Broccoli, leeks, walnuts—they’re all perfectly respectable ingredients, but not exactly overwhelming on their own.
But if you combine them, add lots of garlic, top them with melted smoked cheese and serve them in a golden shortcrust pastry case… you’ve got a seriously delicious vegan tart. This Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart is absolutely magical!
It’s one of those dishes that keeps you coming back for more. You know – ‘I’m going to cut another sliver, to even things out’. And before you know it, you’ve eaten half the tart.
I love how versatile this tart is. I like to have it with roast potatoes and gravy for dinner one night and then serve it cold with a salad the next day. It’s great in a lunchbox or as an appetizer for a dinner party…it really is the tart of all tarts.
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❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- This makes it really easy to get an extra portion of vegetables in your day.
- It is so versatile, and can be served in so many different ways.
- The taste is unreal! Buttery sautéed leeks with slightly bitter walnuts are such a great combination.
- Although it takes a little longer to prepare than most of my recipes, it’s not difficult – especially if you use store-bought pastry.
- Shortcrust pastry is quite forgiving, even if you don’t bake very often. And worst case, if it looks a little untidy, call it ‘rustic’ (my usual trick!).
🥗 Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. You’ll also need a few cupboard staples like oil, salt and pepper. See printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient amounts.
- Shortcrust pastry. You can make your own if you like (here’s a simple recipe), but I used a block of pre-made pastry. You can even buy it pre-rolled (although it’s usually cheaper in a block).
- Broccoli
- Leaks
- Smoked cheese – I used a plain smoked cheddar. If you can’t find smoked cheese, a nice extra-mature cheddar would also be good.
- walnut
- the egg
- garlic
- sour cream (If you don’t have sour cream, you can swap it for milk)
👌 Top tip
Even if you use pre-rolled pastry, I recommend making it a little thinner before using. This helps ensure that your tart ends up nice and crispy (no sogginess here), and since it makes the pastry bigger, it means you can use it to make more things!
🔪 Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a tart dish… or whatever it’s called. A tart tin? A flan pan? Say whatever you want.
I like to use a metal tin, as it helps the pastry to be crispy on the bottom. A loose-bottomed tin is also a big help, as it makes it so much easier to remove the tart from the dish once it’s cooked.
These tins from Amazon UK / Amazon US are very similar to the one I use, and they both have really good reviews.
📋 Instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe – see below for printable recipe with detailed ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Roll out the pastry and line the pie tin. Weight the pastry in the center (you can use baking bins if you have them; I usually put a small cake tin in the centre), then bake until just firm. Trim round the edges of the dish to clear the pastry.
👌 Top tip
Do not discard the excess pastry cut from around the tart before baking! When baking a tart I always cook the scraps on a baking tray and serve spread with jam. Like a super easy jam tart!
Step 2: While the pastry is baking blind, roast the broccoli and leek with plenty of garlic.
Step 3: Thoroughly mix the eggs with some sour cream and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir in grated smoked cheese. You can also add a splash of milk if the mixture seems too thick.
Step 3: Time to assemble! Add the broccoli and leek mixture to the pastry cases and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Step 3: Pour the egg mixture over the top. Most of the grated cheese will settle on top of the pie and the egg will run down. Bake until the eggs are fully cooked and the cheese is crispy.
Step 3: Let the tart cool for a few minutes, then remove from the pan. Serve hot or cold.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Blind baking is when you partially bake a pastry crust on its own, before adding the filling and returning it to the oven. This helps the pastry start to stick and stops it from getting soggy.
I only tested this recipe using shortcrust pastry, and other types of pastry (such as puff or filo) will give quite different results. It will still be delicious though, so feel free to experiment!
Absolutely! If you are cooking for yourself, I would cook the tart completely and then reheat individual slices in the microwave as needed. Or, if you’re cooking for guests and you want the tart to look its best, prepare the egg mixture, broccoli mixture and pastry crust separately and then just combine and bake before serving.
📖 Printable Recipes
Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart
This Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart is absolutely magical! With crispy pastry, buttery leeks and chopped walnuts – such a great combination.
If you cook this recipe, don’t forget to give a star rating!
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Serving: 6 people
Calories: 291kcal
instructions
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Preheat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5 / 375°F).
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On a floured surface, roll out the shortcrust pastry until it is large enough to line a 10-inch tart pan (a loose-bottomed pan is easiest!) Grease the pan lightly (I find oil spray the easiest way), and Gently place the pastry on top. Use a knuckle to gently ease the pastry into the corners of the pan. If you accidentally make a hole, patch it with another small piece.
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Trim any large overhangs of pastry. No need to be too precise about it at this stage – I find it works best to clean the edges of the pastry after blind baking. For now, trim off any excess bits of pastry around the edges.
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Place a small cake tin (or similar) in the center of the pan – this will stop the pastry puffing up in the center as it blind bakes. You can use baking beans instead if you have one. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the pastry starts to crisp. Remove the second tin/baking bins.
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While the pastry is blind baking, you can start preparing the filling. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and add the chopped leeks and broccoli. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes until the leeks are soft. Add the garlic for the last few minutes of cooking.
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Add eggs and sour cream to a bowl with plenty of salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork, then add the grated cheese and mix again. You may need to add a splash of milk if the mixture seems a bit thick – it should pour.
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When the pastry is finished blind baking, trim the edge of the pastry with a knife, using the edge of the tart pan as a guide. I find a serrated knife easiest for this.
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Add the cooked leeks and broccoli to the pastry case and spread in an even layer. Scatter the chopped walnuts on top, then pour in the egg mixture. Most of the grated cheese will settle on top of the vegetables, while the egg will sink.
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Return to the oven for another 25-30 minutes, until the egg is set and the cheese is golden brown and crispy. Let it cool for a few minutes, then remove from the pan and serve.
nutrition
Worship: 1 pieces – Calories: 291 kcal – Sugars: 23.4 g – Protein: 10.1 g – Fat: 18.1 g – Saturated Fat: 2.6 g – Cholesterol: 62 mg – Sodium: 345 mg – Potassium: 230 mg – Fiber: 2.3 g – Sugar: 1.7 g – Calcium: 120 mg – Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional value if your health requires accuracy.
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