Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tartlets Recipe

An easy, party-friendly appetizer.

By
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is the former national editor at Serious Eats, with a focus on all things sweet.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 18, 2025
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Carrie Vasios

Why It Works

  • Cutting this tart into small cocktail-friendly pieces makes it a perfect holiday appetizer.
  • Caramelizing the onions adds both sweetness and depth of flavor.

The hardest part of making this tart is waiting patiently while the onions slowly caramelize into sweet, darn brown threads. I promise it's worth the wait; after they've cooked down, the onions are a perfect match for both tangy goat cheese and earthy thyme. By topping puff pastry with just those three ingredients plus a dash of salt and pepper, you have a deliciously savory-sweet tart. Cutting the tart into bite-size pieces makes it easy to eat. I'd recommend a dry white wine for your other hand.

December 2011

Recipe Details

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tartlets Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 70 mins
Active 25 mins
Cooling Time 30 mins
Total 105 mins
Serves 20 tarlets
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 onions, roughly chopped

  • Salt

  • 8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 a 17.3-ounce box), defrosted

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Directions

  1. Place olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 35 minutes. Season with salt. Let come to room temperature.

  2. While onions are cooling, place goat cheese in a small bowl. Add black pepper and stir goat cheese until soft and easily spreadable.

  3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  4. Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Spread goat cheese over tart, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. Top tart evenly with onions and sprinkle with thyme. Bake until crust is golden, about 25-30 minutes.

  5. Let tart cool for 15 minutes. Cut into approximately 2 by 3 inch rectangles. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
56 Calories
4g Fat
2g Carbs
2g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 56
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 114mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 29mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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