Mushroom Tarts

One of my favorite appetizers at our wedding was a mini mushroom tart. These savory mushroom tarts are my attempt at that perfect bite-sized appetizer for any gathering. Packed with savory mushrooms, melty cheese, and a buttery crust, they’re rich in flavor yet easy to prepare. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, bringing an appetizer to a potluck, or just craving something a little fancy, these mini tarts are the way to go. You can also adapt the recipe to make one large tart—more on that in the tips and tricks section!

Ingredient Notes

Mixed Mushrooms: I love using a mix of white button, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms for a range of textures and flavors. You’ll need about 14 ounces (400 grams), finely chopped.

Shallots: Shallots add a sweet, mellow onion flavor. Make sure to chop them finely to match the mushrooms.

Thyme: Fresh thyme is a key flavor in this dish, adding a herby warmth that pairs perfectly with the mushrooms. (I love use fresh herbs when ever I can but you can you 1 ½ teaspoon of dried thyme if you do not have fresh) 

Pie Crust: You can use a homemade pie crust (I’ve included a recipe below) or opt for store-bought pie dough if you’re short on time. 

Worcestershire Sauce: This adds a depth of umami flavor that takes the mushroom filling to the next level. ( If you don't have Worcestershire sauce you can also use balsamic vinegar)

Cheese: A combination of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan provides creaminess and a bit of salty sharpness—perfect for a savory tart. I think you could also try gruyere cheese or goat cheese. 

Instructions

To start, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and shallots, then season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Let everything sauté for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are fully cooked and browned. Once the mushrooms have taken on some nice color, stir in 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and let it cook for another 2–3 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

While the caramelized shallots and mushroom mixture cools, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out your chilled pie dough with a lightly floured rolling pin on a floured surface until it’s about ⅛ inch thick. Use a 2.5-inch cookie cutter to cut out dough circles, then re-roll any scraps to get as many rounds as possible.

Grease a mini muffin tin lightly, and press each dough circle into the wells to form mini tart shells. Chill the prepared tart shells in the fridge for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 egg, ⅓ cup (80 ml) of milk, 1 cup (115 grams) of shredded mozzarella, ½ cup (50 grams) of grated Parmesan, and the leaves from 4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, fold it into the egg and cheese mixture until everything is evenly combined.

Spoon about 1–1 ½ teaspoons of filling into each mini tart shell. Bake the tarts for 12–15 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden brown. Let the tarts cool slightly in the tin before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Serve

• As a bite-sized appetizer at dinner parties or holiday gatherings.
• Warm or at room temperature as part of a brunch spread.
• Paired with a light simple green salad for a delightful lunch.

Tips, Tricks, and Alterations

Making a Large Savory Mushroom Tart: If you prefer to make one large tart, use a 9-inch tart pan instead of the mini muffin tin. Blind-bake the pie crust at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes with parchment paper and pie weights, then remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes before adding the mushroom filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake the tart for 30–45 minutes until the filling is set and golden.

Don’t have pie weights? Neither do I! Uncooked rice or dried beans work just as well. (you know I am using beans:) And don’t toss them after baking. They can be reused time and again. Simply allow them to cool and then store in an airtight container.

What is Blind Baking? 

While important, It sounds like a bigger deal than it really its. Place the pie crust in the oven for 10 minutes without the filling. The key is to line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights (or dry beans) to prevent the bottom of the crust from forming air bubbles and to prevent the sides of the crust from falling and collapsing. 

Why should I blind-bake the crust?

Blind-baking allows the crust to bake and set, ensuring a crisp bottom. With a custard pie, like this mushroom tart, the moisture in the filling can make the crust soggy before it has time to bake. Blind baking the crust until it’s roughly half-baked helps the crust stay firm. 

What will happen if I don’t blind-bake the crust? 

It will all be fine! If you just can’t be bother to blind bake the crust, don’t.  Blind baking definitely brings your tart to the next level, but the filling is so savory and delicious that your guests will hardly notice that the bottom does not pass the perfectly crisp test. Don’t let perfection get in the way of enjoying your soggy bottom with damn good flavor!

NOTE:I don't bother blindly baking the mini mushroom tartlets because the proportion of crust to filling is different, and the cooking time is shorter. The crust still turns out great without blind baking. 

Buying vs. Making Your Own Pie Crust: Homemade pie crust offers a buttery, flaky texture that’s hard to beat, but store-bought pie dough is a great time-saver. Heads up, the quality of store-bought pie crust can vary greatly, so if you don't like one brand, don't be afraid of trying another. If you decide to make your own, check out the pie crust recipe in the note section of the recipe card.

Puff Pastry: You can also use store-bought puff pastry. I have not done this yet, but I have had readers try it and let me know it worked great.

If you’ve tried this Mushroom Tarts Recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.

Recipe

Mini Mushroom Tarts

This savory mushroom tart is layered with earthy mushrooms, caramelized shallots, cheese and a buttery pie crust.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

  

• For the Mini Tart Filling:
• 14 oz 400 g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped
• 4 shallots finely chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup 80 ml milk
• 1 cup 115 g shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
• For the Mini Tart Crusts:
• 1 batch of homemade pie crust recipe below or store-bought pie dough
• Additional flour for rolling out dough

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 10–15 minutes.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness and cut into 2.5-inch rounds. Press small circles into mini muffin tin and chill for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, mozzarella, Parmesan, and thyme. Fold in cooled mushroom mixture.
• Spoon 1 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture of filling into each mini tart shell. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until filling is set and lightly browned. Cool before serving.

Notes

Homemade Dough Recipe
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (1 cup / 225 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
4–8 tablespoon (60–120 ml) ice water
Instructions
Place flour and salt in a food processor; pulse to combine.
Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together.
Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out.

Making a Large Savory Mushroom Tart: If you prefer to make one large tart, use a 9-inch tart pan instead of the mini muffin tin. Blind-bake the pie crust at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes with parchment paper and pie weights, then remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes before adding the mushroom filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake the tart for 30–45 minutes until the filling is set and golden.