Mushroom, Leek, and Whipped Ricotta Puff Pastry Tarts
These individual savory puff pastry tarts are a delicious vegetarian brunch, lunch, or dinner entree. These tarts feature creamy whipped ricotta plus mushrooms and leeks sauteed with fresh herbs. Using store bought puff pastry means these tarts come together in 30 minutes!
As a Registered Dietitian who primarily follows a plant-based diet, I love to create nutritious vegetarian recipes that feel unique and special. These individual serving mushroom leek tarts are a fun and different take on a vegetarian entree. Savory tarts are so delicious, so you do not have to follow a plant-based diet to enjoy them!
While these mushroom tarts may look impressive, you’ll use store bought puff pastry to make them quite easy to make. They come together in just about 30 minutes. This recipe makes eight servings, or eight individual tarts. These savory tarts are vegetarian, nut free, and soy free.
Looking for more vegetarian mushroom recipes to try? Check out my mushroom & kale farro risotto, vegetarian mushroom enchiladas, and vegetarian gyro bowls with portobello mushrooms.
Step-by-step video
Ingredients in mushroom and leek puff pastry tarts
Here is everything you will need to make this recipe:
- Store bought frozen puff pastry
- Mixed mushrooms – I used a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms
- Leeks
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Ricotta cheese
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Lemon zest
- Olive oil
- Eggs
- Salt and pepper
Kitchen tools needed
To make this recipe, you’ll need a large baking sheet, a food processor, a large baking sheet, a pastry brush, and parchment paper.
What do leeks taste like?
Leeks taste similar to other allium vegetables, which include onions, garlic, and shallots. Leeks have a more delicate flavor than onions, which pairs perfectly with meaty mushrooms.
What part of leeks do you eat?
Typically, the white and light green parts of leeks are eaten. The dark green leaves are totally edible, they just don’t hold as much of the onion-y flavor as the white and light green parts. You can save the dark green leaves to make homemade vegetable stock.
How to clean leeks
Leeks have many tight layers which can easily trap dirt and sand. It’s important to clean leeks before you cook with them to get rid of all this debris.
To clean leeks, first slice up the light green and white parts up into thin rounds. Place the leeks in a bowl filled with cold water. Separate some of the layers with your hands and let the leeks soak in the water for 5-10 minutes. The debris will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the leeks float on top.
Remove the leeks from the water and pat them dry. Now they are ready to cook!
How to make puff pastry tarts
- Start by defrosting frozen puff pastry according to the package instructions.
- Use a knife to cut the puff pastry into four squares on a lightly floured surface.
- Poke a few holes in each piece of puff pastry with a fork. Use a knife to carve a 1/2 inch border into each square, being sure not to cut all the way through.
- Par-bake the puff pastry pieces on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for about 10 minutes.
- Cook the mushrooms, leeks, garlic, and herbs on the stovetop.
- Make the whipped ricotta: blend up ricotta cheese, lemon zest, Greek yogurt, salt, and olive oil in a food processor.
- Remove the par-baked pastry shells. Spread whipped ricotta cheese into the center of each pastry. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then top with the cooked vegetables.
- Use a pastry brush to spread egg yolk onto the edges of the pastry (optional).
- Continue to bake for about 10 minutes, until edges are deep golden brown and flaky.
What to serve with puff pastry tarts
These individual tarts are good appetizer idea, or a unique entree to serve to vegetarian friends. Alongside a green salad, they make a wonderful lunch, brunch, or dinner option! Serve these tarts with one of my favorite salads:
- Kale and apple slaw
- Simple kale and romaine salad
- Apple, cranberry, and walnut salad
- Asian pear arugula salad
- Fall farro salad with butternut squash
Storing puff pastry tarts
These tarts are best enjoyed right after they come out of the oven. However, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating: Place tarts on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. I do not recommend using a microwave to reheat these puff pastry tarts, because they won’t get crispy again.
Mushrooms nutrition & health benefits
Mushrooms are part of the fungi family. They also have some powerful nutrition benefits! One cup of raw mushrooms provides:
- About 1 gram of dietary fiber
- 2.2 grams of plant-based protein
- 0.281 mg riboflavin (22 percent of your daily needs)
- 2.525 mg niacin (16 percent of your daily needs)
- 1.048 mg pantothenic acid (21 percent of your daily needs)
- 0.223 mg copper (25 percent of your daily needs)
Store bought mushrooms are sometimes treated with UV light before sale to increase their Vitamin D content. This makes mushrooms a good plant-based food source of Vitamin D, which is mostly found in animal products.
Leeks nutrition & health benefits
Leeks are super nutritious, and provide soluble fiber and prebiotics, which can benefit digestive and gut health. One cup of raw leeks provides:
- 1.6 grams of dietary fiber
- 1.9 mg iron (11 percent of your daily needs)
- 0.210 mg Vitamin B6 (16 percent of your daily needs)
- 56.6 mcg folate (14 percent of your daily needs)
- 42.3 mcg Vitamin K (35 percent of your daily needs)
- 0.11 mg copper (12 percent of your daily needs)
Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
Print
Mushroom, Leek, and Whipped Ricotta Puff Pastry Tarts
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 tarts 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These individual savory puff pastry tarts are a delicious vegetarian brunch, lunch, or dinner entree. These tarts feature creamy whipped ricotta plus mushrooms and leeks sauteed with fresh herbs. Using store bought puff pastry means these tarts come together in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Puff Pastries
- 1 package frozen puff pastry (two sheets), defrosted according to package instructions
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks, whisked (optional)
Mushroom Leek Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small leeks, light green and white parts sliced into half moons (*see notes for cleaning instructions)
- 3 cups mixed mushrooms (I used shiitake and cremini)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
Whipped Ricotta
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Cut the puff pastry sheets into 8 squares (4 squares from each sheet).
- Poke a few holes in each pastry with a fork. Use a small knife to cut a 1/2 inch border into each pastry.
- Arrange the pastry squares on the lined baking sheet. Make sure they are not touching – you can bake in batches if needed.
- Par-bake for 10 minutes.
- While the pastry par-bakes, prepare the vegetables on the stovetop. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a stainless steel saute pan. Add the leeks and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms, rosemary, and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until leeks are soft and translucent.
- Prepare the whipped ricotta: Add the ricotta cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and salt to a food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the par-baked pastries from the oven. Spread a big spoonful of whipped ricotta into the centers of each pastry.
- Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese on top of each pastry.
- Top with a big spoonful of the cooked vegetables.
- Use a pastry brush to brush egg yolk onto the edges of the pastries.
- Return the pastries to the oven. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry edges are deep golden brown and quite puffy.
- Enjoy right away while warm and flaky.
Notes
*How to clean leeks
Leeks have many tight layers which can easily trap dirt and sand. It’s important to clean leeks before you cook with them to get rid of all this debris.
To clean leeks, first slice up the light green and white parts up into thin rounds. Place the leeks in a bowl filled with cold water. Separate some of the layers with your hands and let the leeks soak in the water for 5-10 minutes. The debris will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the leeks float on top.
Remove the leeks from the water and pat them dry. Now they are ready to cook!
Reheating
Place tarts on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. I do not recommend using a microwave to reheat these puff pastry tarts, because they won’t get crispy again.
Keywords: savory tarts, mushroom puff pastry tarts, mushroom leek tarts