circles and make individual tartlets in a muffin tin. They’re perfect for cocktail parties and everyone gets their own.

How to Serve, Store & Reheat

Serving suggestions: This tart is gorgeous served warm or at room temperature. I love it with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette—the peppery greens and bright acid cut through the richness perfectly. For brunch, serve it with a fried egg on top. The runny yolk mixing with the caramelized onions is nothing short of magical.

Storage: Cover leftovers tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. The tart keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pastry will soften slightly as it sits, but the flavor actually deepens.

Reheating: For the crispiest results, reheat slices in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 8-10 minutes until warmed through and the pastry crisps up again. You can also use an air fryer at 160°C for 5-6 minutes. Microwaving works in a pinch but makes the pastry chewy rather than crisp.

If savory bakes are your specialty, our easy crawfish mini pies feature golden pastry and hearty fillings—perfect for entertaining and just as satisfying for casual gatherings.

No-Waste Kitchen Magic

Save those onion scraps. Collect the onion peels and root ends in a freezer bag to make vegetable stock. Same goes for tomato cores if you’re using larger tomatoes.

Leftover goat cheese? Blend it with herbs and a splash of cream to make a quick pasta sauce, or spread it on toast with honey for breakfast. It also freezes surprisingly well for up to 2 months.

Got extra puff pastry? Cut it into strips, twist them, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, and bake for quick cheese straws. They’ll disappear faster than you can say “caramelised onion.”

Stale tart slices can be chopped and added to a frittata or quiche for a layered flavor boost that’s honestly better than the original.

Your Questions Answered

For more crust mastery (sweet and savory), see our complete guide to homemade pies—full of techniques, flavor ideas, and troubleshooting tips for flaky, bakery-worthy results every time.

Let’s Celebrate This Tart Together

This caramelised onion tomato and goat’s cheese tart is one of those recipes that makes you look like a culinary genius with surprisingly little effort. The combination of sweet caramelized onions, tangy creamy goat cheese, and jammy roasted tomatoes on buttery puff pastry is just… chef’s kiss.

I’d love to hear how yours turns out! Drop a comment below with your favorite variation or tag me with your photos. There’s nothing I love more than seeing your beautiful creations come to life.

Baked with love by Rebeccah Ellene.