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This gorgeous Butternut Squash Tart is the ultimate sweet and savory addition to your fall entertaining spread. Elegant enough for a holiday gathering yet surprisingly simple to make, serve as a festive appetizer or alongside your favorite side dishes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Butternut Squash Tart
- Impressive without the fuss. Store-bought puff pastry and Boursin cheese do much of the heavy lifting, making this elegant tart easy to assemble.
- Perfect for holiday entertaining. The perfect hand-held appetizer that guests can enjoy while mingling and socializing. (It also makes a fabulous addition to any side dish spread!)
- Savory-sweet perfection. Creamy, garlicky Boursin cheese beautifully complements the sweetness of squash and aromatic edge of shallots. A finishing drizzle of hot honey elevates each bite with a little kick!
- Visually impressive. Layering thinly sliced squash creates a beautiful presentation that really stands out among classic holiday apps and sides.
I love how this tart visually looks impressive, but the ingredients and preparation are approachable enough for home cooks.
When it comes to holiday appetizers and sides, I like to think a little outside the box while still embracing the seasonal ingredients and comforting flavors we know and love.
This savory puff pastry tart does exactly that, transforming familiar fall favorites into something fresh, festive, and maybe even a little unexpected! (The same goes for these Salmon Wellington Puff Pastry Bites and Whipped Brie recipe.)
For more crowd-pleasing holiday appetizers, check out my reader-favorite Roasted Stuffed Dates, Baked Feta Dip, and festive Cheese Ball Recipe.
The Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: Store-bought puff pastry makes this tart incredibly easy to prepare while delivering those irresistible flaky layers. Look for frozen puff pastry sheets (1 pound total) and thaw according to package instructions.
- Boursin Cheese: Garlic-Herb Boursin is the perfect creamy, savory base for this tart. If you can’t find Boursin, I suggest using whipped goat cheese or softened cream cheese mixed with grated garlic, fresh thyme, and a pinch of salt.
- Butternut or Honeynut Squash: Thinly sliced squash becomes tender and extra sweet while roasting. The key is to slice it thin enough so it fully cooks while the tart roasts. (I prefer the sweeter flavor and smaller size of Honeynut squash for this tart!)
- Shallots: Caramelizing the shallots renders them sweet and extra aromatic, which really elevates the flavor profile.
- Fresh thyme: Adds a subtle woodsy, aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with squash and shallots.
- Pistachios: Chopped pistachios add wonderful crunch and a pop of color. Sprinkle them over the tart after baking to preserve their texture. Alternatively, you can use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or pecans.
- Hot honey: The finishing touch that brings everything together!
For a complete list of recipe ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
The Directions
Step 1: Prepare the Squash
Peel and thinly slice the squash into 1/8-1/4-inch thick slices. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Step 2: Caramelize Shallots
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes before reducing heat to medium-low and continue cooking until soft and caramelized, about 8 to 10 more minutes. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare Puff Pastry
On a lightly floured work surface, stack one sheet of puff pastry directly on top of the other. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the sheets together, pressing gently to adhere them into one layer, until you have an 11×17-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Fold the edges of the pastry inward by 1/2-inch to create a border around the tart. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Prick the pastry all over inside the border with a fork to help prevent bubbles from forming during baking.
Step 4: Assemble Butternut Squash Tart
Loosen the foil wrapping around Boursin cheese and place each wheel in the oven for exactly 1 minute to soften. (You can also remove Boursin completely from its foil wrapper and place in an oven-safe dish to warm.)
Spread Boursin cheese evenly over the puff pastry, staying within the crimped borders. Arrange the squash slices overtop in an even layer, allowing slices to overlap slightly, if needed. Scatter the shallots evenly over the squash.
For a more golden-brown topping, brush egg wash over the crust.
Step 5: Bake at 400ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and squash is tender.
Step 6: Garnish with pistachios and a drizzle of hot honey. Cut into slices and serve warm.
Serving Suggestion
If serving for Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) or Christmas, scatter a few pomegranate arils over the finished tart for a festive pop of color and juicy, tart contrast.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Thaw the pastry according to package instructions, but avoid letting it become too warm or sticky. Cold pastry is easier to handle and produces a flakier crust in the oven.
- Slice the squash into thin, uniform slices. Aim for 1/8-inch thick so they become tender during baking. A mandoline can be helpful here.
- Don’t overcrowd the squash. A little overlap is fine, but too many layers will prevent the squash from sufficiently softening.
- Keep the border free of toppings. This allows the exposed pastry edges to puff up and become beautifully golden.
- Roll puff pastry layers together thoroughly. The pastry should be rolled into one cohesive layer to help prevent separation during baking.
- Soften Boursin for easier spreading. Boursin is notoriously hard to spread if chilled, but slightly warming it in the oven makes it super smooth and spreadable.
Make-Ahead and Serving Tips
- Make-ahead: You can caramelize the shallots up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the tart. The squash can also be peeled and sliced a day ahead, and refrigerated separately. I suggest waiting to assemble and bake the tart until right before serving for the best pastry texture.
- Serve: Slice the tart into small squares for an appetizer platter, or cut it into larger rectangles to serve alongside a holiday meal. It’s delicious warm or closer to room temperature!
More Holiday Favorites
Whipped Brie with Caramelized Persimmons
Baked Feta and Artichoke Dip with Olive Gremolata
Roasted Stuffed Dates
Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash
If you try this Butternut Squash Tart, snap a photo and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!
Butternut Squash and Boursin Tart
Equipment
- Medium skillet
- Rolling Pin
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 lb. peeled and very thinly sliced (~1/8 to 1/4-inch thick) butternut or honeynut squash (from 1 small butternut squash–about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. whole, or 2 to 3 medium honeynut squashes)
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 cup thinly sliced shallots (~2 large or 3 medium shallots)
- 1 (16 to 18-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed according to package instructions
- 8 oz. Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin cheese (about 1 1/2 [5.3-oz.] wheels), softened)
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios (preferably roasted and salted)
- Optional egg wash: 1 egg, whisked, for brushing on the edges
- Hot honey for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.Prepare Squash: Place squash slices in a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
- Caramelize Shallots: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes, stirring often, before reducing heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 8 to 10 more minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured work surface, stack one sheet of puff pastry directly on top of the other. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the sheets together, pressing to adhere them into one layer, until you have an 11×17-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet.(Note: this is a fairly large tart that should cover most of the surface of the baking sheet, with 1 to 2 inches around the edges to spare. Don't worry about getting the dimensions exact. The goal is to create a large, evenly rolled rectangle that nearly fills your baking sheet. A little variation in size is perfectly fine, but referring to the photos in post may be helpful.)Fold the edges of the pastry inward by 1/2-inch to create a border around the tart. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Prick the pastry all over inside the border with a fork to help prevent bubbles from forming during baking.
- Soften the Boursin: Boursin cheese is notoriously hard to spread if its not warm. I suggest removing it from its foil wrapping and placing it in a small oven-safe dish. Warm in the preheated oven for 1 minute, until softened and easily spreadable. Be careful to not melt the cheese.Assemble Tart: Spread Boursin cheese evenly over the puff pastry, staying within the crimped borders. Arrange the squash slices overtop in an even layer, allowing some slices to overlap slightly, if needed. Scatter the caramelized shallots evenly over the squash.Optional: For a beautifully golden, glossy crust, lightly brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry with egg wash just before baking.
- Bake: Bake the tart at 400ºF for 35 to 40 minutes in the middle or middle-lower rack, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the puff pastry is deeply golden and crisp, and the squash is fork-tender. (If the edges begin browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil for the remainder of the bake time.)
- Garnish: Scatter chopped pistachios over tart and drizzle generously with hot honey. Garnish with additional fresh thyme leaves, if desired. Cut into 16 squares and serve warm.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Thaw the pastry according to package instructions, but avoid letting it become too warm or sticky. Cold pastry is easier to handle and produces a flakier crust in the oven.
- Slice the squash into thin, uniform slices. Aim for 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick so they become tender during baking. A mandoline can be helpful here.
- Don’t overcrowd the squash. A little overlap is fine, but too many layers will prevent the squash from sufficiently softening.
- Keep the border free of toppings. This allows the exposed pastry edges to puff up and become beautifully golden.
- Roll puff pastry layers together thoroughly. The pastry should be rolled into one cohesive layer to help prevent separation during baking.
- Use the full 2 wheels of Boursin if you want a thicker cheese layer.
- Make-ahead: You can caramelize the shallots up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the tart. The squash can also be peeled and sliced a day ahead, and refrigerated separately. I suggest waiting to assemble and bake the tart until right before serving for the best pastry texture.
- Serve: Slice the tart into small squares for an appetizer platter, or cut it into larger rectangles to serve alongside a holiday meal. It’s delicious warm or closer to room temperature!
