I am full-on having a love affair with homemade tarts, and the Wild Mushroom Tart is the one I keep on permanent rotation: a buttery from-scratch shortcrust packed with earthy wild mushrooms, jammy balsamic-roasted shallots, and a fluffy custard of ricotta, Parmesan, fresh chives, and cream that bakes up golden and just-set. It is the French-style savory tart that pulls double-duty for brunch, lunch the next day, and dinner the day after that - genuinely the multi-purpose meal of my dreams. Build a whole spread around it with my Spring Brunch Menu for entertaining, lean deeper into the mushroom comfort with my Wild Mushroom Risotto on a cozy night, and if the tart format pulls you in like it pulled me in, my Tomato Tarte Tatin is the next savory one to add to the rotation.
Wild Mushroom Tart at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (30 min crust + chill, 15 min shallot roast, 15 min mushroom sauté, 35 min bake, 10 min rest)
- 👪 Servings: 6 to 8 as a main, 8 to 10 as a starter
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: French (savory tart); works for brunch, lunch, or dinner
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Earthy roasted wild mushrooms, jammy balsamic shallots, salty Parmesan, and creamy ricotta custard finished with fresh chives and thyme
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; contains gluten, dairy, and eggs
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate covered up to 3 days; reheat slices on a sheet pan at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust. Freezes baked and wrapped for 1 month; thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating
- ⭐Why You'll Love It: A bakery-style savory tart you can pull off at home with store-bought pie dough or the from-scratch shortcrust. It eats elegant enough for brunch entertaining and casual enough to be Tuesday dinner with a salad. The mushroom-ricotta-Parmesan custard is the kind of filling people text you about later.
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I mean... come on! How gorgeous is this Wild Mushroom Tart?? It's everything I want in life and more. I don't know when the tart obsession started but it's been going strong for a few weeks now. I think it has to do with the fact that you can make something for breakfast/brunch and then continue to eat it the next day for lunch or dinner. I love a multi-purpose meal and tarts are exactly that.
I serve them for breakfast all the time or put them out as part of my brunch spread, and then hope that there are leftovers for the week! Makes sense right? This one is stuffed with wild mushrooms and a really easy custard filling! I've also make tomato confit tarts, spring pea and asparagus tarts, and a shallot and bacon tart if you want to throw them together for a full menu! Skies the limit!
Also - quick side note before we dive into the recipe... store bought pie dough is totally allowed!! No judgement here 🙂
Substitutions & Swaps
🍄 The Mushrooms
- Wild mushroom mix (called for) - Chanterelles, oyster, maitake, and shiitake; the meaty, woodsy backbone of the tart
- Cremini and shiitake mix - The grocery-store workhorse swap; nutty cremini plus chewy shiitake mimics the wild blend
- Trumpet mushrooms - Sliced lengthwise into thick coins for chewy, scallop-like bites
- Plain button mushrooms - The fully-stocked-up backup; slice thicker and brown harder to make up for the milder flavor
🫓 The Crust
- From-scratch shortcrust (called for) - Buttery, flaky, and worth the 30 minutes; the from-scratch flex
- Store-bought pie dough - 100% allowed; thaw, fit into the pan, and skip ahead to the filling
- Puff pastry sheet - For a flakier, more dramatic top-and-bottom version; bake the empty shell 10 minutes first so the bottom does not get soggy
- Whole-wheat crust - Sub half the flour for whole wheat for a nuttier, earthier base that loves the mushrooms
🧀 The Cheese
- Ricotta + Parmesan (called for) - The creamy-base + salty-edge combo; do not skip either
- Goat cheese - Tangier and richer; sub for half the ricotta if you want more of a chèvre punch
- Gruyère grated in - Nutty and melty; the move when you want a more savory, quiche-leaning tart
- Fontina - Buttery and mild; great melter and friendly to mushroom flavor
🌿 The Herbs
- Chives in the custard (called for) - Fresh, oniony, and bright against the rich filling
- Fresh thyme leaves - Add 1 teaspoon to the mushrooms while they sauté for a deeper woodsy note
- Tarragon - A small handful in the custard for a subtle anise lift; pairs especially well with mushrooms
- Flat-leaf parsley - Stirred in raw at the end for color and grassy freshness
🍷 The Shallot Finisher
- Balsamic-roasted shallots (called for) - Sweet, jammy, and the bridge between the buttery crust and the earthy mushrooms
- Caramelized yellow onion - 1 large onion cooked low and slow for 30 minutes; same jammy effect, a bit milder
- Roasted garlic confit - A handful of soft cloves mashed in; sweet and mellow garlic punch
- Caramelized leeks - Sliced thin and cooked in butter until silky; lighter and more delicate than shallots
🍄🧈🧀 Tips & Tricks for the Best Wild Mushroom Tart
Buttery shortcrust, golden mushroom-ricotta custard, and the savory tart that turns brunch into a moment
- Keep the butter and water ice cold for the crust. Cube the butter and freeze it for 10 minutes, use ice water, and pulse the dough just until it comes together. Warm butter is what makes a crust greasy instead of flaky.
- Chill the rolled-out dough in the pan before it bakes. 30 minutes in the fridge sets the butter back up so the crust does not shrink down the sides during the bake.
- Blind-bake the crust 12 minutes before the filling goes in. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and pre-bake at 400F. This is the difference between a crisp bottom and a soggy one under the wet custard.
- Do not wash the mushrooms. Brush them clean with a damp paper towel or a dedicated mushroom brush. Mushrooms are sponges; submerged in water they will steam in the pan instead of brown.
- Cook the mushrooms in a single layer over high heat. Crowding the pan steams them. Sear hard and undisturbed for 3 minutes per side until deep golden, then add the butter for the last minute.
- Season the mushrooms after they brown, not before. Salt pulls moisture out, so salt too early and the mushrooms weep and steam. Salt after the sear.
- Roast the shallots whole until jammy. Toss with olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400F for about 30 minutes until they collapse and caramelize. That sweetness is the bridge between the buttery crust and the earthy mushrooms.
- Whisk the custard until smooth before pouring. Egg, ricotta, Parmesan, and cream want to be fully blended. Lumps in ricotta will stay lumpy in the bake.
- Pull the tart when the center is just set, with a slight jiggle. About 35 minutes at 375F. The custard sets the rest of the way as it rests; overbake and it cracks.
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing. The custard firms up, the crust crisps, and the slices hold their shape. Skip the rest and the first slice slides apart.
Wild Mushroom Tart FAQs
What is a wild mushroom tart?
A wild mushroom tart is a French-style savory tart built on a buttery shortcrust, filled with sautéed wild mushrooms and a custard of ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, and cream, and finished with fresh herbs. It eats like a more elegant cousin of quiche and pulls double-duty for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner with a salad.
What kinds of wild mushrooms work best?
A mix of chanterelle, oyster, maitake, and shiitake gives you the deepest woodsy flavor, but the recipe works with any combination you can find. If wild mushrooms are not at your store, a cremini-plus-shiitake mix is the easiest swap, and a small amount of rehydrated dried porcini stirred in adds intense umami.
Can I use store-bought pie crust?
Yes, no judgment. Thaw a sheet of store-bought pie dough or puff pastry, fit it into the tart pan, and pick up at the blind-bake step. The filling is the star, and a good store-bought crust gets you a great tart in half the time.
Can I make the wild mushroom tart ahead?
Yes. The crust can be made 2 days ahead and kept rolled and chilled in the pan, the mushrooms and shallots can be cooked the day before, and the whole tart can be fully baked, cooled, refrigerated 3 days, and reheated. Reheat slices on a sheet pan at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes so the crust re-crisps.
What is the difference between a savory tart and a quiche?
A quiche is defined by its custard (eggs and cream, heavy on the dairy), baked in a deep crust, eaten alone as the main. A savory tart usually has a shallower crust and a lighter, more filling-forward ratio, so the mushrooms and shallots here are as prominent as the custard rather than suspended in it. Same family, different proportions.
Some of my favorite tarts:
- Cheesy Asparagus Tart
- Heirloom Tomato Tart
- Pea and Asparagus Tart
- Tomato Confit Basil Tart
- Shallot and Bacon Tart
Wild Mushroom Tart
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons ice water
For the filling
- 1 pound shallots
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds wild mushrooms quartered if needed
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese divided
- 3 tablespoons chives
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Fresh thyme for garnish
- Microgreens for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- To make the dough, place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse. Drop in the butter and pulse until just barely the texture of oatmeal. Add the ice water slowly and pulse once or twice, until the dough clumps together. Turn onto a floured board and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and remove the root ends from the shallots. Slice them in quarters and place on a small sheet pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper over top. Roast until the onions are soft and begin to color but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
- While the onions are roasting, cook the mushrooms. Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add mushrooms, remaining salt and pepper, and sauté for about 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat.
- When pie dough has chilled, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to a circle roughly 12 inches in diameter. Gently transfer to a tart ring, and fit into the ring evenly. Pierce bottom with a fork and return to refrigerator to chill another 20 to 30 minutes
- Separate the egg and transfer the yolk to a small bowl; reserve the egg white for the topping.
- Mix the egg yolk, ricotta, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup of Parmesan, and chives. Remove the tart shell from refrigerator. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly across the bottom of the tart shell. Nestle the onions across ricotta base and scatter the mushrooms in between onions.
- In another small bowl, beat the reserved egg white, heavy cream and the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Pour mixture evenly over top of onion and mushroom filling.
- Cover the tart with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, until top is bubbling and crust is slightly brown, but not too dark.
- Sprinkle thyme and/or Microgreens over top before servings. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The best tart, delicious and rich, love by who ever tasted. Thank you
Just made it, wow. Fantastic. This is going to be a regular dish in my house. Would make great individual tarts too. Well done.
Q: can you freeze it prior to baking?
What type of non-wild mushrooms would you suggest? I have a good grocery store locally but I don't have access to wild mushrooms. Thanks!
any kind of mushroom would be great!!
Can any part or all of this be made in advance. I’m having a large brunch and won’t have time to make it all the day of. Thanks
What size tart pan?
Are there supposed to be chives on the ingredient list?
sorry about that! all fixed
I just love that we can have this for Breakfast, lunch and dinner!!!!
Is 1 pound of shallots correct quantity?
Sounds like quite a bit ??
Recipe sounds amazing!
yes!! that is correct!
Thank you! Can wait to try it!
Gaby this one is truly decadent! Can’t wait to make it although I’ll prolly try n find a pretty pre-made crust. Lazy. Don’t bake. But man! This looks yummers.
Fantastic recipe! it's just overflowing with wonderful flavors! YUM 🙂
I can't to make this! I'm drooling just reading the recipe!