Add these Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tarts to your holiday list this year. A delicious appetizer that can be prepared in advance and baked just before serving.Sweet caramelized onions, crispy pastry and salty goat cheese. What’s not to love!
We’re nearing the end of November and steam rolling straight into the holiday season. I know for a lot of people, that means getting food inspired!
I enjoy making Appetizers throughout the holiday period. Whether it be for just our little family or when we have friends over, it always seems to be successful.
And these little bites, go down a treat every single time. When you add Goat Cheese or Caramelized Onions to anything they are just better, right?
Learn all about How To Caramelize Onions in this post! Everything from what kind of onions are best,. the types of pans to use and much more!
Ingredients For The Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tarts
If you don’t use Frozen Puff Pastry for making appetizers, you’re seriously missing out. I have found over the years, that’s it’s not only a huge time saver but so versatile. There’s not too much you can’t do with that stuff. Little bites like these an my Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels are always a hit.
So, let’s take a look at these Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts and what makes them so darn delicious.
REMEMBER, The full recipe with ingredient lists and instructions is always found at the end of the post.
Caramelizing Onions
Caramelized Onions are one of the best things, ever! If you’re new to them, you need to take a closer look and start caramelizing those onions.
- The trick is not too cook them too fast.
- I always start them off on a high heat and stir a few times to get them all nice and browned. Then I’ll reduce the heat to medium low to let them caramelize. You can add small splashes of water or even wine through the caramelizing stage if you note they are sticking to the pan. I find I usually need a little bit of water.
- Most likely it will depend on what kind of pan you are using. If you are using a non stick type of pan, you will most likely not need to add any water. These onions were cooked for almost 25 minutes to achieve this level of caramelizing.
It’s Best To Use Puff Pastry When It’s Cold
- It’s best to work with puff pastry when it’s cold. As it warms up, it softens and it will be difficult to cut into perfect little squares. Exhibit A below! As in, I left it out too long and it was a bit of work to cut out the squares. So, it best to defrost the pastry in the fridge and keep it there until you are ready to use it.
- Then cut it into equal squares and place them on a parchment lined baking tray.
- I like to brush the edges of the pastry with a beaten egg. This gives them a golden touch! It’s also easier to brush the edges before you add the onions.
- Place a spoonful of the caramelized onions in the middle of each pastry square.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffed.
- When this type of goat’s cheese is at room temperature, it becomes quite soft. It’s best to crumble the cheese when it’s cold. I just roughly crumbles it apart like you see here. Then just toss a little cheese on top of each pastry square.
- A drizzle of balsamic reduction with finely chopped parsley and you’re done! A delicious party appetizer to be enjoyed by all!
What Is Balsamic Reduction
Balsamic Reduction is, it’s basically balsamic vinegar that’s been cooked over a very low heat until it thickens and sweetens.
I buy it at my local supermarket in the vinegar isle. I noticed a lot of places sell it and you can click here to see what it looks like. And it goes so well with these Goat Cheese Tarts!
Don’t use straight balsamic vinegar. The vinegar will be to sharp and you’re looking for an almost sweet little glaze to finish off this appetizer.
If you don’t have balsamic reduction, you can try making it!!! It’s super easy but it takes a bit of time. Check out this video on how to make it yourself. If you’re not overly fussed, you can just skip the drizzle all together.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, like so many appetizers, you can make these ahead of time. Just just quickly pop in the oven and finish them off before serving.
- Caramelized onions can be made up to four days before using them. Just make them and store them in a jar or or sealed container.
- Puff Pastry can be cut into squares, placed on a baking tray and put in the fridge until baking time.
- The goats cheese can also be crumbled and put back in the fridge early on.
- Yes, you can also top the pastry squares with the caramelized onions and keep it in the fridge until baking time. If you plan to do this, make sure the caramelized onions have cooled.
This little caramelized onion morsel makes a pretty easy and impressive make ahead appetizer.
These Goat Cheese Tarts are Great For Entertaining
If you are planning a party or just a little dinner for two, these would make a great addition. They can be eaten after they have been sitting for a few hours, but they are honestly best fresh out of the oven. And if you’ve tired my Crispy Fried Goat Cheese Bites, they are best fresh too!
I’ve also got a recipe for Fig and Goat Cheese Endive Cups and they can totally be made in advance.
When I made these a few weeks back for this recipe. we reheated them for about 5 minutes in the oven later in the day. The puff pastry crisped up again and they were surprisingly great. So, that’s also an option to think about if you really have no time to make them fresh for guests.
But I will stress, these little goat cheese tarts are BEST fresh made.
Happy cooking friends and keep the freezer stocked with puff pastry!
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Get the recipe!
Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet puff pastry
- 2 Onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 oz goat cheese the kind that is in a log form and cut or crumbled into small pieces
- Balsamic reduction
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Crumble the goat’s cheese and set aside.
- In a medium skillet set over high heat, add the olive oil and the sliced onions. Cook over high heat until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and all the onions to continue to cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes or so until they become a deep golden colour and are really soft. Stir occasionally through the cooking process. Remove from heat.
- Cut the pastry into 12 equal squares and place on the baking tray. Brush the edges of the pastry with the whisked egg. Place a spoonful of the onions in the centre of each pastry square. Bake for around 15 minutes or until golden and puffed. Remove from oven.
- Top with crumbled cheese, balsamic reduction and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve straight away.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
thanks for stopping by and hope to see you soon!
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Not a fan of goat cheese. Is there another cheese you can recommend that would be good with these? They look yummy.
Hi Carol, you could also use Camembert or Brie. Both would work really well😊
Can they be served cold? I wanted to make ahead and take to a party! Thanks!
I’ve been on Christmas break and only checking comments now, sorry. Yes, you can serve them cold. Happy New Year!
judol303