This is our go-to appetizer when serving guests, especially when tomatoes are in season.
If there was ever a combination of flavors that worked better than the ones in this galette, we’ve yet to discover it. The homemade crust is simple to prepare but really puts it over the top! Serve with a nice chilled dry white wine for the perfect midday, summer treat. Truly spectacular!
How To Make Tomato Galette with Gruyère and Caramelized Onions
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The Ingredients You Will Need
There are just a handful of ingredients needed for this pastry. We can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference the homemade dough makes! Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
Pie dough – If you have a food processor, our perfect pie crust is a snap to make and takes the galette to another level. However, quality store-bought dough is good, too.
Oil – Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil is best. However, canola or melted butter can work, too. It’s for caramelizing the onions.
Onion – One large yellow or white onion. Thinly sliced.
Gruyère cheese – Preferably purchased as a block and then shredded. Fontina or gouda are both perfectly acceptable substitutions. Shredded mozzarella will work, too.
Tomatoes – Ripe, juicy tomatoes are best. Preferably farm-fresh. Heirlooms are wonderful. If you can’t find any of these, go with sliced Roma tomatoes. They are juicy and will produce a wonderful taste and texture.
Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and freshly chopped thyme. Rosemary, oregano, or tarragon are all great substitutions for the thyme.
Egg – One beaten egg combined with water to create an egg wash. This helps to make the crust nice and golden as it bakes.
EXPERT TIP: If possible, use a heavy rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Don’t worry if the edges are a little scraggly.
Tips for Making a Perfect Tomato Galette
Chill the Dough Before Assembling – After making the homemade crust, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out and assembling the galette. This helps the dough relax and makes it easier to work with, resulting in a flakier and more tender crust.
Caramelize the Onions Slowly – Take your time when caramelizing the onions to bring out their natural sweetness and depth of flavor. Cook them low and slow in butter or olive oil until they turn a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Use Ripe, Flavorful Tomatoes – Choose ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best flavor in your galette. Look for heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, as they will have the best flavor and texture for this dish.
Grate the Gruyere Cheese – Grate the Gruyere cheese just before assembling the galette to ensure it’s at its freshest. Using freshly grated cheese will give the galette a rich and creamy texture when it melts during baking.
Allow the Galette to Rest – Resist cutting into the galette soon after you remove it from the heat. The juices from the tomatoes need a little time to settle into the cheese and onions. 15 minutes is ideal.
EXPERT TIP: Be sure to give enough space to fold the edges of the dough of the dough back towards the center. You don’t want to completely cover the tomatoes, leave an opening so most of the tomatoes are visible.
How To Serve
This is ideal to serve as an appetizer before a wonderful feast. But, it’s also great to serve as a treat mid-afternoon.
You can also serve it warm or at room temperature. We prefer it warm, but, as you will find, it’s wonderful room temperature, too.
We like to slice it up like a pizza or a freshly baked pie and then let guests grab their own serving.
It pairs wonderfully with dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. But, it’s also wonderful with a robust red wine such as Zinfandel or Pinot Noir.
Other Amazing Recipes Featuring Tomatoes To Try
If you love juicy, flavorful tomatoes as much as we do, you are going to flip for this collection of incredible recipes featuring that glorious red fruit:
- Southern Tomato Pie
- Tomato Tart with Fresh Corn and Herbs
- Stuffed Tomatoes
- Classic Gazpacho
- Best-Ever BLT with Garlic Basil Aioli
- Classic Caprese Salad
- Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Panzanella (Tuscan Bread and Tomato Salad)
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
These are all amazing, without a doubt. But, in the meantime, isn’t the galette calling your name?
If we had to pick one appetizer that consistently gets the most raves when we serve it to guests, it would be this tomato galette.
Most folks comment about the comforting combination of flavors. But, everyone comments on the homemade crust.
It all comes together to make an incredibly delicious savory pastry that is not difficult to prepare!
Ready to make the best savory pastry in town? Go for it!
When you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Tomato Galette with Gruyere and Caramelized Onione
Equipment
- Food processor if making the dough from scratch (recommended)
- Pizza stone or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie dough (click link for recipe)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp semolina flour or fine cornmeal (optional)
- 6 oz Gruyere cheese shredded
- 3 ripe tomatoes sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp thyme fresh, chopped
- 1 large egg beaten, combined with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
Do Ahead
- Make the pie dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours. If frozen, allow the dough to thaw completely.1 9-inch pie dough
Make the Galette
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until browned all over, stirring frequently. About 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a circular shape about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Add more flour to the surface as needed to prevent sticking.
- Gently transfer the dough to a pizza stone or baking sheet. (Before doing this, you can sprinkle the stone or baking sheet with semolina flour or fine cornmeal. This isn't completely necessary, but helps to ensure the dough won't stick to the stone).1 tbsp semolina flour
- Add the caramelized onions in the center of the dough, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of dough around the edges. Place the cheese over the onions, and then arrange the tomato slices over the cheese (you may not use all of the tomato slices).6 oz Gruyere cheese, 3 ripe tomatoes
- Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper over all of the tomatoes and then sprinkle on the chopped thyme.Salt and pepper, 1 tbsp thyme
- Use your hands to gently pull the edges of the dough toward the center of the galette. Bring the sides of the dough so about ⅔ of the tomatoes are visible.
- In a small bowl, mix the lightly beaten egg with 1 tbsp of water. Brush the egg wash all over the top portion of the dough.1 large egg
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the dough is lightly browned and the interior is bubbly. Use a couple of flat spatulas to gently transfer the galette from the stone (or baking sheet) to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This was great! I’ve been wanting to try this since last year, and now that we have ripe tomatoes it was time. Did not disappoint!!
Hi Cheryl! Woo hoo! We are thrilled you made our tomato galette and had such great success with it! And with homegrown tomatoes…DIVINE!!! Thanks for sharing! Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Looks wonderful! Will make it this weekend as we have family staying over and they will love it. We were watching new recipe while eating your Tuna Casserole recipe for dinner. Made your Broccoli Soup yesterday. Can’t say enough how much we enjoy each of your videos and your recipes. We are we such great fans of you both. Thanks for what you do!
Deborah! You have no idea how much this means to us! We are thrilled you are enjoying our recipes and videos! It’s folks like you that inspire us and make us love what we do! Stay in touch, and stay tuned…so much more fun and food on the way! xo Kris & Wesley
This is gorgeous. Such beautiful ingredients. I could not live without Gruyère!
Thank you, Mimi! We agree…Gruyère is a game changer!!!! xoxo