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A courgette tart is one of those effortless dishes that feels elegant but comes together in no time. This version layers crisp puff pastry with silky courgette ribbons, creamy mozzarella and crème fraîche mixture, fragrant pesto, and toasted pine nuts — perfect for a summer lunch, light supper, or picnic centrepiece.
Courgettes are in abundance during the warmer months, and this tart is a brilliant way to use them up in a dish that looks as good as it tastes. I love the base of this tart, it’s a mix of crème fraiche and torn mozzarella, which I call my cheat’s burrata. I use it in so many different recipes, like this chicken vodka pasta, but as the base of this tart with courgettes, it’s creamy, cheesy and delicious. For more tarts that are a little different, you might like my fig and brie puff tart or my crispy potato filo tart.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- The courgette tart is ready in under 45 minutes.
- For ease, it uses store-bought puff pastry.
- You can customise the tart with your favourite cheeses or herbs.
- Delicious warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Puff pastry – using a sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry here makes it so easy to pull together. You can use a block of puff pastry too, and then roll it out yourself.
Creme fraiche – using creme fraiche here with the torn mozzarella creates a cheat’s burrata that covers the base of the courgette tart.
Courgettes – smaller courgettes tend to be more tender and have more flavour. Use yellow and green for some colour.
Substitutions and Variations:
Fresh herbs – add fresh basil, fresh chives or thyme to this tart for some freshness.
Cheese – you could mix together some Boursin with creme fraiche for a garlic & herb twist on the courgette tart.
Pine nuts – for texture, I’ve added pine nuts on top but you could use some toasted hazelnuts or almonds for some crunch.
Here’s how to make courgette tart:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C. Use a vegetable peeler to create thin courgette ribbons. Season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside to soften slightly.
TWO: In a bowl, mix one torn ball of mozzarella with the crème fraîche, lemon zest, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. This forms the base layer of your tart.
THREE: Line a baking tray with parchment and unroll your puff pastry onto it. Score a border around the edge and prick the centre with a fork.
FOUR: Spread the mozzarella crème fraîche mixture over the centre of the pastry, leaving the border clear.
FIVE: Drizzle with green pesto, then pile the courgette ribbons generously on top, arranging them with good height and texture. Brush the pastry edges with egg wash.
SIX: Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Once baked, top with more torn mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, a final drizzle of pesto and a grating of parmesan.
Cooking Tips:
How to shave courgettes – I use a vegetable peeler to shave the courgettes really finely. You could also use a mandolin on a thin setting but you do want nice thin ribbons.
How to ensure a crisp base of this courgette tart – I don’t find the pastry needs to be blind baked as a hot oven crisps it up enough. This makes it a really easy tart! Just make sure you cook the tart until golden, and keep cooking it until the base is golden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bake it fully and reheat just before serving, or serve at room temperature. You can prep the courgettes and cheese mix the day before.
For this recipe, seasoning them and letting them sit briefly is enough. No need to salt and drain unless your courgettes are very watery.
Ready-rolled puff pastry is perfect and makes this a fuss-free dish. You can use shortcrust for a sturdier base.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
You will love all my other courgette recipes if you like this courgette tart. Try my courgette carbonara, courgette lasasgne or my courgette frittata. For more tarts, try my tomato puff pastry tart.
Easy Dinner Recipes
Zucchini Risotto (Risotto di Zucchini)
Easy Dinner Recipes
Asparagus Risotto (Risotto Agli Asparagi)
Recipes
Ribboned Courgette Salad
Lunch Recipes
Courgette Corn Fritters
If you tried this Courgette Tart or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Courgette Tart
Ingredients
- 1 pre-rolled sheet puff pastry
- 125 g mozzarella
- 100 ml creme fraiche
- 3-4 small courgettes
- 3 tbsp green basil pesto
- 1 lemon, zest
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
To serve:
- 125 g mozzarella
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C fan/200c. Line a rectangular baking tray with parchment and unroll your puff pastry onto it.
- Use a vegetable peeler to create thin courgette ribbons. Season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside to soften slightly.
- In a bowl, mix one torn ball of mozzarella with the crème fraîche, lemon zest, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. This forms the base layer of your tart.
- Score a 1cm border around the pastry to help it puff up into a raised crust. Prick the base inside the border with a fork.
- Spread the mozzarella crème fraîche mixture over the centre of the pastry, leaving the border clear. Drizzle with green pesto, then pile the courgette ribbons generously on top, arranging them with good height and texture.
- Using a pastry brush or a clean finger, brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg.
- Bake in the preheated oven for around 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the courgettes are turning golden.
- Once baked, top with more torn mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, a final drizzle of pesto and a grating of parmesan.
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
How to shave courgettes – I use a vegetable peeler to shave the courgettes really finely. You could also use a mandolin on a thin setting but you do want nice thin ribbons.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This courgette tart recipe is going into my regular rotation! So easy but so fresh and light. Delicious!