Celebrate the summer season with this savory Feta and Tomato Phyllo Tart.
This vegetarian appetizer features creamy whipped feta spread on a flaky phyllo crust and topped with colorful heirloom tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, oregano and fresh basil.
Looking for more elegant summer recipes? Check out my Grilled Chicken Caprese or Greek Feta Potato Salad.
Feta – always choose a high-quality feta in brine and crumble it yourself.
Greek yogurt – plain Greek yogurt is best. I use the Fage brand.
Garlic – fresh minced garlic is best, never the jarred kind.
Fresh basil – this truly enhances the dish and adds a fresh herby flavor that cannot be skipped. I wouldn’t recommend using dried basil for this recipe.
Dried oregano – is used in the whipped feta as well as sprinkled over the top of the feta and tomato phyllo tart for extra flavor.
Heirloom tomatoes – choose ripe and firm heirloom tomatoes that vary in color. You can also use roma, beefsteak, better boy, cherry or grape tomatoes.
Phyllo (filo) dough – use a frozen store-bought thin phyllo dough such as Athens brand. Be sure to spread each layer of phyllo generously with the butter-olive oil mixture for best results.
Olive oil – choose a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for best flavor.
Butter – melted butter is essential for achieving the right phyllo texture.
Sea salt & black pepper – season the feta and tomato phyllo tart with a good sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step 1 – Ensure phyllo dough is thawed according to package instructions. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Melt butter in a medium bowl and mix in olive oil. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on parchment paper and brush liberally all over with butter mixture. Top with another sheet of phyllo dough and brush with butter mixture. Repeat with the rest of the phyllo sheets (8-12 sheets total).
Step 3 – Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown and flaky.
Step 4 – While phyllo cooks, add all ingredients for whipped feta to a food processor and pulse in 30 second intervals (scraping down the sides as needed) until combined and smooth. Set aside.
Step 5 – Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch thick rounds. Place on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt to remove excess liquid. Pat them dry with another paper towel before adding to tart.
Step 6 – Spread whipped feta evenly over the top of cooked phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Top with sliced tomatoes in an even layer.
Step 7 – Drizzle feta and tomato phyllo tart with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, cracked black pepper, dried oregano and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve warm or room temp.
TIP: If you don’t have a food processor or blender you can use a fork to mash the whipped feta ingredients together as best you can.
There are many ways to customize this feta and tomato phyllo tart to your liking.
Tomatoes: this feta and tomato phyllo tart is the perfect way to use up your abundance of summer tomatoes so feel free to use any tomato you like such as roma, beefsteak, cherry or grape tomatoes.
Cheese: instead of feta try using another soft cheese like goat cheese, ricotta or mozzarella.
Mini: make smaller versions of these feta and tomato phyllo tarts by slicing the phyllo into small rectangles then prepare recipe as instructed. Or use phyllo shells to make mini versions with cherry or grape tomatoes.
Toppings: add other fun toppings such as sun-dried tomatoes, chives, sautéed red onion, spinach, arugula, asparagus, squash, zucchini or capers. Try switching the spread to pesto or drizzling the top with balsamic glaze.
Herbs & Spices: use fresh thyme, oregano or rosemary. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes for some spice.
Pastry: substitute the phyllo dough with puff pastry as the base.
Vegan: swap the butter, feta and Greek yogurt for vegan alternatives to make a completely vegan feta and tomato phyllo tart.
I prefer heirloom tomatoes especially in the summer if they’re available. You can also use roma, beefsteak, better boy, grape or cherry tomatoes.
Yes, simply swap the feta, Greek yogurt and butter for vegan alternatives.
My preferred frozen phyllo is the Athens brand.
You may have undercooked the phyllo or the tomatoes were too wet when placed onto the tart.
The phyllo layers were likely not spread with enough butter/olive oil mixture. When you’re brushing the mixture onto each layer of phyllo it needs to be entirely covered with the mix (even if it seems like a lot). This is the best way to ensure buttery flaky layers of phyllo instead of dry.
Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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