Learn how to make a versatile savory tart dough—perfect for galettes, crostatas, or rustic tarts—and how to fill it with seasonal vegetables or whatever’s in your fridge.
Why we love this recipe & why it works
Rustic tarts strike a balance between elegant and comforting, and they’re one of the easiest ways to turn leftover vegetables and pantry ingredients into a memorable meal. This savory tart dough is simple, reliable, and forgiving—ideal for weeknight dinners, casual entertaining, or using up excess produce.
This savory tart dough is:
- Buttery and flavorful
- Tender and flaky, yet sturdy enough to hold fillings
- Simple and easy, with just four ingredients
- Make-ahead friendly and freezer-stable
The recipe first appeared here in 2018 and has been refined for clarity while keeping the same trusted method.
What you’ll need
These ingredients are all straightforward and easy to source:
- A mix of all-purpose flour and whole-wheat pastry flour gives a light, tender crust with a subtle nutty flavor. You can substitute all-purpose flour entirely if preferred.
- Cold salted butter is best—cultured, grass-fed varieties work beautifully—but any good-quality butter kept very cold will do. If you use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt to the dough.
- Ice water is all that’s needed to bring the dough together. Use just enough so the dough holds without becoming wet or requiring overworking.
Recommended equipment
You can make this dough entirely by hand, but a food processor speeds the job and helps keep the butter cold, which improves flakiness.
How to make it
Below is an overview of the process—short, deliberate steps that keep the dough tender and flaky.
- Dice very cold butter and combine it with the flours in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
- Add two tablespoons of ice water and pulse briefly. If the dough comes together when pinched, stop. If it still crumbles, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
- Gather the dough quickly into a disc without overworking it. Wrap and chill for at least an hour to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
- Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before rolling. Flour lightly and roll out between parchment sheets. The dough is now ready to fill and bake.
Expert tips and FAQs
Not flaky? Don’t overwork the dough. Stop pulsing or mixing while pea-sized bits of butter remain—those pockets of butter create flakiness as they melt in the oven.
Too crumbly? It probably needed a touch more ice water; add a tablespoon and pulse again until it holds together.
Tough? That usually comes from adding too much water or overmixing, which develops the gluten. Use a light touch and keep ingredients cold.
The essentials are cold butter, ice water, and minimal handling.
Yes. Form the dough, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to a year. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling. Roll, fill, and bake the tart just before serving for best texture and appearance.
Favorite ways to use it
The dough is a blank canvas: fill it with sautéed greens and cheese, roasted vegetables, tomatoes and goat cheese, or a simple ricotta and herb base topped with seasonal produce. After filling, brush the edges with egg wash and bake on a parchment-lined sheet in the center of a 400°F oven for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is set.
- Savory galette (works as a formula for many fillings)
- Savory spring tart with asparagus and burrata
Savory Tart Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 16 tablespoons (224 grams) cold salted butter, diced
- 2 to 4 tablespoons 30 to 60 ml ice water
Instructions
-
Place the flours into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade.
-
Add the cold diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pea-sized pieces.
-
Add two tablespoons of ice water and process briefly.
-
Squeeze a pinch of dough to check that it holds together; if it doesn’t, add the remaining water and process again.
-
Form the dough quickly into a ball, then flatten into a disk between two ~14-inch parchment squares.
-
Wrap the disk in parchment and a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Refrigerate at least an hour or up to a week (or freeze for longer storage).
-
Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before rolling so it relaxes slightly; then lightly flour and roll between the parchment sheets into a 14-inch circle.
-
Peel off the top parchment and slide the dough on the bottom parchment onto a pizza pan or baking sheet for filling and baking.
Notes
- The combination of all-purpose and whole-wheat pastry flour creates a tender, flavorful crust. You may substitute all-purpose flour if desired.
- Keep butter very cold; cultured or grass-fed butter adds depth of flavor. If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt to the flour.
- Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a year. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking.
- After filling, brush the exposed crust with egg wash and bake in the center of a 400°F oven about 40 minutes, until golden and set.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 22.7g,
Protein: 3.8g,
Fat: 23.6g,
Fiber: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Tried this recipe?Mention @umamigirl or tag #umamigirl!