There’s something about a tart that walks the line between savory and sweet. This caramelized onion and pear tart does exactly that: sweet, jammy onions meet soft slices of pear on a flaky puff pastry base, finished with a touch of tangy blue cheese and fresh chives. It’s the kind of recipe that looks like you spent all afternoon laboring over but, in reality, comes together without much fuss. Perfect for fall dinner parties, cozy lunches, or when you just want something beautiful to serve with a glass of wine.
This caramelized onion and pear tart is here to prove that pears deserve better than the fruit bowl. I know you probably reached for the apples at the store instead, the pears looked green, hard, and days away from ripening. I get it. Pears can be tricky; they’re difficult to catch at just the right level of ripeness. Unlike apples, they don’t fully ripen until days after they’ve been picked, which means waiting is inevitable. But the payoff is worth it.
Their subtle flavor might seem mild at first, but that’s actually a great thing: pears are easy to pair with so many flavors. In this tart, they’re matched with sweet caramelized onions and tangy, salty blue cheese, layered over a bed of creamy mascarpone. You can use store-bought puff pastry or make your own (I’m adding the recipe for that as well). The onions take a bit of time to caramelize, but you can easily make them ahead and keep them in the fridge. After that, all that’s left to do is roll out the dough and assemble the tart. Easy pear-sy.
Putting a Tart Together: Building the Components
This beautiful tart was inspired by the talented Hailee Catalano. Her recipe calls for caramelized fennel and goat cheese, which is undeniably a wonderful combination. But this version – a slightly humbler one – uses onions (well, technically shallots, but they’re all related) and blue cheese. It goes to show how easily customizable this tart can be. For my version, I made my own puff pastry, but store-bought will certainly make things easier.
If you’re making your own, you can prepare the puff pastry a day or even a few weeks ahead and keep it in the fridge. Rough puff pastry is simple to make, as long as you keep a few things in mind: the butter needs to be very cold, and the water should be icy cold. Cut the butter into the flour using your fingertips, working quickly so it doesn’t melt, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter. Then, perform a couple of book folds and chill the dough in the fridge. Recipe below, I highly recommend using a kitchen sale!
When it comes to caramelizing the onions,
there’s no speeding up the process. Trying to rush it would just mean burning the onions, and that would ruin everything. So melt some butter, drop the onions in the pan, make yourself a cup of coffee, and go finish that chapter of your book. Let the onions cook down and caramelize at their own pace. Time is an important ingredient in cooking. (Just don’t get too lost in your reading, check on them occasionally, stirring and adding a splash of water or broth if they start to stick.)
You can make the onions the day before so that, when you’re ready to serve, all that’s left is to assemble the tart. For the pears, I used Bosc, but mostly because I find them so pretty and autumnal. Any variety will work here.
To finish it off, I like to top the baked tart with chopped chives, dill, or any fresh herbs I have on hand, plus a generous drizzle of hot honey. The flavors in this tart practically beg for that sweet, spicy touch — it ties everything together beautifully.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This tart is best served the same day, preferably straight from the oven. But if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to crisp up the pastry again.
As I mentioned above, you can make the pastry and caramelize the onions a day in advance. Assembling the tart takes less than ten minutes, so it’s all about preparation!
What to Serve with Pear Tart
This tart would look beautiful on a holiday table, served with a simple salad and a drizzle of honey. Or cut into small squares for an elegant appetizer platter or served alongside a charcuterie board.
You can also pair it with roast chicken or a glass of white wine for a cozy dinner. The possibilities are endless!
FAQs
Q: Can I make this tart ahead of time?
Yes! You can caramelize the onions a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Assemble and bake the tart fresh for best results.
Q: Can I use a different cheese?
Absolutely. Blue cheese adds a nice, salty tang, but brie, goat cheese, or even shredded Gruyère work beautifully.
Q: What type of pear works best?
Bosc pears hold their shape best, but Bartletts bring a lovely sweetness if you prefer a softer texture.
That’s it! If you make this caramelized onion and pear tart, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear how it turns out.
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Caramelized Onion and Pear Tart
4-6
servings20 minutes
(+20 min + chilling time if making your own puff pastry)30-45
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1 sheet of puff pastry (9 × 12 inches), homemade or store bought
2 tbsp butter
8 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 ripe bosc pears, thinly sliced
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
Fresh chives, chopped, for garnishing
Hot honey, for serving
- Puff pastry:
225g flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
175g butter, cold and cut into small cubes (about 1/2 inch)
6 tbsp water, ice-cold
Directions
If making your puff pastry: add the flour, sugar, and salt to a medium bowl and mix to combined.
Add in the cubed butter, tossing the flour and butter together with your hands. Rub the butter into the flour, breaking it down until it's in irregular-sized pieces. You want some to resemble breadcrumbs and some to still be large, like peas.
Add in the ice-cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, using your hands or a spatula to toss the mixture together after each addition. As the dough begins to hydrate and come together, move the pastry onto a clean surface. The mixture will still be very shaggy and you'll still have dry bits, don't worry.
Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a long rectangle (I don't usually measure this, just be sure it's long enough to perform a double fold). Fold both edges into the middle and then fold the entire piece in half again, like closing a book.
Roll the pastry out again and perform two more double folds immediately, adding flour as needed.
Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using. Pastry will keep for 3 days well-wrapped in the fridge or 30 days in the freezer.
Caramelize the shallots: melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until they are deep brown and caramelized. Add splashes of water if a brown fond develops in the pan, scraping up the fond into the mixture. This should take around 30-45 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute. Let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Roll out the pastry: lightly flour your work surface and place the chilled puff pastry on it. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly into a rectangle to fit your baking sheet until it’s about 2–3 mm thick (roughly 1/8 inch).
If you’re using store-bought puff pastry, just roll it out to smooth the edges. Once rolled, trim the edges to fit your pan neatly.Score the pastry: score a small border (about 1 inch) - being careful not cut all the way through - around the entire piece of puff pastry. This border will puff up as it bakes, creating that golden, crisp edge.
In a small bowl, mix together the cooled caramelized shallots and mascarpone cheese. Spread it out evenly over the center of the pastry, leaving the border.
Fan out the sliced pears all over the tart in desired fashion, then drizzle with olive oil.
Brush the crust with beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.
Drizzle tart with hot honey. Finish with a scattering of crumbled blue cheese and chopped chives over the top. Serve.
@heythereannao puff pastry + balsamic caramelized onions + pear + blue cheese 🫶🏻🍐🧀🧅 #snack #fallbaking #fyp
♬ Aesthetic - Audiodeity
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I suggest adding the caramelization of the shallots to the cook time
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris! I’ve updated the cooking time accordingly.
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