The humble shallot is the star of the show in this stunning Shallot Tarte Tatin! Serve it as an appetizer or a light French-inspired meal with a salad and a glass of wine.
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Are you looking for a recipe with lots of panache that’s perfect for fall and it’s so good you might even serve it for the holidays? I thought so, and that’s why I’m bringing you this gloriously glossy shallot tarte Tatin today.
âž¡ It’s French, but not fussy (we use frozen puff pastry.)
âž¡ The crust stays crisp and the shallots get all roasty and caramelized.
âž¡ It works as an elegant light lunch or a hearty side dish for fall and holiday meals.
Shallot tarte Tatin is a savory riff on a French classic
Classic tarte Tatin is a classic French upside-down pastry where cooked fruit (or in this case, vegetables!) are nestled into a quick butter and sugar mixture, topped with pastry, and baked. The finished tart is inverted so that the caramelized fruit is on top. A caramelized shallot tarte Tatin is a modern savory riff on that technique and we love it!
Although this recipe does include some sugar to make a buttery, caramelized glaze, the sweetness is balanced out by the addition of vinegar, so the end result has a nice sweet/savory vibe perfect with a side salad or as a rich side for meaty meals (see serving suggestions down below.)
The shallot tart tatin process
- Par cook the peeled sliced shallots to tenderize them.
- Remove the shallots and make a simple tangy caramel mixture in the pan.
- Nestle the shallots back into the caramel mixture in a single layer, cut sides down.
- Lay your circle of puff pastry over the top.
- Bake until puffed, golden, and crisp.
- Carefully invert the tart onto a flat plate.
- If any bits have stuck to the pan, just gently patch them back in.
Don’t be afraid of upside down recipes!
I have never had an issue flipping this kind of tart over. You may lose a shallot or two but they can easily be pressed right back into place.
You want to invert your tarte pretty much immediately after it comes out of the oven or it will start to stick as it cools. Be sure to wear oven mitts as the skillet will be hot.
- Use a blunt knife to go around the edges to ensure that the crust is not stuck to the side of the skillet.
- Place the flat plate or the back of a baking sheet over the top of your skillet and hold it on firmly.
- With one swift, confident move, hold onto the skillet and the plate firmly and flip the whole unit over.
- Lay everything down on the counter and then carefully lift the skillet straight up and away.
- If you have anything stuck to the skillet you can carefully pry it loose and patch your tart.
Serving ideas for lunch or dinner
This is delicious warm from the oven but it is equally as delicious at room temperature, which makes it very versatile. Shallot tarte Tatin works nicely as a light lunch, appetizer, or side for a hearty fall dinner.
With dinner
- Roast Beef Tenderloin
- Bourbon Glazed Meatloaf
- Ina Garten’s Mustard Chicken
- Chicken Thighs Marsala
- French Mustard Chicken
With lunch or brunch
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Shallot Tarte Tatin
Equipment
- 10" oven safe skillet or frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
- 1 Tbsp flour, for rolling out the pastry
- 1 lb medium shallots
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
- salt
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar*
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp butter
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- creme fraiche, for serving , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- On a lightly floured surface, rollout the puff pastry and cut it out into a circle a bit wider than the bottom of your pan. Lay it out on a plate or a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to bake.
- Peel the shallots and slice them in half lengthwise, from root to tip. (You can slice them in quarters if they're very large.) Melt the 1 Tbsp olive oil or butter in your pan, then remove the pan from the heat and arrange the shallots cut side down to fit the entire bottom, Fit them in as snugly as you can. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Cover and cook the shallots over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.Then remove the cover and add a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons) and continue cooking for a few more minutes. They should be starting to soften and turn a light golden brown on the bottom. Note: keep your heat at medium, you don't want to scorch the shallots.
- Gently remove the shallots from the pan, doing your best to keep them intact, and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt together the 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp butter, and 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar*(see notes below about why I used a combination of balsamic and red wine vinegar). Cook for a minute or two until bubbling and starting to thicken.
- Remove your pan from the heat, and carefully add the shallots back to the pan, placing them cut side down again, and nestling them closely together.
- Cut a couple of small vents in the center of your puff pastry circle, and carefully lay it on top of the shallots, tucking any excess dough under. Be very careful as your pan will be hot.
- Bake for about 25-35 minutes until the puff pastry is puffed, a rich golden brown, and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for just a minute (no longer!) before inverting.
- Use a blunt knife to go around the edges to ensure that the crust is not stuck to the side of the skillet.I like to use a flat platter (if you don't have a flat platter you can use the back of a baking sheet. )Place the plate or sheet pan over the top of your skillet.Using oven mitts, hold onto both the skillet and the plate firmly and, with one swift, confident move, flip the whole unit over.Lay everything down on the counter and then carefully lift the skillet straight up and away.If you have anything stuck to the skillet you can carefully pry it loose and patch your tart.
- Allow the tart to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and a dollop of creme fraiche.
- The tart is wonderful warm, but just as delicious at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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