Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts (Vegan GF-Option)

Flaky, puffed and delicious golden pastry tarts filled with creamy hummus, fresh pesto and lots of juicy tomatoes. These mini tarts are a simple lunch, dinner or picnic feast ready in less than 30 minutes- they are also vegan and gluten-free.

Summer is here which means that picnic season is also here. Plus, it’s a time when a lot us want to spend little time in the kitchen and maximum time outdoors so these little tarts are just the answer. They are ready in less than 30 minutes with minimal prep, relying on a few store-cupboard staples and easy to find ingredients.

I first made these Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts to celebrate British Tomato Fortnight (end of May/beginning of June 2021) and was challenged to make a fabulous recipe with British tomatoes and 4 other ingredients only. I wanted something that the whole family could dig into and one that would satisfy everyone. These tarts are:

• Fuss-free
• Delicious and simple
• Quick to make
• Flaky and golden
• Rich and creamy
• Fresh and zesty
• Bursting with vibrant taste and colour
• Vegan and gluten-free

Although I focus a lot on sweet baking, savoury baking also has a huge place in my heart (and my kitchen) and I just love how simple these Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts are to prepare and bake. They are great for on-the-go meals or for bringing to family BBQs, picnics or for sitting down as a family with a side salad.

As I mentioned, you only need a handful of simple ingredients for these savoury mini tarts:

• Puff pastry: this is easy to find in the supermarkets and most brands are “accidentally vegan” while you can also find GF pasty, as well. I used a pre-rolled pastry sheet for ease here which made 4 perfectly sized tarts. If your pastry is larger, just increase the recipe accordingly.
• Cherry tomatoes: I love these little beauties and they are so good this time of year. You could use any colour or variety of tomato fir these tarts and chop or slice them as you like.
• Hummus: I used my simple Smoked Paprika Hummus for this recipe, but you can use a shop-bought one to make this even simpler. If you are looking for other homemade hummus recipes, try my Simple Creamy Hummus, Smoked Pumpkin Hummus or Smoked Red Pepper and Walnut Hummus.
• Pesto: there are so many great pesto jars out there but make sure it is dairy-free as needed. You could also make your own pesto, as well and I have a few recipes like this creamy one here.
• Olive oil: to brush the edges.
• Tamari soy sauce: again, this helps to add flavour and colour to the edges of the tart while adding a rich flavour.

The important thing when making these tarts is to score the border along the edge of the tart pieces as this will be the puffed up border for each tart so that the filling stays in place. A quick bake and these Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts are ready to enough with some fresh herbs and seeds. I love to serve them with lots of lovely salads, roasted new potatoes and extra hummus on the side. That said, make these tarts your own and serve them as part of your favourite buffet spreads and at BBQs.

If you are looking to jazz up these tarts even more, try:

• Baba ganoush instead of hummus
• Adding extra vegetables on top like charred corn, roasted carrots or mushrooms
• Add some cheese while they make so that it melts on top
• Spooning over some fresh cashew cheese once they are out of the oven
• Serving with fresh rocket leaves on top

There are so many things you can do with these wonderful Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts so go as wild as you like. I hope you will love them as much as we do at home and if you are looking for other savoury light bites and meals, how about my:

• Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Muffins
• Sun-Dried Tomato Falafel and Hummus Taco Bowls
• Garlicky Kale Tahini and Almond Salad
• Mushroom and Butterbean Chickpea Flatbreads
• 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Flatbreads (which work great with mashed sweet potato or squash instead of pumpkin)

Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts (Vegan GF-Option)

• Servings: 4
• Time: 25-30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Flaky, puffed and delicious golden pastry tarts filled with creamy hummus, fresh pesto and lots of juicy tomatoes. These mini tarts are a simple lunch, dinner or picnic feast ready in less than 30 minutes- they are also vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 1 x 320g roll of puff pastry (GF if needed)
• 200-250g cherry tomatoes, chopped or whole
• 100-120g hummus
• 50-60g dairy-free pesto
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp tamari soy sauce
• To serve: fresh basil, seeds

Directions

1. Crumble the cake into small crumbs or mash with a fork. Add to a mixing bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 200Fan/220*C and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Unroll the pastry and cut into 4 equal pieces. Score a 1-cm border around the edge of each pastry shape.
4. Spread the hummus onto the pastry bases (leaving the borders clean) and top with dollops of pesto. Top with the tomatoes.
5. Stir together the olive oil and tamari soy sauce and brush over the pastry border.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden and puffed around the edges. Swap the trays round halfway through so they cook evenly.
7. Enjoy warm or cold with extra basil leaves and seeds. Once cool, store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Hummus Pesto and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts so please let me know in the comments below. if you do make them, tag me in your tarts as I love to see them. I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I am also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With hummus pesto tomato tart love x