Delicious Savory Tart With A Potato Crust
This Savory Tart brings plenty of nourishment to your table with its delicious filling of seasonal greens and a hearty potato crust. It’s a comforting meal, full of nutrients that makes a perfect lunch or light dinner. The potato base also makes this a great gluten-free alternative to traditional pastry bases used for most savory pie and tart recipes.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
The potatoes are the star in this flavourful tart recipe. They’re rich in vitamins C and B6, as well as complex carbohydrates and they’re high in fibre too, which help keep you full for longer. They’re also a good source of minerals, like magnesium, phosphorus, and iron and are especially rich in potassium, a mineral that’s essential for supporting healthy blood pressure and muscle function (1).
The combination of greens in this recipe also contributes a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Leeks are especially rich in fibre while asparagus and spinach are excellent sources of vitamins A, C, E, and K as well as many B vitamins. They contain an abundance of antioxidants and minerals like zinc, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium too (2–3). The cheese, of course, provides some calcium and protein to make this an overall nutrient rich and a satisfying meal.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
Savory tarts often use a puff pastry crust as the base. I’ve swapped that to potatoes for this tart crust to make the recipe naturally gluten free, increase the nutrient content, and make it extra filling. It’s a great twist on a classic, offering a rustic texture and earthy flavor that perfectly complements the other vegetables within.
- Potatoes – Form the crust, providing a sturdy, earthy, and gluten-free foundation.
- Asparagus, leek and spinach – between them these gorgeous green vegetables bring sweet, very mild bitter, and earthy flavours to this dish. They also add plenty of colour.
- Parsley – adds earthy, peppery flavours, but any fresh herbs you like are fine.
- Olive Oil – contributes plenty of good fats and a subtle, fruity flavour.
- Garlic – adds pungency, and a depth of flavor that enhances the overall savory profile of the tart.
- Thyme or oregano – perfectly combine with the potatoes, cheese and green veg filling.
- Eggs – act as a binder for the filling, providing structure and richness.
- Coconut Milk -adds creaminess and a very subtle sweetness to the filling. This can easily be replaced with heavy cream if preferred.
- Goat Cheese – provides a tangy, creamy flavor and a soft texture, adding a distinct richness to the filling. Feta cheese or ricotta cheese are other options.
- Parmesan Cheese – adds a salty, nutty flavor that adds richness to every bite.
- Sea salt and black pepper – the salt enhances the flavors of all the ingredients, while the pepper adds a touch of spice.
Vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, broccolini, or green peas are a great substitute for the asparagus if it’s not in season. And for something completely different, adding in a few chopped, sun-dried tomatoes is also delicious.
How To Make A Savory Tart
This is a great recipe for those cooler days when you’re craving something warming and comforting. While this will take a bit of time, it’s very easy to make with little hands on time required. The tart is on the table in under and hour, which makes it great for lazy weekend lunches or dinners.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200°C and grease a 10-inch/25cm springform tart pan, or one with a removable bottom.
- Wash potatoes then cook in the instant pot or on the stovetop until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Smash potatoes with the base of a glass to flatten them out and completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan to form a crust.
- Brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into the oven to cook for 15-20 minutes.
- While the base browns, warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, leek, and asparagus and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add in the spinach then sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir through the parsley and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat together eggs, coconut milk, thyme, and seasonings then set aside.
- Remove the base from the oven, sprinkle over half the parmesan, pour in the sautéed vegetables, and crumble over the goat’s cheese. Pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top.
- Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the tart from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes in the tin then take it out to slice.
- This is best served warm with a simple green salad.
As a safeguard to stop any liquid leaking out of the tart tin, it’s best to place it on a baking tray before it goes into the oven.
Substitutions And Variations
Sweet potato makes a great substitution for the white potato base. It does make the tart a little sweeter overall, but it’s equally delicious. Do not overcook them though, or your base will be quite mushy.
Sliced onions can replace the leek if preferred and red onions are a great match for the other ingredients.
Swap the parmesan for your favourite cheese! White cheddar, pecorino and feta are some I’ve used before. Ricotta cheese is a nice replacement for the goats cheese too.
For a protein boost, chopped cooked sausage, bacon, or ham can be mixed into the vegetables before adding to the tart crust.
For a dairy free version – the cheese can be omitted without losing the cheesy flavour. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the egg and coconut milk mix.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
If your tart is browning far too quickly, cover the top with aluminium/aluminum foil and continue baking.
When smashing the potatoes, they can stick to the bottom of the glass if they’re still quite hot. To avoid this, let them cool for 5 minutes or rub the bottom of the glass you’re using with oil. If needed, use the back of a spoon to smooth out the last of the crust.
Also ensure the potatoes are fully covering the base and sides of the tart tin so none of the filling escapes. Sitting the tin on a baking tray will save your oven from the mess if a little does seep through.
Blind baking is usually reserved for recipes making pies or tarts with pastry. This is where parchment paper is placed over the pie base, is filled with pie weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice and baked to brown the pastry. Things like a butter puff pastry or a puff pastry crust with a wet filling benefit from this technique so the pastry doesn’t go soggy. However, the potato crust used in this savoury tart also benefits greatly from a blind bake. It helps the potatoes brown and firm up so that once the wet ingredients are poured in, they don’t turn the potato to mush. No parchment paper or weights are needed though, the tart base goes straight into the over as-is. While this does add 15-20 minutes to the recipe I recommend not skipping it.
Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To freeze, cut the tart into slices, wrap each of them in plastic wrap/glad wrap and place into the freezer. When you want a slice, defrost in the fridge overnight and bake in the oven until warmed through. To do this, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Place your tart slice on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
FAQ
Absolutely! The filling ingredients can be customised to suit your tastes. Just ensure the volume going into the tart filling is the same. A mushroom filling is delicious with the potato crust.
Yes, sweet potatoes can be used for a sweeter variation.
Thoroughly grease the tart pan with butter, olive oil or cooking spray to avoid sticking. Letting it rest for 5-10 minutes once out of the oven also helps.
More Vegetarian Mains To Try
- Vegan White Bean Chili
- Chickpea Spinach Curry
- Spanakorizo (Spinach and Rice)
- Taco Bowl
- Skillet Spanakopita (Cheese and Spinach Pie)
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok!
Delicious Savory Tart With A Potato Crust
Ingredients
- 1.6 lb baby potatoes (750g)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil (plus more for basting the tart crust)
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 bunches asparagus cut into ½-inch/1cm slices
- 3 cups baby spinach (3.5oz/100g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup parsley roughly chopped
- ½ cup coconut milk (or any milk you like)
- 5 large eggs
- 3.5 oz grated parmesan (100g)
- 3 oz goat's cheese (80g)
- 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
- 1.5 tsp salt
- Plenty of fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200°C and grease a 10-inch/25cm springform pan, or one with a removable bottom, with butter or olive oil.
- Wash potatoes then add them whole to the Instant Pot. Add in ¾ cup of water, secure the lid and select pressure cook. Adjust the time to 10mins. (see note 1).
- Once done do a quick release of the pressure, take the potatoes out and place them in the prepared pie dish.
- Smash the potatoes with the base of a glass to flatten them out and completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan to form a crust (see note 2).
- Brush the potato base with olive oil, and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Place into the oven to cook and brown for 15-20 minutes (see note 3).
- While the base is browning, warm 1.5 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, leek, and asparagus along with ½ tsp of salt and a little black pepper then sauté for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add in the spinach and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir through the chopped parsley and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat together eggs, coconut milk, thyme or oregano, the last ½ tsp salt and a little more pepper then set aside.
- Remove the potato base from the oven, place the tin on a baking tray then sprinkle over half the parmesan. Add the sautéed vegetables on top, and crumble over the goats cheese. Pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan cheese (see note 4).
- Return to the oven on the baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the baked tart from the oven and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes in the tin. Take the tart out of the tin to slice.
- This is best served warm with a simple green salad.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY
OMG, i just made this and it is super delish!! I didn’t have all the vegetables you listed but used spinach, mushrooms and some leftover roasted cauliflower and sweet potato. What a dish!! The simplicity of the potato crust lends itself to so many other options. Yum, yum, yummo and many thanks for the wonderful inspiration!!
I’m so glad you loved it – we do too! And you’re absolutely right about it having endless flavour combinations. Once you get the crust done pretty much anything will work in there. xx