Caramelized Onion and “Goat” Cheese Tarts
You know those kind of appetizers where everyone just can’t stop talking about how delicious they are and begs to get the recipe? Well these Caramelized Onion and “Goat” Cheese Tarts are definitely that kind of appetizer! They have a flaky gluten free buttery crust and are filled with sweet and tangy onions caramelized to perfection and are topped with a vegan whipped herbed goat cheese. They are the perfect app to make for any holiday gathering, brunch spread, or fancy dinner.
What are caramelized onions?
Caramelized onions are made by slowly cooking thinly sliced onions over low heat. This process breaks down their natural sugars resulting in sweet jammy golden brown onions that are perfect for topping all kinds of foods. You have to be patient because it can take up to an hour for the onions to caramelize, but I promise the turn out is so worth it!
Why you will love these tarts
- They have such delicious sweet and savory flavors that will make your taste buds sing.
- They are dairy and gluten free which makes them a great options for those with dietary preferences
- They are fancy enough to impress but aren’t too complicated to make.
- They are a great appetizer to bring to family gatherings, girls night, or holidays.
- They can be topped with many things like fresh herbs, balsamic glaze, or chopped nuts.
What you will need
Onions – You will want to use some large yellow onions for this recipe. It may seem like there are too many onions once you slice them all but they cook down so much trust me!
Dairy Free Goat Cheese – I have fallen in love with the Vegan Herbed Goat Cheese by Dare Vegan Cheese. This one is by far the best!
Gluten Free Flour – Make sure to use a 1:1 ratio flour that has some xanthan gum in it preferably. I love using the brand Bob’s Red Mill.
Almond Flour – Combining almond flour with the gluten free flour blend creates a more moist texture so the crust isn’t overly dry.
Vegan Butter – This is what makes the crust so good and a delightful flaky texture like a pie crust.
Balsamic Glaze – This adds such a rich tangy flavor to the caramelized onions and pairs so well with all the flavors in the tarts.
Olive Oil – We will cook the onions in a little olive oil, but you can use some vegan butter as well.
Cold Filtered Water – You will need to add a little bit of cold water to the crust dough to get the texture to bind better.
Fresh Herbs – I love topping these tarts with fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary for a beasutiful garnish.
How to make the caramelized onion and “goat” cheese tarts
Prep the Onions
Peel the outer skin of the yellow onions and use a mandolin slicer to slice the onions very thinly.(This will be a lot of onion slices but they cook down a lot don’t worry!) Then, use a large 4 quart size pan on the stove over medium heat to warm up the olive or avocado oil.
Caramelize the Onions
Once the oil is heated, add the onion slices and stir and sauté for a few minutes until they turn somewhat translucent. Reduce the heat down to low-medium and let the onions cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Be sure to stir the onions every 10 minutes or so.
Make the Crust
While the onions are caramelizing, make the crust dough by first adding the gluten free flour and almond flour to a food processor. Cut the vegan butter into small chunks and add to the food processor. Process the flours and butter until a crumbly consistency forms. Add in the cold water and process until a dough consistency forms which takes less than a minute usually.
Divide the dough into 6 balls and then press the dough into 6 four inch tart dishes. Poke some holes in the dough using a fork and then place the tart dishes on a sheet pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes(or until slightly golden) at 350 degrees.
Add the Balsamic Glaze
The onions should be cooking down a lot and caramelizing by the time the crusts are done baking. They will be done once they turn a brown colors and are a bit sticky. Add some balsamic glaze to the onions at the very end of them caramelizing.
Once the crusts are done baking, take them out and then fill each once with some of the caramelized onions. Set the tarts aside to cool down for a few minutes.
Whip the Herbed “Goat” Cheese
Make your whipped goat cheese by adding the Dare vegan herbed goat cheese into a food processor. Process for about 1 minute or until a smooth and creamy consistency. Pipe the whipped goat cheese on top of the caramelized onion tarts and then add some fresh thyme or rosemary on top to garnish.
Enjoy right away or save in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other recipes you will enjoy
Peach Whipped Honey Ricotta Flatbread
Honey Smoked Salmon Sweet Potato Rounds
Caramelized Onion and “Goat” Cheese Tarts
Equipment
- 6 4 inch tart dishes
- 1 large 4 quart pot
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow onions
- 3 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 2/3 cup cold vegan butter(salted)
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 flour(preferably one with xanthan gum)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 3 tbsp balsamic glaze
- 6 oz Dare Herbed goat cheese
- Fresh thyme or rosemary for garnishing
Instructions
- Peel the outer skin of the yellow onions and use a mandolin slicer to slice the onions very thinly.(This will be a lot of onion slices but they cook down a lot don't worry!)
- Use a large 4 quart size pan on the stove over medium heat to warm up the olive or avocado oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the onion slices and stir and sauté for a few minutes until they turn somewhat translucent.
- Reduce the heat down to low-medium and let the onions cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Be sure to stir the onions every 10 minutes or so.
- While the onions are caramelizing, make the crust dough by first adding the gluten free flour and almond flour to a food processor.
- Cut the vegan butter into small chunks and add to the food processor. Process the flours and butter until a crumbly consistency forms.
- Add in the cold water and process until a dough consistency forms which takes less than a minute usually.
- Divide the dough into 6 balls and then press the dough into 6 four inch tart dishes.
- Poke some holes in the dough using a fork and then place the tart dishes on a sheet pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes(or until slightly golden) at 350 degrees.
- The onions should be cooking down a lot and caramelizing by the time the crusts are done baking. They will be done once they turn a brown colors and are a bit sticky. Add some balsamic glaze to the onions at the very end of them caramelizing.
- Once the crusts are done baking, take them out and then fill each once with some of the caramelized onions. Set the tarts aside to cool down for a few minutes.
- Make your whipped goat cheese by adding the Dare vegan herbed goat cheese into a food processor. Process for about 1 minute or until smooth.
- Pipe the whipped goat cheese on top of the caramelized onion tarts and then add some fresh thyme or rosemary on top to garnish.
- Enjoy right away or save in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Did you make this recipe? I would love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag @colorful_superfoodie on Instagram and I’ll re-share!
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