by Chenée Lewis
I'm a huge fan of puff pastry. It's easy to use, buttery, flaky, and instantly makes any dish both elegant and indulgent at the same time. But I think my favorite thing about puff pastry is its versatility. You can use it in desserts, breakfast recipes, savory snacks and appetizers, or main dishes and it's always perfect! Today we're using it for a pear puff pastry tart! Topped with juicy pear, caramelized onions, crumbled blue cheese, and walnuts, it's ideal for an appetizer, party snack, or for a get-together at home! I love the combination of pear and caramelized onion, especially with crunch of the walnuts and the flavor contrast of the blue cheese and honey. It's a flavor party for sure!
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
What can I do with caramelized onions?
Caramelized onions are a truly magical ingredient! In this pear puff pastry tart recipe, they're perfect for adding a savory-sweet, deeply delicious flavor. You can also use them as a pizza or sandwich topping, a mix-in in a dip for chips or cheese sauce, or to amp up your pasta or mac and cheese! I also love them on eggs!
Once you've made your caramelized onions, you're well on your way to enjoying this amazingly flavorful pear puff pastry tart! And the best part is that caramelized onions last for days in the fridge, so the possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- frozen puff pastry - The simplicity of this puff pastry tart comes from the puff pastry itself! It's so easy to work with, and always gives you a flaky, buttery, perfect base for any topping. For this recipe, you'll just want to thaw your store-bought puff pastry in the fridge or at room temperature according to the package directions, and it's ready to go!
- egg wash - we'll use an egg whisked with a tablespoon of water to create an egg wash, which serves two purposes in this puff pastry tart. First, it helps to give the edges of our tart a golden brown, flaky texture that we want in a perfect pastry! Also, our egg wash helps to create a barrier under our filling so that the bottom of our puff pastry tart stays crispy and firm as well -- no soggy bottoms here!
- pears - I used organic Bartlett pears for this puff pastry tart -- I just sliced the pears into thin slices and they were ready to be added to the tart!
- caramelized onions - my favorite part! This puff pastry tart gets so much of its amazing flavor from caramelized onions. If you haven't made caramelized onions before, this post at Simply Recipes is a great resource! You can make them once and they'll last for several days in the fridge! Or, if you're pressed for time you can find jarred caramelized onions as well.
- walnuts - I love the crunch that walnuts give to this puff pastry tart! You can swap out walnuts for another nut of your choice, like pecans or hazelnuts, or omit them altogether.
- blue cheese - adds a bold punch of savory flavor to this tart! If you would prefer to tone it down a bit, you can swap in Brie or Gouda.
- honey - the perfect finishing touch. I love the sweetness honey gives this puff pastry tart!
Tips and F.A.Q.
Do you cook puff pastry before filling?
You might with other puff pastry recipes, especially ones with no-bake fillings or fresh fruit. For this tart, we're baking the puff pastry along with the filling.
Should I egg wash puff pastry?
Definitely! I don't think I've every made a puff pastry dish without using an egg wash. It helps to give you that golden brown, flaky texture and keeps any filling from seeping through to the pastry base.
How can you keep puff pastry from getting soggy?
First, definitely use an egg wash! As I mentioned, the egg wash provides a moisture barrier to keep any moisture from getting into the base of this puff pastry tart. Second, we'll be piercing the base of the puff pastry to keep it from rising too much in the center, but that step also helps the center of the pastry to cook more quickly. So we're sure to end up with a crisp, nicely browned puff pastry tart!
What can go wrong with puff pastry?
One of the biggest issues with puff pastry is unfolding it before it's completely thawed. Make sure you have thawed it completely according to the directions on the package so that you don't end up with cracks in the pastry. That said, it's also important to work with puff pastry while it's still a bit cold. Don't let your puff pastry sit at room temperature for more than 40 minutes before making this puff pastry tart; otherwise it may be too soft and sticky to work with.
What type of onions do you caramelize?
And type that you like! The easiest to caramelize are Vidalia onions and other yellow onions, but red onions and white onions can be caramelized as well! For an easy method to caramelize onions, check out this Simply Recipes post!
What if I don't have blue cheese?
You can definitely swap the blue cheese for brie, goat cheese! Any cheese that fits well with the sweet and savory notes of the honey, caramelized onions, and pear.
Related Recipes
If you love this savory pear puff pastry tart, I've got so many more goodies for you! First off, my brie and cranberry puff pastry tart is a MUST, especially around the holidays! It's just as easy as this pear tart, but with all the great holiday flavors your guests will love!
Also, if you need another use for your caramelized onion, check out my Havarti Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Caramelized Onion! It's a gourmet spin on a tradition grilled cheese sandwich, with Havarti and Emmental cheeses, caramelized onion, whole grain Dijon mustard, and seeded rye bread. My kind of late-night snack!
And for another fun appetizer for your upcoming get-togethers, try this summer sausage recipe that's perfect for a cheese board!
📖 Recipe
Pear Puff Pastry Tart with Caramelized Onion
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
A savory-sweet appetizer tart with buttery, flaky puff pastry, fresh pear, caramelized onion, walnuts and honey!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine :American
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 338kcal
Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry - thawed according to package directions
- all-purpose flour - for dusting
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 small pears - thinly sliced
- ½ cup (118 g) caramelized onions - (see note)
- ½ cup (118 g) walnut halves and pieces
- ¼ cup (34 g) Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
- 3 tablespoon (44 ml) honey - for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner.
Roll out pastry to a 10×15 inch rectangle. Fold in edges of pastry ½ inch to form a border and crimp edges if you like. and pierce all over the inner part of the puff pastry with a fork. Brush all over inner portion and outside edge of puff pastry with egg wash.
Place sliced pears in a single layer onto pastry. Evenly spread caramelized onions over and between pears. Sprinkle with walnuts, followed by blue cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 min. Drizzle with honey and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Caramelized Onions: You can buy store-bought caramelized onions, but they're simple to make yourself and they keep well for days in the fridge!For an easy method to caramelize onions, check out this Simply Recipes post!
Nutrition
Calories: 338 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 26 mg | Sodium: 136 mg | Potassium: 170 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 11 g | Vitamin A: 74 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 47 mg | Iron: 1 mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can't wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!
PIN this pear puff pastry tart recipe for later!
Last Updated on May 23, 2023 by Chenée Lewis
More Savory
- Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer
- Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
- Ricotta Lemon Pasta
- Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
Reader Interactions
Comments
Elizabeth
What a beautiful and delicious recipe! It makes such a pretty presentation. Thanks for sharing!Reply
Sara Welch
See AlsoHomemade Whipped Cream Recipe
This was such a unique and unexpected twist to a traditional tart! Love the balance of flavors and textures; easily, a new favorite recipe!Reply
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! Glad you like it! 🙂
Reply
Ryan Allen
Wow this tart looks incredible. I can't wait to give it a try this week. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe.Reply
Chenée Lewis
Hope you enjoy!
Reply
Kathleen
What marvelous flavors in this puff pastry appetizer. Pears, caramelized onions and blue cheese. I can't wait to make this.Reply
Nathan
This tart is absolute perfection! Such a perfect balance of sweet and savory ingredients, and the puff pastry is a delicious and flaky base. Definitely a new favorite!Reply
Chenée Lewis
Wonderful! Thank you so much!
Reply
Anjali
This is such a gorgeous tart!! We are having family over this weekend and I can't wait to make it as an appetizer for everyone!Reply
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! Hope your family enjoys it!!
Reply
Beth
Yummy! This tart was so yummy and very addicting. Blue cheese anything is one of my favorites! Such a great combination and the flavors are amazing! I’ll definitely make this again!Reply
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love blue cheese anything too!
Reply
veenaazmanov
Delicious and the best platter for a Tea Time Treat. I just need to check this out.Reply
Chenée Lewis
I hope you enjoy!!
Reply
Biana
Yum! I love how simple this tart is to make and how delicious it looks.Reply
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! It's so yummy!
Reply
Sharon
This tart has everything! Sweet, salty, tart, crunchy, with creamy blue cheese. The perfect dish for get-togethers.Reply
Chenée Lewis
I agree! Thank you!
Reply
Jessica
I've never heard of pear with blue cheese before, I suppose you could serve it as an appetizer and a dessert! It really looks delicious, I am intrigued to see what it tastes like so I am going to make this very soon!
Reply
Chenée Lewis
Great! I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to hearing what you think! 🙂
Reply
Let Me Know What You Think!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
