This savoury butternut squash and goats’ cheese tart with walnuts and rosemary makes an ideal midweek dinner. Serve it with a simple side salad for a quick, fuss-free, and delicious meal.
Hello friends! Happy New Year and welcome to the first post of the year. After catching up with family and friends and doing a little travelling, I’m refreshed and ready for the months ahead. To ease into the season, simple and comforting meals are exactly what I reach for—this butternut squash and goats’ cheese tart is a perfect example.
Butternut squash & goats’ cheese tart
This savoury tart is built from just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort, yet it delivers great flavour and texture. It uses ready-rolled puff pastry for convenience, roasted butternut squash and walnuts for depth, and creamy goats’ cheese with a touch of rosemary to lift the dish. Ready in under an hour, it’s ideal for busy weeknights when you want something warm and satisfying without spending ages in the kitchen.
Why this savoury tart works
The recipe is straightforward and forgiving. Roast the squash to bring out sweetness and a slight caramelisation, scatter creamy goats’ cheese and crunchy nuts on a buttery puff pastry base, and finish with fresh rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil. Using prepared puff pastry saves time while still delivering a crisp, golden crust. The combination of textures—crispy pastry, tender roasted squash, creamy cheese and crunchy nuts—makes every bite interesting.
You can adapt the filling to what you have: swap walnuts for hazelnuts or pine nuts, use a different chutney for a flavour twist, or add a handful of baby spinach or caramelised onions for extra depth.
Ingredients
This recipe uses just eight core ingredients. The principal ingredient is butternut squash—about 350 g is suggested, but you can increase this if you prefer a squash-forward tart. The rest are pantry-friendly: olive oil, walnuts (or your preferred nut), ready-rolled puff pastry, tomato chutney, soft goats’ cheese, fresh rosemary and an egg for glazing.
Equipment
- Medium roasting tin
- Baking tray
- Fork for docking the pastry
How to prepare the tart
The method is simple: roast, assemble and bake. Start by preheating the oven and roasting the peeled, wedged butternut squash tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender and beginning to brown—about 15–20 minutes. Add the walnuts in the last few minutes so they toast lightly.
Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray and score a 1 cm border all the way around. Prick the inside of the border with a fork to prevent it rising too much. Spread the chutney over the pastry inside the border, scatter chunks of goats’ cheese, then top with the roasted squash and nuts. Brush the border with beaten egg, add chopped rosemary and a final drizzle of olive oil, then bake until the pastry is crisp and golden—about 20 minutes.
Recipe
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 40 mins | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 350 g butternut squash, peeled and chopped into wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50 g walnuts (or hazelnuts/pine nuts)
- 1 pack ready-rolled puff pastry (about 320 g)
- 2 tbsp tomato chutney (or other chutney)
- 100 g soft goats’ cheese, broken into chunks
- 2 medium rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped
- 1 small egg, beaten (for glazing)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Place the butternut squash in a medium roasting tin, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes until it begins to soften and take on some colour. Add the walnuts for the final couple of minutes to toast lightly.
- Roll the puff pastry out onto a baking tray. Score a 1 cm border around the edges and prick the inside of the border all over with a fork to prevent it puffing up too much.
- Spread the chutney within the scored border. Scatter the goats’ cheese chunks evenly, then top with the roasted squash and walnuts.
- Brush the border with beaten egg, sprinkle over the chopped rosemary, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season lightly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then slice and serve with a green salad.
Make ahead and storage
You can assemble the tart on the baking tray, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. If chilled, allow a couple of extra minutes in the oven. The tart is best eaten on the day it’s baked, but leftovers can be refrigerated for 1–2 days and reheated in the oven to restore crispness.
Tips, variations and serving ideas
- Swap walnuts for hazelnuts or pine nuts if you prefer.
- Try a different chutney—mango or onion chutney both work well—to change the flavour profile.
- For added greens, scatter baby spinach or arugula on top after baking.
- Serve with a simple lemon-dressed salad or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Thank you for reading. If you make this tart, I’d love to hear how it turned out—leave a comment or share a photo. Enjoy your meal and have a great day!
Recipe adapted from Waitrose. Author: Anna Wierzbinska.