Summer is in full swing, and the farmer's markets and gardens are brimming with fresh, juicy tomatoes. It means it’s time to make this delicious savory galette!
With its tender, flaky crust, garnished with basil, topped with roasted tomatoes, and gooey mozzarella, this savory tomato galette is not only great as a side dish but can be enjoyed as a light meal on its own.
This recipe is a must-try for summers, along with our caprese salad, pan-fried asparagus, jalapeno pimento cheese.
Jump To
- Why You'll Love This Galette
- What is a galette?
- Galette Dough
- What Kind of Tomatoes Are Best for Caprese?
- What are the three different types of galette?
- 🛒Ingredients
- 🥣Instructions
- Tomato Galette Popular Substitutions
- How do you keep tomato galettes from getting soggy?
- 📋Tips
- Storage Instructions
- 👪Serving Suggestions
- What about dessert? Try these recipes!
- What is the difference between a pizza and a galette?
- 🤷Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations
- Easy Pie Recipes
- 📖Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Galette
- Perfect Summer Appetizer - The galette dough envelops the gooey cheese filling and is brushed with egg wash for a beautiful crispy golden finish. Enjoy this tomato mozzarella galette as a party appetizer, snack, or main meal with a choice of sides.
- Inspired by Caprese - Inspired by the classic Caprese salad, the combination of tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella is a winning combination. Additionally, the homemade tender galette dough perfectly complements the fresh roasted tomatoes, creating a delightful texture contrast.
- Ease - Rustic galettes are forgiving and don't require perfection, which is why they are great for beginners!
What is a galette?
Galettes can be made with homemade dough, traditional pie crust or puff pastry.
Galette is somewhat of an open pie with a favorite filling that can be either savory or sweet.
For a sweeter galette try my strawberry galette or apple galette recipes.
Galette Dough
A homemade galette dough consists of simple kitchen pantry ingredients such as all-purpose flour, water, butter, and salt.
You can make it as thick or thin as you’d like. If you want it to be super flaky, make it thinner.
The dough comes out airy, fluffy but is less flaky than the puff pastry base.
What Kind of Tomatoes Are Best for Caprese?
For any recipe involving roasted tomatoes, I’d recommend using heirloom tomatoes, especially if you can get them while they are in season.
What are the three different types of galette?
The three most common galettes include:
- A fruit galette - Popular during summer with slices of fresh fruit/berries that can be dusted with sugar or cinnamon just before baking.
- A savory galette - made with savory fillings such as caramelized onions, tomatoes, spinach, asparagus and other vegetables, and cheese.
🛒Ingredients
This Tomato Galette is a simple and rustic savory galette recipe, bursting with Caprese-inspired ingredients such as juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil.
Here's what you'll need:
- Galette Dough - This galette dough consists of all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cubed unsalted butter, and cold water. You can use salted butter and omit the salt, and the all-purpose flour can be replaced by gluten-free 1:1 flour if needed.
- Filling - A combination of crumbled mozzarella cheese, sliced heirloom tomatoes, cherry or plum tomatoes, dried basil, dried thyme, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Egg wash - Egg yolk and water. Brush this egg wash over the exposed dough crust for a beautiful golden finish.
- Fresh basil leaves - For serving. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze over the baked savory galette is a delicious and optional addition.
- Fresh Basil: Fragrant basil leaves elevate the flavors of the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Extra virgin olive oil - for brushing the tomatoes with olive oil herb mixture.
- Balsamic Glaze (optional step) - just like in my tomato mozzarella appetizer, balsamic provides a punch of sweetness and reduces acidity that comes from tomatoes. Alternatively, high-quality balsamic vinegar can be used.
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
🥣Instructions
How to make tomato a galette? It's easy, in just 3 steps and proper planning ahead, this galette will come together in 30 minutes.
You can make it in advance as the dough needs an hour to chill in the fridge. If you're in a rush, you can also use a simple store-bought puff pastry base.
Making the Galette Dough
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the flour mixture.
Use your fingers or a pastry blender to combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle in the cold water and gently work the dough into a ball.
Press it down slightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C) and line a large baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Preparing the Filling
Cut the heirloom tomatoes into slices and sprinkle them with salt.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
This step helps to draw out the excess moisture from tomatoes. Wipe off the extra salt and moisture from tomatoes before assembling the filling.
Slice the mozzarella into circles.
In a small bowl, mix together dried basil, thyme, black pepper, and olive oil to create an herb mixture.
Roll out the pie crust dough on a piece of parchment paper by hand or with a rolling pin into a rough 12-inch circle.
Don't worry if the edges aren't perfectly even; we're going for a rustic look.
Assembling the Galette
Arrange a layer of heirloom tomato slices in the center of the dough, leaving about 1 ½ inches (3-4 cm) of space from the edges.
Brush the sweet tomatoes generously with the herb and olive oil mixture.
Place the mozzarella cheese circles in between the tomatoes, and for an extra touch, add some cherry tomatoes on top.
Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, leaving the center uncovered.
In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk and a splash of water. Brush this mixture over the exposed crust.
Bake the galette in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the tomato slices tender.
Once it's done, serve your heirloom tomato galette warm and enjoy!
Serve with a Sides. Pair your tomato mozzarella galette with refreshing cucumber side salad, caesar salad or deviled eggs.
Tomato Galette Popular Substitutions
For those with dietary restrictions or personal preferences, here are some ingredient substitutions:
Gluten-Free Option: Replace all-purpose flour with your preferred brand of 1:1 gluten-free flour with a built-in thickening agent (xanthan gum or similar).
Dairy-Free Alternative: Use your favorite non-dairy cheese substitute or cashew cheese in place of mozzarella.
Traditional Pie Crust: If desired, you can use a classic pie crust, a recipe for pop tarts, or use puff pastry from the store for a buttery, flaky crust.
Olive Oil Replacement: Although extra virgin olive oil is recommended for its flavor and health benefits, you can substitute it with an oil of your choice.
Pesto and Herb Options: Add pesto for vibrant colors and deliciousness. Or add more fresh herbs like chives, basil, parsley, or dill, based on what you have available.
How do you keep tomato galettes from getting soggy?
I recommend slicing the heirloom tomatoes and sprinkling them with salt.
Placing the sliced and salted tomatoes on a tray lined with paper towels for about 20 minutes will help draw out excess moisture to prevent the dough from becoming soggy while the galette bakes.
📋Tips
- Choose ripe tomatoes - Select ripe, juicy tomatoes to ensure maximum flavor. Farmers' markets and local produce stands are my preferred choices!
- Add sesame seeds to the edges of your galette for an extra touch of nutrition.
- Measure your ingredients - Precisely measure (by spoon and level method) or weigh the flour to achieve accurate results.
- Roll out the galette dough on a parchment sheet to prevent sticking and facilitate transferring it onto the baking sheet.
- Chilling the galette dough is an important step. It helps to relax the gluten, which results in tender dough. It also helps to chill the butter in the dough, which also helps achieve a tender and crispy crust.
- You don’t need to create a perfect-looking dough circle. In fact, this tomato galette is meant to look slightly rustic!
- If you don’t want to make your own pastry from scratch, store-bought puff pastry is another great option!
- Work fast when assembling this tomato mozzarella galette so the cold butter in the pastry doesn’t have too much time to warm before baking.
- Always use fresh produce, especially when a recipe like this galette calls for simple ingredients.
- Don’t be stingy on the thick crust border. Overfilling the galette and reducing the thickness of the dough border can result in some of the spilling or oozing out while baking.
- Let it cool - Allow the galette to cool for a few minutes after baking to allow the flavors to meld together. This will also make it easier to slice and serve.
- Overlapping tomato slices - Feel free to overlap tomato slices for a more tomato-filled galette. They shrink during baking, so there's no need to worry about overcrowding.
✅ EXPERT TIP Lightly salting the tomatoes before assembling the galette helps release excess moisture and ensures caramelization while keeping the bottom crust flaky.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store leftovers. Store leftover galette slices in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- 🥶Freezing. Frozen, unbaked galettes can be stored for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- 🔥To Reheat. To reheat leftover galette, warm it in a 350-degree oven (or Air Fryer) for 5-7 minutes.
- Make ahead. Make the galette dough a day in advance or prepare multiple batches and store them in the fridge or freezer for convenience.
👪Serving Suggestions
This tomato galette is easy to serve as it is or with a little drizzle of balsamic glaze.
I recommend making this galette when tomatoes are in season.
Here's what we like to serve it with:
- Summer appetizer or side dish - cucumber side salad, caesar salad or deviled eggs, asparagus fries, roasted garlic, and roasted carrots.
- With a side salad - taco salad, Italian pasta salad, roasted pesto potato salad, or grilled chicken and beet salad.
- With a hearty soup - swap the boring crusty bread with this tomato galette and serve with creamy Italian sausage soup, pasta fazool soup, or creamy coconut butternut squash soup.
What about dessert? Try these recipes!
What is the difference between a pizza and a galette?
A galette is a so-called ''flat cake'' which originated in France and for me, it reminds me of a simplified pie recipe, while pizza is originally an Italian pastry.
A galette is made with tender dough where the outer edges are folded into a thick border. The fillings of galettes usually consist of fresh fruit, vegetables with cheese, or tomatoes with cheese and herbs.
While some pizza variations have dough borders, they are less thick and prominent than what you find with a galette.
The options of fillings for pizza are almost limitless in comparison.
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
Galettes and pie crusts share similarities in composition and purpose, but they also have notable differences. Pie crusts are delicate and flaky, used for enclosing pies, while galettes are open-faced tarts without a pan. Galette dough is folded around the filling, creating a rustic, exposed crust, whereas pie crusts are more structured and typically used for traditional pies.
This tomato galette is a standout dish you’ll want to serve with something simple, such as a green salad, grilled or roasted vegetables, or creamy soup.
Galettes can be made with both puff pastry or homemade galette dough.
Variations
- Sweet Galettes - apple caramel galette, plum peach galette, rhubarb galette, strawberry galette, or almost any fruit will be perfect here!
- Zucchini or Asparagus Galette
- Corn Galette
- Pesto Galette - add your favorite veggies and instead of the oil/herb mixture use my pesto sauce instead.
- Potato and Tomato Galette
- Sundried Tomatoes Galette
- Leek and Tomato Galette
- Bacon and Veggie Galette
- Garlic and Herbs Galette
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Easy Pie Recipes
❤️Did you make this recipe? Please be sure to leave a rating and a comment below. Thank you!❤️
📖Recipe
Savory Tomato and Mozzarella Galette (Caprese Galette)
Ingredients
Galette Dough
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ¼ cup cold water
Cheese Filling
- 5 ounce mozzarella cheese crumbled
- 3 medium ripe heirloom tomatoes
- 2-3 cherry or plum tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh basil for serving
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- splash water
Instructions
Making the Galette Dough
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the flour mixture.
- Use your fingers or a pastry blender to combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle in the cold water and gently work the dough into a ball.
- Press it down slightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C) and line a large baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare The Filling
- Cut the heirloom tomatoes into slices and sprinkle them with salt.
- Place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- This step helps to draw out the excess moisture from tomatoes. Wipe off the extra salt and moisture from tomatoes before assembling the filling.
- Slice the mozzarella into circles.
- In a small bowl, mix together dried basil, thyme, black pepper, and olive oil to create an herb mixture.
- Roll out the pie crust dough on a piece of parchment paper by hand or with a rolling pin into a rough 12-inch circle.
- Don't worry if the edges aren't perfectly even; we're going for a rustic look.
Assembling the Galette
- Arrange a layer of heirloom tomato slices in the center of the dough, leaving about 1 ½ inches (3-4 cm) of space from the edges.
- Brush the sweet tomatoes generously with the herb and olive oil mixture.
- Place the mozzarella cheese circles in between the tomatoes, and for an extra touch, add some cherry tomatoes on top.
- Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, leaving the center uncovered.
- In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk and a splash of water. Brush this mixture over the exposed crust.
- Bake the galette in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the tomato slices tender.
- Once it's done, serve your heirloom tomato galette warm and enjoy!
easy and delicious savory summer tomato galette!