All About the Veg! is a biweekly recipe column where Best of Vegan contributor Seiran Sinjari breaks down one amazing plant at a time. In today’s column, she revisits heirloom tomatoes and talks about what is it that makes them so special. Her easy vegan tomato tart is a vibrant fuss-free summer treat!
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Vegan Heirloom Tomato Tart
Now is the perfect time to enjoy beautifully juicy and sweet heirloom tomatoes. It’s one of my favorite ingredients during the summer months; they make cooking easy since they don’t require much else or effort to make a beautiful summer dish.
You might wonder what’s so special about heirloom tomatoes other than their different shapes, sizes, and colors. Well, firstly, they’re absolutely delicious, packed with flavor, and typically sweeter. But what really makes them heirloom or heritage tomatoes as they’re also called, is the fact that they’re open-pollinated tomato varieties that have been around for a long time (50 years for commercial heirlooms) or come from seeds that have been passed down several generations through family (family heirlooms). There are also other varieties that have been crossed or naturally cross-pollinated.
I use a lot of heirloom tomatoes in my cooking whenever I can get my hands on them, and one thing I’ve noticed is that some people believe that since the heirlooms often come in different shapes and colors, they are heavily modified and that the perfectly round and red tomatoes found at any grocery stores are the “normal” or “natural” ones. The perfectly uniform tomatoes are actually hybrids that have been perfected for commercial purposes, while the heirlooms have often evolved into their uniqueness to resist pests and diseases and to be able to grow in different weather conditions and climate.
Now that we know a little bit more about these wonderful tomatoes, let’s get back to cooking. Today I’m sharing a fuss-free, easy vegan tomato tart with cheesy green onion filling, toasted pine nuts, and other goodies. I highly recommend mixing different shapes, sizes, and colors of tomatoes, both for flavor and visuals! The sweetness of the tomatoes goes perfect with the savory cheesy filling and flaky crust. It’s perfect for summer brunch, lunch, or picnics, and you can add different herbs and seasonings to the filling.
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Vegan Tomato Tart
- Vegan puff pastry sheet
- Heirloom tomatoes of different sizes and colors
- Vegan mozzarella
- Vegan creme fraiche (or vegan cream cheese)
- Green onions
- Cornstarch
- Sea salt
- Salt & pepper
- Nigella seeds or black sesame seeds
- White sesame seeds
For brushing:
- Plant cream or plant milk (I use oat-based cream or milk)
- Agave syrup
To top with:
- Pine nuts
- Vegan parmesan
- Basil leaves
- Virgin olive oil (optional)
Vegan Tomato Tart – Recipe Card
Easy Vegan Heirloom Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- 1 vegan puff pastry sheet
- 5-8 heirloom tomatoes of different sizes and colors - sliced
- 100 g grated vegan mozzarella
- 3 tbsp vegan creme fraiche - or vegan cream cheese
- 1-2 green onions - finely chopped
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ tsp nigella seeds or black sesame seeds
- 1 ½ tsp white sesame seeds
For brushing:
- 1 tbsp plant cream or plant milk - I use oat-based cream or milk
- 1 tsp agave syrup
To top with:
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 2 tbsp grated vegan parmesan
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
- a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175ºC / 350ºF.
- Layer the sliced tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle each layer with some flaky sea salt. Set to the side for 10-15 minutes.
- Place the puff pastry sheet on a lined oven tray. With a knife or pasta/pizza cutter, press gently to create a straight 2 cm border along each side.
- Prick the area inside of the border with a fork. Mix together grated vegan mozzarella, vegan creme fraiche (or cream cheese), green onions, cornstarch, and salt & pepper, then spread evenly over the dough (inside the borders).
- Gently pat tomatoes with a clean kitchen towel to remove released liquid and brush off any excess salt.
- Place tomatoes in a single layer just slightly overlapping on top of the cheese filling. Season with some freshly cracked pepper.
- Mix together plant cream or milk with agave syrup and brush the edges of the tart. Then sprinkle them with nigella seeds and sesame seeds.
- Bake in the oven (middle rack) until the edges are golden brown. Then top with toasted pine nuts, vegan parmesan, fresh basil & extra virgin olive oil (optional). Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
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Recipe, text, and photography by Seiran Sinjari. Connect with her on Instagram.
