Beetroot and Goat Cheese Tart

Earthy beetroot and sharp goat cheese make an effortless filling for crisp puff pastry. A little balsamic glaze sharpens the sweet roots and gives the finished tart a glossy edge.

Cook the beets ahead or use good-quality vacuum-packed beets without vinegar. The pastry needs cold ingredients to rise into distinct, flaky layers.

Ingredients

• 500 g cooked beetroot, ideally a mix of red and golden
• 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, about 320 g
• 150 g soft goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus sprigs to serve
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 210°C and place a large baking sheet inside. Pat the beetroot dry and cut it into thin rounds.
2. Unroll the pastry onto baking paper. Score a 2 cm border without cutting through the pastry, then prick the centre with a fork.
3. Mix the goat cheese, crème fraîche, mustard, garlic, and half the thyme. Season with black pepper and spread the mixture inside the border.
4. Overlap the beetroot slices across the filling. Brush them with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Brush the pastry border with beaten egg.
5. Slide the tart and its paper onto the hot baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp underneath.
6. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and scatter over the remaining thyme before slicing.

Serve it with

A peppery salad dressed with lemon makes this tart a complete lunch. Leftover slices also travel well at room temperature.

Time and portions

Allow about 20 minutes to assemble the tart and 25–30 minutes to bake it. Cut into four lunch portions or six smaller pieces. These timings start with cooked beetroot; cooking raw beets is an additional step.

Keep the pastry crisp

Pat cooked beetroot dry before slicing, especially if it came in a vacuum pack. Excess moisture can soften the pastry under the filling. Keep the pastry cold while preparing the cheese mixture, and do not cut all the way through when scoring the border.

A preheated baking sheet helps the underside cook. Lift one corner carefully near the end to check that the base is golden, rather than relying only on the raised edges. If the top is colouring quickly, lower the tray in the oven and continue checking.

Ingredient swaps

Plain cooked beetroot works better here than vinegar-pickled beets. If you only have pickled beetroot, drain it thoroughly and reduce or omit the balsamic glaze. Soft goat cheese makes a spreadable filling; a firmer cheese should be crumbled finely and mixed with the crème fraîche.

Dried thyme can replace fresh thyme in the filling; start with a smaller amount and taste. Use a little milk on the pastry border instead of egg if needed, remembering that the crust may colour differently.

Leftovers

Cool and refrigerate the tart within two hours, then eat within two days or freeze it, following Food Standards Agency guidance. Reheat in an oven until steaming hot throughout to help restore the pastry texture. A microwave warms the filling but tends to soften the base.

Make a lunch menu

Pair the tart with roasted carrot soup or a pear and gorgonzola salad. Check each recipe’s allergens before planning a shared meal.