Easy Vegetable Tart with Carrots, Fennel and Chèvre

A savory tart is a quick and beautiful way to get dinner on the table. This one is packed with carrots, fennel and chèvre wrapped in a whole-grain crust. It’s an easy, hearty vegetarian main for the whole family.

By
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie Morford
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie is a culinary dietitian with a master's degree in clinical nutrition. She has 25 years of experience as a recipe developer, writer, and teacher.
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Updated February 14, 2022
Katie Morford
Savory Vegetable Tart with forks and a salad.
Sally Vargas

Savory galettes, also called tarts, are one of my secret weapons for meals that look kind of fancy but aren’t particularly fussy to make. You don’t need a special pan. It’s a very forgiving way to make a tart that looks beautiful and rustic, even if it’s not perfect.

For this version, carrots and fennel are roasted until they just begin to caramelize then I tuck them into whole wheat pastry dough to bake. The vegetables develop sweetness and depth as they cook — flavors that pair beautifully with fresh herbs and tangy goat cheese.

It’s nourishing, satisfying, and really quite delicious especially during the cold weather months. The fact that this only takes about 35 minutes of hands-on time is a big bonus.

How to Make Easy, Wholesome Galette Crust

I’m crazy about the crust in this recipe. The entire thing gets whizzed up in a food processor and is easy to roll out. Half the flour in the dough is whole-wheat, which gives it a boost of fiber and nutrients and a lovely deep color, while still remaining tender and flaky.

Even though this pastry is easy, it’s important to be attentive to a few factors:

●     Measure properly: Be sure to spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the edge of a knife. Don’t jam your measuring cup into the flour bin or pack it down.

●     Use cold butter and ice water. Keeping your pastry cold is part of what makes a flaky crust.

●     Chill the dough before baking: Be sure to make the dough first and get it into the fridge before you prep and roast the vegetables. That will give it a good 45 minutes to get cold before you assemble the galette.

Rustic Winter Vegetable Galette cut into slices.
Sally Vargas

Swaps and Substitutions

As far as recipes go, this one has built-in flexibility. Here are a few suggestions:

●     Tinker with the ratio of vegetables listed or swap them out completely. Love fennel? Use a bit more and scale back the carrots.

●     Consider other hearty vegetables, such as sliced delicata squash, cubed or sliced sweet potatoes, halved radishes, sliced parsnips, or shallots in place of red onion. The roasting time for the vegetables may vary, so keep an eye on the oven and cook until just tender.

●     In spring and summer use asparagus, tomatoes, and zucchini, vegetables that are tender enough to bake right along with the crust.

●     Add leafy greens. Toss a handful of chopped Swiss chard or kale in with the roasted vegetables as soon as they’re out of the oven.

●     Swap the cheese. Feel free to use feta instead of chevre. Alternatively, spread one cup of good-quality ricotta on the bottom of the crust two inches from the edge before piling on the cooked vegetables.

●     Make the crust entirely with all-purpose flour if you prefer.

Make-Ahead Tips

This galette is a great make-ahead meal. Pastry dough in general works well when made ahead and refrigerated and vegetables are easy to roast and store, which means you can assemble this galette for dinner, brunch or lunch without too much fuss.

●     For the dough: If you keep the dough in the fridge for more than an hour, cover it with plastic wrap. You can also double the dough recipe and stash half in the freezer for a rainy day.

●     For the Vegetables: You can absolutely roast and refrigerate them a day in advance.

Vegetarian Galette with Whole Grain Crust on a plate with a salad.
Sally Vargas

How to Store a Galette

Savory tarts in my house never last more than a day, but if that happens with you, cover the leftovers and stash in the fridge. Reheat in a 350 oven or toaster oven until the pastry is crisp.

What to Serve with Vegetable Tarts

A colorful salad makes a perfect dinner companion for this galette. For fall and winter, I like dark leafy green salads built on baby arugula or kale. Fresh pear or apple, dried fruits, and toasted nuts would also be tasty in there, too.

Try this Kale Salad to go along with your galette and you’ve got a picture perfect vegetarian supper on your hands.

Vegetarian Tart with Carrots, Fennel and Chevre on a plate with a salad and fork.
Sally Vargas

Hold the Meat: More Vegetarian Pastry Recipes!

●     Rustic Onion Tart

●     Tomato Galette With Parmesan Whole Wheat Crust

●     Tomato Ricotta Tart

●     Root Vegetable Pot Pie

●     Cheesy Artichoke Pie

●     Vegetable Pot Pie

Easy Vegetable Tart with Carrots, Fennel and Chèvre

Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 80 mins
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (100g) whole-wheat flour, spooned and leveled

  • 3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 8 tablespoons (122g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 or so little pieces

  • 1/4 cup ice cold water

  • 4 large carrots

  • 1 medium/large bulb fennel

  • 1 medium purple onion

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 ounces soft herb goat cheese (chevre)

  • 1 egg white

Special Equipment

  • Food processor

Method

  1. Preheat and prep:

    Preheat oven to 400°F and lay a 13x15-inch piece of parchment paper on your work surface. You will use it for the dough.

  2. Prepare the dough:

    Into a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt. Scatter the cubed butter over the flour. Pulse the food processor until the ingredients clump together like little peas. Add the water and run the food processor for several seconds (about 8 to 10) until the dough comes together in large clumps.

    Butter and flour in a food processor to make Vegetarian Tart with Carrots, Fennel and Chevre.
    Sally Vargas
    Butter combined with flour in a food processor to make a Vegetarian Galette with Whole Grain Crust.
    Sally Vargas
    Dough in a food processor to make a Savory Vegetable Tart.
    Sally Vargas
  3. Shape the dough:

    Dump the dough on the parchment paper and pat it into a smooth ball. Press the dough into a disk, scatter flour lightly over the top, and roll out the dough into a circle that’s 13-inches in diameter (the width of the parchment paper). It doesn’t need to be perfect.

    Crust rolled out on a baking sheet to make a Roasted Vegetable Tart.
    Sally Vargas
  4. Refrigerate the dough:

    Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the vegetables.

  5. Prep the vegetables:

    Peel and trim the carrots and cut into 1/3-inch-thick coins. Cut the fennel in half, trim out the small triangle of core, and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges. Peel and slice the onion in half. Then slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons.

  6. Roast the vegetables:

    Pile carrots, fennel, and red onion onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Roast until tender, about 30 minutes.

    A sheet pan with roasted vegetables for a Rustic Winter Vegetable Galette.
    Sally Vargas
  7. Assemble Galette:

    Set the baking sheet with the chilled dough on your work surface. Use a spoon to arrange the roasted vegetables in the center, leaving a 2-inch border. Crumble the goat cheese over the vegetables and use your fingers to nestle some of the cheese into the vegetables.

    Vegetarian Tart with Carrots, Fennel and Chevre ready to be baked in the oven.
    Sally Vargas
  8. Form the dough:

    Gently fold the edges of the dough over the vegetables, pleating and pinching it to stay in place (the center will stay exposed). Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the top of the galette with egg white.

    Crust folded around a Vegetarian Galette with Whole Grain Crust.
    Sally Vargas
  9. Bake:

    Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until nicely browned and crisp.

    A Savory Vegetable Tart baked and cooling.
    Sally Vargas
  10. Enjoy:

    Serve warm from the oven or room temperature. Cut into wedges and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
380 Calories
25g Fat
31g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 380
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 33%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 342mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 277mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.