“If we owned a restaurant, this would definitely be on the appetizer menu,” my husband uttered as he took a bite of this delicious savory wild mushroom and onion tart. The sweet and savory combination of morels, ramps, and pecans simmered into a red wine honey sauce, surrounded by cheese, and served on flakey puff pastry is too dang good not to share with you all. We ended up topping this off with a little balsamic glaze while taste testing and it was the perfect touch.
My husband, son, and I took a week off from working on the blog this spring to do some morel mushroom hunting while hiking in our local state parks and state forests. While foraging, we found some very nice morel mushrooms and large bounties of ramps, a springtime wild onion. We harvested a few ramps to take home with us and we are so glad we did, too! This wild mushroom and onion appetizer was fantastic. Like so many things I create in the kitchen, it came together with ingredients we had on hand at the moment. Feel free to substitute with your favorite nuts, cheeses, wine, and mushrooms!
If you’re interested in trying morel mushrooms, they can often be purchased at your local grocery store or food market. They are sold in dehydrated packs of 1-2 oz and will rehydrate well, gaining more weight in rehydration.
If you’re interested in trying ramps, you could try your local farmers market in the springtime or you can grow your own! Seeds are widely available online.
A note about foraging
I would feel terrible if I didn’t include a little note about safety while foraging for edible mushrooms. Edible wild mushrooms are an absolute treat and incredibly fun to find, but there are a few imposter mushrooms and inedible mushrooms out there to be aware of, so please accurately identify any wild mushroom you plan to consume. Cook your mushrooms before eating them and don’t consume alcohol when trying a new type of mushroom for the first time. If you are allergic to the mushroom, the effects of alcohol will worsen the allergic reaction.
How to make a wild mushroom and onion tart
Start by setting out your frozen puff pastry to allow it to thaw while making the mushroom & onion mixture. Cook the mushroom and onion mixture on the stove and set aside. Prepare the dough by rolling it into a 12×9 inch rectangle, scoring the edges 1/2 inch, and transferring to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Spread ricotta in the center. Add your mushroom and onion mixture evenly throughout, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and brush on an egg wash for the edges of the puff pastry. Bake the tart at 350F/177C for 15 minutes and remove. Add a sprinkle of goat cheese and return to the oven for 2-3 more minutes until the edges are golden brown. This allows the goat cheese to get perfectly soft. Top with thin slices of onion tops and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Mushroom Onion Mixture
- Melt oil and butter in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion bottoms and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and garlic, sautéing for another 3-5 minutes. Onions should look slightly translucent at this point.
- Add in pecans, salt, and thyme. Stir for one minute so the pecans get slightly toasted.
- Add in the red wine and honey. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low/simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed by the mushrooms, onions, and pecans.
- Set aside the mushroom & onion mixture to cool.
Assembling The Tart
- Preheat your oven to 350F/177C. Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, roll the dough until it’s about a 12×9 inch rectangle. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking pan. Using the blunt edge of a butter knife, score 1/2 inch from edges of the dough without cutting through. Using a fork, poke holes in the inner part of the dough, leaving your 1/2 inch edges untouched until the egg wash step.
- Spread a layer of ricotta cheese onto the tart. Optional, crack fresh black pepper over the ricotta cheese.
- Take the mushroom & onion mixture and spoon it onto the tart evenly. Sprinkle with finely shredded white cheese.
- Combine the whisked egg and pinch of salt. Brush on to the 1/2 inch edges of the tart.
Baking The Tart
Bake at 350F/177C for 15 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle on the goat cheese. Continue baking for 2-3 minutes or until edges of the tart are golden brown. This will soften the goat cheese perfectly. Remove from the oven and top with onion tops and/or a balsamic glaze. Slice and serve.
More Mushroom Recipes To Try
Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: These addictive mushroom bites are filled with cheeses, nuts, and herbs, and make the perfect brunch appetizer.
Mushroom Risotto: My favorite recipe for mushroom risotto with tips for making it perfect!
Mushroom Alfredo Pasta: Easy, simple, and super creamy mushroom Alfredo pasta. One of my favorite quick meals!
This post may include affiliate links to products that I love and use daily.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 12 (90g) scallions or ramps (bottoms only, sliced in half), save tops for garnish
- 2 cups (200g) wild mushrooms (morel, porcini, etc.) cut in half *see notes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup (32g) chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dried
- 1/4 cup dry red wine (cabernet or merlot)
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 Puff Pastry Sheet, thawed
- 7 ounces (192g) ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces (115g) finely shredded white cheese (mozzarella, gruyere, white cheddar, etc.)
- 2 ounces (66g) goat cheese
- Freshly cracked black pepper, optional
- 1 egg, whisked
- pinch of salt
- Scallion or ramp tops, thinly sliced
- Balsamic glaze drizzle
-
Set out your frozen puff pastry to allow it to thaw while making the mushroom & onion mixture.
-
Melt oil and butter in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion bottoms and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and garlic, sautéing for another 3-5 minutes. Onions should look slightly translucent at this point.
-
Add in pecans, salt, and thyme. Stir for one minute so the pecans get slightly toasted.
-
Add in the red wine and honey. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low/simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed by the mushrooms, onions, and pecans.
-
Set aside the mushroom & onion mixture to cool.
-
Preheat your oven to 350F/177C. Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's about a 12×9 inch rectangle. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking pan. Using the blunt edge of a butter knife, score 1/2 inch from edges of the dough without cutting through. Using a fork, poke holes in the inner part of the dough, leaving your 1/2 inch edges untouched until the egg wash step.
-
Spread a layer of ricotta cheese onto the tart. Optional, crack fresh black pepper over the ricotta cheese.
-
Take the mushroom & onion mixture and spoon it onto the tart evenly. Sprinkle with finely shredded white cheese.
-
Combine the whisked egg and pinch of salt. Brush on to the 1/2 inch edges of the tart.
-
Bake at 350F/177C for 15 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle on the goat cheese. Continue baking for 2-3 minutes or until edges of the tart are golden brown.
-
Remove from the oven and top with onion tops and/or a balsamic glaze. Slice and serve.
*Mushrooms: Rinse your mushrooms well, especially if they have been foraged.
If you’re interested in trying morel mushrooms, they can often be purchased at your local grocery store or food market. They are sold in dehydrated packs of 1-2 oz and will rehydrate well, gaining more weight in rehydration.
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