Prepare to fall in love with the ultimate summer delight: a Zucchini Ricotta Tart that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. This recipe offers an exquisite texture contrast, from the impossibly buttery and crispy puff pastry crust to the rich, creamy, herb-infused ricotta filling, all topped with beautifully tender zucchini slices. It’s the perfect dish to celebrate the abundance of fresh garden produce, especially those prolific zucchinis!

The Best Zucchini Ricotta Tart: A Perfect Summer Delight

The end of summer brings with it a bounty of fresh garden produce, and among the most plentiful is zucchini! If you’ve ever planted zucchini, you know it yields abundantly. And if you haven’t, chances are a generous neighbor has, leaving you with an delightful overflow of this versatile vegetable. This Zucchini Ricotta Tart recipe provides an incredibly delicious and elegant solution for utilizing that summer squash. It’s surprisingly simple to make, yet impressive enough for any gathering.

Why This Zucchini Ricotta Tart Will Become Your Go-To Recipe

This delightful Zucchini Ricotta Tart is inspired by the simplicity and elegance found in classic recipes, re-imagined for modern home cooks. While the essence remains, we’ve refined the original concept to ensure maximum flavor and minimal fuss, making it accessible for even spontaneous baking adventures.

Effortless Elegance with Puff Pastry

While a homemade pie crust is undeniably rewarding, we’ve opted for the convenience of frozen puff pastry. This clever shortcut doesn’t just save valuable time; it actually enhances the tart with an unbelievably light, airy, and crispy texture that’s simply unmatched. Puff pastry creates a beautifully golden, flaky base that perfectly complements the creamy filling and tender zucchini. It’s the secret to achieving gourmet results with minimal effort, making this tart perfect for:

• Saving Time: Achieve a sophisticated dish without spending hours on crust preparation.
• Unreal Texture: Experience a crispy, buttery foundation that crumbles delicately with every bite.
• Spontaneous Baking: Keep puff pastry in your freezer, and you’re always ready for a last-minute savory treat.

A Symphony of Flavors and Textures

Every element of this Zucchini Ricotta Tart is designed to deliver a harmonious blend of tastes and textures:

• Crispy, Buttery Crust: The golden puff pastry provides a satisfying crunch.
• Creamy Ricotta Filling: A luscious, herb-infused ricotta layer offers a smooth, savory contrast.
• Velvety Soft Zucchini: Thinly sliced zucchini, expertly prepared, adds a tender bite and fresh flavor.

The combination is simply irresistible – a true culinary masterpiece that’s both comforting and fresh.

Crafting Your Perfect Zucchini Ricotta Tart: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this savory zucchini tart is straightforward and enjoyable. Follow these simple steps to ensure a flawless, non-soggy, and utterly delicious result.

1. Prepare Your Zucchini for Success

The key to a spectacular zucchini tart is preventing a soggy crust. Zucchini holds a lot of moisture, which can be released during baking, leading to a less-than-ideal texture. This crucial step, known as “sweating” the zucchini, draws out excess water, ensuring your tart remains perfectly crispy.

• Slice Thinly: Begin by slicing your zucchini into thin, uniform rounds. The thinner the slices, the faster they’ll release moisture and cook evenly.
• Salt and Sweat: Place the sliced zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Toss gently to ensure all slices are coated. Let them sit for approximately 30 minutes. You’ll notice moisture forming in the bowl – this is exactly what we want!
• Rinse and Squeeze: After sweating, lightly rinse the zucchini slices under cold water to remove most of the salt. Then, and this is vital, firmly squeeze handfuls of zucchini between your palms to extract as much remaining liquid as possible. Don’t be shy – the drier the zucchini, the crispier your tart will be!
• Season with Olive Oil: Transfer the squeezed zucchini to a clean bowl and drizzle with a touch of olive oil. This adds flavor and helps prevent sticking during baking.

2. Whisk Up the Creamy Ricotta Filling

The heart of our tart is its incredibly flavorful ricotta filling, bursting with fresh herbs and a hint of citrus.

• Chop the Herbs: Finely chop fresh parsley. The finer the chop, the better it integrates into the ricotta.
• Combine and Season: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.
• For a Smoother Texture: If you prefer an extra-smooth, creamy, and vibrantly green filling, you can briefly blend the ricotta and parsley in a small food processor or blender.

3. Assemble Your Stunning Tart

With your zucchini prepped and your filling ready, it’s time to bring your tart together.

• Thaw Puff Pastry: Ensure your frozen puff pastry sheets are fully thawed but still cold. This typically takes about 30 minutes at room temperature. Handling cold puff pastry prevents it from becoming too sticky.
• Roll and Score: Gently unfold one sheet of puff pastry and lightly roll it out into a rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, carefully score a border about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) from the edges, being careful not to cut all the way through. This border will puff up to create a beautiful edge. Then, prick the inside of the border all over with a fork to prevent it from rising too much.
• Layer the Filling: Evenly spread the creamy ricotta filling within the scored border.
• Arrange Zucchini: Artfully arrange the prepped zucchini slices on top of the ricotta filling. You can overlap them slightly in a decorative pattern or simply spread them out in a single layer.
• Repeat for Second Tart (Optional): If using both sheets of puff pastry, repeat the assembly process for the second tart.

4. Bake to Golden Perfection

• Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This high temperature is crucial for achieving that perfect puff and golden crust.
• Egg Wash (for a Golden Finish): In a small dish, whisk an egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush this mixture over the puff pastry border. This gives the crust a beautiful golden sheen and extra crispiness.
• Bake: Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is beautifully golden brown, puffed up, and the filling is set.
• Cool and Serve: Once baked, transfer the tart to a wire rack and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to set further and makes for easier, cleaner cuts.

This savory tart is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. It’s equally delicious served hot from the oven, warm, or even at room temperature, making it a fantastic snack, light lunch, or elegant appetizer for any occasion!

We hope this Zucchini Ricotta Tart inspires your next culinary creation. Its blend of ease, flavor, and elegance makes it a true standout. Happy baking!

Zucchini Ricotta Tart

By Shinee Davaakhuu

Make sure to fully thaw the puff pastry sheets before unfolding to prevent tearing. And don’t skip sweating zucchini, or you’ll end up with a soggy tart!

Prep:
30 mins

Cook:
25 mins

Total:
1 hr 30 mins

Servings:
16 servings

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Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 15 oz (425g) ricotta cheese Note 1
• 1 handful fresh parsley Note 2
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 box frozen puff pastry thawed Note 3
• ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk Note 4

Instructions

To prepare zucchini:

1. Cut and discard the ends of the zucchini. Cut it lengthwise halfway through, and then thinly slice it into rounds. Place the zucchini slices in a colander or bowl and gently toss with 2 teaspoons of salt. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. This method is called sweating zucchini and it helps to get rid of excess moisture, preventing a soggy tart.

2. Then, lightly rinse the zucchini with water to remove excess salt and gently squeeze them between your palms in small batches to extract as much liquid as possible. Place the squeezed zucchini in a clean bowl and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat.

To make the filling:

1. Finely chop the fresh parsley and mix it with the ricotta cheese and lemon juice in a bowl.

2. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting as needed. For an ultra-creamy, vibrant green filling, you can use a small blender or food processor to combine the ricotta, parsley, and lemon juice.

3. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

To assemble the tart:

1. Once the puff pastry is fully thawed, gently unfold it and lightly roll it into a rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Carefully cut a border about 1/2 inch from the edges without cutting all the way through, creating a defined edge. Then, using a fork, score (prick) the entire inner surface of the pastry within the border to prevent it from puffing up too much in the middle.

2. Evenly spread the prepared ricotta filling within the scored border of the puff pastry. Then, artistically arrange the drained zucchini slices over the ricotta filling. If using a second puff pastry sheet, repeat this process to create another tart.

3. In a small dish, whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush this egg wash over the puff pastry border. This will give your crust a beautiful golden-brown finish.

4. Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry crust is golden brown and beautifully puffed. Allow the tart to cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting time helps the filling set perfectly.

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Tips & Notes

Note 1: Ricotta Cheese Selection
For the best texture and flavor, I highly recommend using whole-milk ricotta cheese. Its richness contributes significantly to the creamy consistency of the filling compared to skim ricotta.

Note 2: Parsley Varieties
You can use either flat leaf (Italian) or curly parsley for this recipe. Both will provide fresh, herbaceous notes, so choose based on your preference or what’s readily available.

Note 3: Puff Pastry Usage
A standard box of frozen puff pastry typically contains two sheets. This recipe is designed to use both sheets, yielding two tarts. If you only wish to make one tart, you can simply use one sheet of puff pastry and halve all the other ingredients accordingly.

Note 4: Egg Wash Alternatives
If you prefer not to use an egg wash, you can brush the puff pastry border with a tablespoon of heavy cream before baking. This will also help achieve a lovely golden color and a slightly softer crust.

Make-Ahead Tip: The zucchini can be sliced, salted, rinsed, and squeezed a few hours in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The ricotta filling can also be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Assemble the tart just before baking for the freshest results.

Storage: Leftover Zucchini Ricotta Tart can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Reheating: For best results, reheat slices of the tart in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and the crust regains some crispness. Avoid reheating in the microwave, as it can make the crust soggy.

Nutrition

Servings: 1 slice

Calories: 233 kcal

Carbohydrates: 16 g

Protein: 6 g

Fat: 16 g

Sugar: 1 g

Sodium: 429 mg

Course:
Appetizer

Cuisine:
American

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This recipe was originally shared on August 17th, 2015, and has been updated for clarity and enhanced instructions.