With a selection of seasonal produce and a savory, herby custard in a flaky pie crust all made right on your grill, this Grilled Vegetable Tart will make you feel like a hero this summer.
Grilled Summer Veggie Tart
Sometimes you just want to feel a little fancy when you serve dinner, and that’s where this Grilled Summer Vegetable Tart comes in. It comes together quickly on your grill with just a handful of easy ingredients, but looks and tastes like the kind of appetizer you’d find at an upscale restaurant. A flaky pie crust, a cream cheese and ricotta custard loaded with fresh herbs and bright lemon, and a pinwheel of seasonal veggies will give your guests layers of flavor in every bite. Let’s get started.
Ingredients for Summer Vegetable Tart
This summer tart is layered with flavors because you’re actually layering the ingredients: a flaky pie crust, an herby custard, and a sweet and savory veggie pinwheel. Here’s what you’ll need for each:
Pie Crust
This one is pretty straightforward. I used a small, premade pie crust, but if you want to make your own from scratch, that works, too. Form the pie crust into a small skillet, then cut any excess crust from the top. I used my Lodge 5-inch cast iron skillet, but you can use any smaller skillet or pie tin. Whatever way you go, make sure to poke a few air holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
Veggies for Summer Tart
The beautiful part about this tart is that the recipe works with whatever veggies are in season. Here’s what I use for this summer version:
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- Japanese eggplant (you can use any eggplant, but this was in season so I couldn’t resist)
How to Slice Veggies for Tarts
Cutting your veggies into long, thin, even slices is the key to a successful summer tart. Cutting all your veggies into thin, even slices about ⅛-inch thick ensures consistent temperatures and textures. I highly recommend using a mandoline .You can use a sharp knife, if that’s all you’ve got. Just remember to aim for long, thin, evenly-sliced pieces for grilling and rolling.
Herby Tart Custard
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest
Making the custard might be the easiest part of the whole process. Simply put all the ingredients in a blender jar or food processor, then blend until evenly mixed. You’re looking for a creamy sauce speckled with fresh herbs. Once you’ve got that, your custard is ready for the tart.
How to Make Grilled Summer Veggie Tarts
- Preheat the grill. Get your favorite grill or smoker running around 400 degrees F.
- Prepare the crust. Form your pie crust into a small skillet or pie tin, then trim off any excess dough above the edge. Poke some holes in the bottom with a fork to avoid puffing. Set it on the grill, close the lid, and let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the bottom is set.
- Prepare the veggies. While the crust bakes, grab a mandoline slicer and cut the zucchini, yellow squash, and Japanese eggplant lengthwise into even, ⅛-inch thick strips. A mandoline gets you consistent slices for even grilling. Drizzle the strips with avocado oil, then sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Grill the veggies. Lay the strips on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. You want tender strips with grill marks. Move them to a cutting board to cool. Pull the pie crust off the grill too, if it’s ready.
- Make the custard. While the veggies cool, add the cream cheese, ricotta, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest to a blender jar or food processor. Blend until smooth and evenly speckled with herbs. That’s your custard done.
- Assemble the tart. Take the crust out of the skillet and set it aside. Grab a sharp knife and slice the grilled veggie strips in half lengthwise, then stack them in alternating layers. Roll the stack into a tight pinwheel. Spoon the custard into the crust and spread it along the bottom, then set the pinwheel right on top.
- Serve and enjoy. Finish with a light drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Cut into quarters if you want something handheld, or serve it whole for a fancier plate.
Serving Suggestions
These are awesome as a fancy appetizer for a special occasion or even a side for a smaller dinner party. I like to serve them whole individually to guests at smaller gatherings. They also slice into easy-to-grab quarters for potluck-style occasions. No matter how you serve these tarts, they’re sure to steal the show.
More Fancy Appetizer Recipes
When you serve this summer tart you made all on your own to the people you love, you’re going to feel like a Backyard BBQ Hero. You’re also going to be itching for more upscale BBQ appetizers to show off your grilling. Lucky for you, simple-but-impressive recipes are kind of my thing. Here are a few of my favorite appetizers for special occasions:
Don’t see your favorite? Don’t worry! You can find all these recipes in the Appetizer Section here on the https://homefrontking.com/, as well as in the Hey Grill Hey App.
Simple Grilled Summer Vegetable Tart Recipe
You’ll win the weekend with this summer veggie tart, but making it (and sharing it with the people you love) is only half the fun. Follow my Instagram and Facebook pages, then tag @heygrillhey with any photos or videos of your creations. I get to cheer you on, and you get to be part of the best and biggest community of Backyard BBQ Heroes around!
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Preheat the grill. Set your favorite grill or smoker up around 400 degrees F.
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Prepare the pie crust. Place a small pie crust in a small skillet or pie tin and form to the pan. Remove any excess crust from above the skillet with a knife. Poke holes all around the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Place on the grill grates, close lid, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the bottom is fully set.
1 small prepared pie crust
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Prepare the veggies. While the crust is baking, use a mandoline slicer to cut the zucchini, yellow squash, and Japanese eggplant lengthwise into even, ⅛-inch thick strips. Drizzle the strips with avocado oil, then sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 1 Japanese eggplant
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Grill the veggies. Arrange the veggies on the grill grates, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. You want the veggies to become tender and develop some nice grill marks. Transfer the grilled veggies to a cutting board to cool. If you haven’t already, remove the pie crust as well.
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Make the custard. While your veggies are cooling, prepare the tart custard. Place the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest in a blender jar or food processor. Blend until smooth and evenly speckled with fresh herbs.
4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup ricotta cheese, 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, ½ Tablespoon lemon zest
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Assemble the tart. Remove the pie crust from the skillet then set aside. Use a sharp knife to cut the veggies in half lengthwise, then stack them in layers. Roll the stacked veggies into a pinwheel then set aside. Spoon the custard into the pie crust and spread along the bottom. Place the rolled veggies on top of the custard.
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Serve and enjoy. Drizzle the tart with a little honey and sprinkle on some fresh herbs. Cut into quarters for a handheld treat and enjoy!
Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
