This savory butternut squash and mushroom tart comes together with buttery puff pastry dough, vegetables, herbs, and parmesan cheese. You can absolutely use store-bought puff pastry as the crust, but if you can spare a few hours for the dough to chill in the refrigerator, I urge you to try a surprisingly simple homemade variation using rough puff pastry. This dish is perfect for an appetizer, lunch, or side dish at your holiday gatherings!
One reader, Mary-K, commented: “This is excellent! And thanks for the puff pastry recipe, too! My house smells like an Italian restaurant! ★★★★★”
When we think of pie, our minds often go right to the likes of apple pie or pumpkin pie. But today I want to show you a pie/tart recipe that isn’t just sugar, butter, and sweet. (There’s still butter though!) Pies and tarts shouldn’t be limited to dessert and that’s why recipes like quiche, cheesy vegetable tart, and chicken pot pie exist. We’re making a puff pastry tart with seasonal butternut squash, mushrooms, onions, parmesan cheese, and herbs. It’s like flatbread but with a flaky pastry crust!
You can use store-bought puff pastry for the crust or homemade. The pictured butternut squash tart uses the same handmade rough puff pastry dough we use for berry turnovers and cinnamon palmiers. Hundreds of readers have tried the homemade dough and are pleasantly surprised with its ease. This is obviously the time of year when schedules are packed, but if you find a few hours (that can easily be broken up over a couple days!), try the homemade dough. It’s so worth it!
Tell Me About This Butternut Squash Tart
- Texture: Hello, crisp! You know when you bite into baked puff pastry and you hear that loud crisp? The delicately light layers crackle, pop, and separate? That glorious flaky texture is the base of today’s tart recipe. Pair with soft roasted mushrooms and plenty of butternut squash.
- Flavor: This butternut squash and mushroom tart is savory, salty, cheesy, and herbed plus there’s garlic, onions, and a pinch of nutmeg too. Each satisfying bite is a flavor punch and it all sits on a golden brown buttery dough.
- Ease: Prepping the butternut squash topping is very easy. If you use store-bought puff pastry dough, the entire recipe is quick and convenient for beginners. With the homemade dough, I’d categorize this tart as intermediate. (Not complicated at all, just requires shaping and precise folding.)
- Time: THERE IS NO PRE-BAKING THE CRUST! I felt the need to shout that because when it comes to pies and tarts, blind baking the crust is usually an imperative step. But whether you use homemade or store-bought dough today, pre-baking is not necessary because we aren’t loading the dough with a liquid-y topping. Homemade dough requires a few hours in the refrigerator and if using store-bought, thaw it first. Since butternut squash is firm and mushrooms contain so much moisture, the vegetable topping needs a 10-12 minute head start on the stove.
Key Ingredients in The Butternut Squash Topping
The topping ingredients, with the exception of the cheese, are cooked down together on the stove before spooning onto the dough.
- Butternut Squash: As the main topping in this tart, butternut squash supplies a soft texture and slightly sweet flavor. Peel the squash and slice it thin so it cooks down quicker—about 1/4 inch thick slices. If you find yourself with an abundance of butternut squash, you’ll also enjoy trying my creamy butternut squash mac and cheese and maple-roasted squash kale salad.
- Mushrooms: Slice or roughly chop your mushrooms. Use any mushroom variety that you enjoy. I usually use a mix of white button mushrooms and shiitake. If you don’t like mushrooms, feel free to skip them and add more butternut squash.
- Onion: We aren’t caramelizing the onions, but between the stove and oven, they’re cooked long enough to take on a delicate sweet flavor.
- Garlic, Salt, Pepper: The basics! I like sprinkling the baked tart with flaky sea salt, but that’s completely optional.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary are delicious year round, but taste exceptionally wonderful on savory dishes during the fall and winter seasons. Both add aromatic earthy flavor to the tart and if you don’t have fresh, you can substitute dried. I love using a bit of both in this sweet potato casserole, too.
- Nutmeg: It’s optional, but I add a light sprinkle of nutmeg for a little extra flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: I tested this recipe with parmesan, goat, white cheddar, and Gruyère cheeses. All were terrific, but the salty nutty parmesan version was definitely the top choice. Absolutely loved it and I think you will too!
Let’s move on to the dough.
You Can Make The Crust From Scratch
Have you ever heard of “rough puff” pastry? It’s become a popular method for making homemade dough because it produces bakery-style puff pastry with lots of flaky layers without the same time commitment that laminating dough (such as for croissants) requires. Chef Claire Saffitz has a great recipe for it. The trick is to work large pieces of cold butter into dry ingredients and then hydrate it all with ice cold water. Sometimes bakers grate butter into the mix or use a food processor. There’s many ways to make this dough.
I use a version of this dough to make apple turnovers and created a separate page for rough puff pastry with a video tutorial just in case you want it for other recipes that call for it—like today’s butternut squash and mushroom tart, these cinnamon palmiers, cranberry brie puff pastry tarts, mushroom puff pastry tarts, or even this honey pear tart.
More About This Shortcut Pastry Dough
- 5 Ingredients: Flour, Salt, Sugar, Butter, and Water
- No Yeast, No Laminating: Unlike the breakfast pastries dough, this dough does not require any yeast and unlike croissants and traditional puff pastry, this dough does not require laminating with a separate layer of butter.
- Flatten & Fold Dough: Flatten dough after it’s made and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After that 1st refrigeration, flatten and fold the dough like a business letter 6x. Chill in the refrigerator 1 more time for at least 15 minutes. After that, the dough is ready to use in this tart or other recipe.
Putting Together the Tart
Roll dough out into a large rectangle and then transfer to a lined baking sheet. If using store-bought puff pastry, roll the thawed dough out into the same size, about 10×16 inches.
Fold edges over, crimp with a fork (just like how we crimp pie crust), and then brush all over with egg wash. Use a fork again to poke holes in the bottom so steam can escape. (Creating flaky layers!)
Add the parmesan cheese and top with lightly cooked vegetables in a single layer. Try not to crowd the dough with topping—like with pizza dough, if you try adding extras or pile it on too high, the dough won’t cook through.
Bake for 30 minutes, add more cheese, then finish in the oven for 5-8 more minutes until golden brown.
A light and flaky crust, roasted toasty vegetables, and delightful fresh herbs. What a combination!
For more fall dinner inspiration, here is my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipe ideas.
This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
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Butternut Squash & Mushroom Puff Pastry Tart
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (add 3 hours for homemade dough)
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes (add 3 hours for homemade dough)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This savory butternut squash & mushroom tart recipe comes together with puff pastry dough, vegetables, herbs, and parmesan cheese. You can use store-bought puff pastry or homemade pastry dough.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 lb homemade rough puff pastry or store-bought frozen & thawed puff pastry (2 sheets)
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) water or milk
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- 2 cups (about 270g) peeled & sliced butternut squash (1/4 inch slices)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) sliced or roughly chopped mushrooms
- 1/2 cup sliced onion (1/2 of a medium onion)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (120g) shredded parmesan cheese
- optional for garnish: flaky sea salt, pepper, more cheese, more fresh thyme & rosemary
Instructions
- Dough: Prepare homemade rough puff pastry dough through 2nd refrigeration. If using store-bought frozen puff pastry, make sure it’s thawed. Keep either dough in the refrigerator until step 4 below.
- Topping: Over low-medium heat in a large skillet, cook oil and butternut squash together for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll pastry dough into a 10×16-inch rectangle. (Tip if using store-bought—place the edge of one sheet over the other and use a rolling pin to adhere them together. Roll the whole thing out into a 10×16-inch rectangle.) Carefully transfer dough to lined baking sheet. If dough has lost shape, use your hands to reshape into a rectangle. Fold over a 1/2 inch edge and crimp the edges down with a fork. Crimping is much easier the colder the pastry is, so place dough/baking sheet into the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes if needed.
- Egg Wash & Assemble: Brush egg wash all over puff pastry including the edges. Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough (not the crimped edge). Sprinkle with 3/4 cup (about 95g) cheese. Spoon vegetable topping over cheese and arrange in a single layer as best you can.
- Bake tart for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining cheese all over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 5-8 more minutes or until cheese is melted and pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and, if desired, garnish with flaky sea salt, a sprinkle of pepper, and/or extra cheese and herbs. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: If using homemade dough, see the detailed rough puff pastry recipe instructions for make-ahead and freezing details. You can essentially prep the dough 48 hours in advance or freeze up to 1 month. You can also make the vegetable topping ahead of time. Complete step 2 and then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before layering on the tart. (No need to bring to room temperature before using.) You can also assemble the entire tart through step 5 ahead of time. Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before baking. No need to bring to room temperature before baking.
- Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the baked and cooled tart for up to 3 months. It’s best to freeze the slices between sheets of parchment paper. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat (covered) in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin | Pastry Brush | Flaky Sea Salt
- Toppings: Use any mushroom variety that you enjoy. I usually use a mix of white button mushrooms and shiitake. Feel free to skip the mushrooms and use more butternut squash in its place. You can also switch up the herbs if desired or replace the cheese with goat, white cheddar, and Gruyère cheeses.
- Frozen Butternut Squash: If using frozen butternut squash, thaw first and then cook with the oil and remaining topping ingredients (except the cheese) for 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms and squash are soft.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi. I loved how simple this was ot make. However I felt that the center of the puff pastry remained soggy and seemed undercooked. I baked it for an extra 5-7 minutes – the sides were crunchy but even the underside of the puff pastry did not brown in the center. can you please help- I was hoping to make it again soon. Thank you
Hi Vandana, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! We’re happy to help troubleshoot. Were the vegetables piled too heavily in the center? That could cause it to take a bit longer to bake through. For next time, you could also try tenting the entire dish with aluminum foil towards the end of bake time. That will prevent the edges from getting too crisp, while allowing for the center to continue baking through. Hope this is helpful!
I loved this tart as is, but would like to try another kind of cheese. Can you suggest another cheese other than goat cheese which I don’t like?
Hi Suzanne, instead of the parmesan, white cheddar and Gruyère cheeses would also be fantastic here.
I made this with just butternut squash — no mushrooms — and it was a huge hit. I’m going to make it for my Book Club and put the mushrooms in. I used store-bought puff pastry. A “ten”!
Hi Sally,
I am planning to make this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving. Do you think I could make it the day before? Wondering if the crust will hold up or if it will get soggy. Thanks for another amazing recipe! I can’t wake to try it!!
Hi Laurie! You can assemble the entire tart through step 5 ahead of time. Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before baking. See recipe Notes for other make ahead options, too!
Oh my that looks fantastic. Definitely trying it this weekend. Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes
Great recipe!
I have puff pastry cups in my freezer. Can I use them for this recipe? Any changes I need to make?
Hi Debbie, you could try filling the pastry cups with the vegetables and cheese rather than spreading them over the puff pastry as directed. We’re unsure of the best bake time.
Hi Sally, this sounds wonderful! I want to bake it home and bring it to a friends. I have to travel for 35 minutes. Will it still be okay or must it be served right from the oven?
thanks
Hi Denise, you can serve it warm or at room temperature, so that should work just fine. Hope it’s a hit!
This is a fantastic recipe! So easy and a great dinner. Thanks so much.
Hi Sally, i love your recipes, specially tarts, quiches, pies . I want to try the butternut squash mushrooms onion tart recipe and I have difficulty with printing out. It’s not printing from my new printer – but other recipes do printing out. Any hint how to print out this one please ?
Hi Alexia, I’m glad to help. Are you using the PRINT the RECIPE button in the recipe card? It should pull up a new page with the printable recipe. From there, you just click the print icon. It seems to be working for this particular recipe. Do you want to try again?
This looks delicious. I’m thinking of making it as a starter for a dinner party – do you think I could do individual tarts instead of one big one? Thanks!
Hi Zoe, you could certainly try cutting the pastry dough into smaller rectangles or even circles for individual servings. Let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe looks great! I’m wondering what would need to change if I want to put it into a tart pan for easier freezing and transportation? Blind bake the crust before adding the toppings?
Hi Elizabeth, how large is your tart pan? Because if it’s large enough and the dough will be rolled thin enough, pre-baking may not be needed. On the other hand, pre-baking likely won’t hurt (always nice to have a crispier crust!), and you could prick holes all over the bottom of the dough with a fork and give it a head start, say 10 minutes or so. (Same oven temp.)
This recipe is easy to make and delicious! I will definitely be making it again.
made this into a galette adding walnuts and blue cheese. Delicious.
This is so good! I followed the recipe, and also had a balsamic reduction available for guests to drizzle over it as they wished. It was perfect!
I make my own puff pastry and paired this recipe down to fit an 11″ square tart; the bake time was still spot on and the pastry so crispy! Will definitely make it again as both my husband and I found it so tasty!
Really great recipe! This recipe is absolutely delicious and incredibly easy. I love savory tarts! This is a wonderfully flavorful dish comes together quickly, savory and crunchy crispy crust. Instead of homemade rough puff pastry, I used store-bought puff pastry for the crust. Thank you for this perfect recipe!
I made this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving and everyone LOVED it! Super easy (with store bought puff pastry) and delicious. Will absolutely make again.
Made this with all butter crust into a galette and it was wonderful. Skipped onion and garlic because I didn’t have it and it was still great.
Heavenly. And I used store bought puff pastry. Oh, I also forgot to get Parmesan and was worried that it would effect the texture/crispness, but it was a non issue. This is a wonderfully flavorful dish that is straightforward and easy to make. Try it for yourself 🙂 !
Could you use sweet potatoes in place of butternut? We were given some huge sweet potatoes recently so I’m looking for ways to use them up that weren’t necessarily a sweet dish.
Hi Sarah, We can’t see why not!
I made this tonight with store bought puff pastry and your recipe was amazing! Easy and nutritious and delicious! Thanks Sally!
This is excellent! And thanks for the puff pastry recipe, too! My house smells like an Italian restaurant!
I made this for a few friends who came over last night. It was a huge hit! It smelt so amazing as it cooked! The texture of the pasty was perfect! The squash, mushrooms and onions taste so amazing with the rosemary and thyme!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I will be making this again!
Oh. My. Goodness.
This is sooo delicious!!
I used a gf pie crust instead of puff pastry but everything else the same.
The butternut squash was so sweet after carmelizing, that my husband thought there was sugar in the tart! Haha!! I will definitely make this again!!
This recipe looks delicious! Do you have any tips for peeling butternut squash?
It’s always tricky, isn’t it?! This tutorial for prepping butternut squash is definitely helpful: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_peel_and_cut_a_butternut_squash/
Made it for dinner tonight with store-bought puff pastry. It was delicious! We put some chunks of white cheddar and that really put the squash over the top.
This recipe looks amazing! Do you think the squash and mushroom topping would work in a pie crust? I love your crust recipe and was looking for a savory topping to go in it!
Hi Jessie! Think of the topping more for something like a flat tart, flatbread or pizza. It’s not really a pie filling– but I’m sure you could use pie dough instead of the puff pastry!
Thanks, Sally! I made this recipe with the homemade puff pastry today and it was a total hit!! Thank you!
We loved this recipe so much! I sautéed the vegetables first and then added the chopped herbs. After layering it all on the puff pastry, I added some walnuts and dotted it with crumbled blue cheese. It was Autumn in a dish. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I followed Margo’s suggestions and served the tart for a wine tasting last night! The tart was the hit of the party and my guests all asked for the recipe!
I followed your suggestions and think the blue cheese and walnuts further enhances a great recipe!! I’ve made it three times and it’s always the hit on any gathering!! On my list for thanksgiving apps too!
Thank you Sally. As Tracy said, I always trust your recipes as written and love the Tips!
I just added this to my Thanksgiving menu and know I don’t need to make in advance to assure it is delicious and safe to make without trying.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sally, just want to thank you. I lost my sense of taste due to Covid some 6 months ago. It’s been rough, because I cook by taste more often than I realized. But when I see recipes like this, I feel such a sense of relief and gratitude because I’ve followed your recipes for years and I trust them. It feels good to be able to cook again, even if I can’t taste what I’m cooking (YET), because I trust your recipes. So I just wanted to say I can’t wait to make this fab-looking recipe for my family and friends, and I want to say thanks for being a source I can count on. In gratitude, Tracy.
I am so sorry Tracy. Praying you recover completely from COVID very, very soon.
This looks great! Could you use frozen cubed butternut squash as a shortcut? If so, what would you do to prepare it for this recipe (thaw first? Cook on stove as in recipe?)?
Thanks Sarah! Yes, absolutely. And let me put those instructions in the recipe notes just in case someone else has the same question.
Fantastic! Thanks for making the addition with the notes for frozen squash. Now I have an excuse to use up the bag that’s been sitting in my freezer, just waiting for the right recipe. Thanks for all of your great work on this site – we love your recipes!