An Artful Fusion of Flavor, Color, and Nutrition
If you’re looking for a truly impressive dish that marries colorful vegetables, creamy cheese, and a buttery shortcrust pastry, this Spiral Vegetable Tarte is your new go-to masterpiece. It looks complex but is surprisingly simple to make, making it perfect for dinner parties, brunches, or weeknight meals when you’re craving something special.
Inspired by the French ratatouille and modern vegetable tart recipes, this visually stunning veggie tart features thin ribbons of spiralized vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and eggplant nestled into a creamy, savory cheese base. It’s the kind of dish that delights the senses and invites praise—even from hardcore meat lovers.
🥕 Why You’ll Love This Vegetable Tart
- Stunning presentation – Your guests will be amazed by the beautiful spiral design.
- Nutritious and balanced – Loaded with fiber, vitamins, and protein.
- Completely customizable – Use what’s in season or what’s in your fridge.
- Vegetarian and wholesome – A perfect meatless meal or side dish.
- Great for any skill level – If you can slice veggies, you can make this dish.
Whether you’re preparing for a gathering or enjoying a quiet dinner at home, this zucchini tarte is bound to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
🛒 Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Pastry
Shortcrust pastry creates the sturdy, buttery base for your tart.
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 2–3 tablespoons ice water
🍴 Pro tip: You can substitute with store-bought shortcrust pastry to save time.
For the Ricotta Filling
This cheesy layer anchors the veggies and adds luscious texture.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
Spiralized Vegetables
Choose vegetables that are firm and can be thinly sliced or spiralized.
- 1 small zucchini (green)
- 1 small yellow squash or yellow zucchini
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 red bell pepper (optional for pop of color)
- Olive oil (for brushing)
- Salt and pepper
🌀 Use a veggie spiralizer or a mandoline slicer for the best results. You want long, thin strips that are easy to coil.
🍳 Equipment You’ll Need
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowls
- Spiralizer or mandoline slicer
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Baking weights or dried beans (for blind baking)
👩🍳 How to Make Spiral Vegetable Tarte – Step by Step
Step 1: Make the Shortcrust Pastry
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in butter: Add cold butter and rub it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add yolk and water: Mix in egg yolk and water until a dough forms. Do not overwork.
- Chill: Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30–60 minutes.
🧈 A well-chilled pastry will be easier to roll and won’t shrink while baking.
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
In a bowl, whisk together ricotta, cream or yogurt, egg, cheese, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper until smooth. This forms a rich and creamy base for the vegetables.
Step 3: Spiralize or Slice the Vegetables
- Wash and trim all vegetables.
- Using a spiralizer or mandoline, cut vegetables into long, thin ribbons.
- If needed, microwave the carrot and eggplant strips for 30–60 seconds to make them more pliable.
🌈 Color Tip: Alternate dark and light vegetables for the most eye-catching pattern.
Step 4: Blind Bake the Tart Shell
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out pastry to fit your tart pan. Press into corners and trim.
- Prick the base with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, and bake 5 more minutes until lightly golden.
Let it cool slightly before filling.
Step 5: Fill and Spiral
- Spread the ricotta filling evenly in the tart shell.
- Begin spiraling vegetables from the outer edge inward.
- Start with a ribbon of zucchini or eggplant, curl it, and place it at the edge.
- Continue layering different colors around it in a tight spiral pattern.
- Brush the top of the vegetables lightly with olive oil.
- Season with a touch of salt and pepper.
🎨 Think of this as edible art—be patient and enjoy the process.
Step 6: Bake the Spiral Vegetable Tart
Bake in a 375°F oven for 35–40 minutes, until the filling is set and vegetables are tender and slightly golden.
If the edges begin to darken too much, loosely tent with foil.
🥗 What to Serve with Vegetable Spiral Tart
This tart is incredibly versatile. Here are some serving ideas:
- Light dinner: Serve with a green salad with lemon vinaigrette
- Brunch spread: Pair with mimosas, fruit salad, and quiche
- As a side: Serve next to roasted chicken or grilled salmon
- Picnic platter: Serve chilled with olives, nuts, and dips
🧊 Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm slices in the oven at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.
- Freeze (optional): Best to freeze the unbaked tart shell; baked tart is best eaten fresh.
🍽 Customization Ideas
- Add Herbs to the Base: Fresh basil or rosemary enhances the ricotta base.
- Make it Vegan: Use dairy-free cheese and a flaxseed egg.
- Add Protein: Crumbled feta or goat cheese on top adds richness.
- Change the Base: Try puff pastry for a flakier texture or a gluten-free crust.
- Play with Color: Add purple sweet potato or beets for deeper color contrast.
🧠 Tips for Success
- Use uniform thickness for vegetable ribbons to ensure even cooking.
- Soften firm veggies like carrots to avoid breaking.
- Don’t overbake—you want the vegetables tender but not mushy.
- Brush oil sparingly to keep everything from getting soggy.
🥰 Why This Veggie Tart is Worth Making
This dish is much more than just a vegetable slice. It’s a celebration of color, texture, and seasonal produce. You’ll find yourself slowing down to enjoy each step—from rolling out the crust to placing each ribbon in a satisfying spiral.
It’s not only beautiful on the plate, but also nourishing and deeply satisfying. It allows you to embrace creativity while serving something your whole family or guest list will rave about.
Whether you’re using zucchini, eggplant, or rainbow carrots, you’ll fall in love with how something so healthy can feel so indulgent.
💬 Final Thoughts
The Spiral Vegetable Tarte is proof that vegetables can be both elegant and crave-worthy. This dish combines wholesome ingredients, artistry, and versatility into one unforgettable meal. It’s easy enough for beginners and sophisticated enough for special occasions.
Add this to your recipe rotation when you want to wow your guests—or just yourself.
