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I’ve been playing with this recipe for Cheesy Quiche Mini Tarts for several months now and am finally ready to share it with you! Lined with a pie crust and two types of filling, they are a lovely addition to any appetizer, brunch, or tea party menu.
Bake these tarts in a mini muffin pan, which will make 24 tarts, twelve with spinach, feta cheese, and chopped pimento, and another twelve with herbed goat cheese, gouda cheese, and sliced grape tomatoes. They compliment each other well, and based on those I’ve served, are equally delicious!
I like the variety of these quiche tarts, but if you’d prefer to make all 24 the same, go right ahead. Just double your chosen filling ingredients to accommodate the recipe. I’ve chosen as the base, a single pie pastry, using our family recipe. It never fails to satisfy. And the egg filling is so simple, just two eggs, some heavy whipping cream, and minced garlic. About 1/2 tablespoon in each tart, which doesn’t seem like much, but trust me, it works.
More Appetizers to Try
Ingredients for Cheesy Quiche Mini Tarts
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- vegetable shortening
- cold water
- large eggs
- heavy whipping cream
- minced garlic
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Topping #1
- frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- chopped pimento
- feta cheese, crumbled
Topping #2
- garlic herbed goat cheese
- gouda cheese (or specialty cheese such as white cheddar and olives)
- grape tomatoes, sliced
Special Baking Tools
For this recipe you will need either a mini muffin or mini tart pan with 24 wells.
A helpful tool you might consider, is a Tart Tamper, which saves some time when forming the crusts. I bought mine years ago from Pampered Chef, but Amazon also carries one that is similar.
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Spray a 24-cup mini muffin or mini tart pan with a nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the Pastry Dough
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and salt. Stir to combine.
Using a blending fork, mix in vegetable shortening until mixture is crumbly. Add cold water in two parts, mixing after each addition until dough forms in a ball. Divide dough in half, and then divide each half into 12 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball and place in the mini muffin cups. Using a tart tamper or your thumb, dip in flour and then form dough into each muffin cup, pressing against the sides until nearly to the top. Repeat with the remaining 12 pieces of dough until all of the wells are lined with dough.
Make the Egg Filling
In a small bowl, combine large eggs, heavy whipping cream, and minced garlic. Whisk to combine. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Prepare the Toppings
Place frozen chopped spinach in a glass mixing bowl, and thaw in the microwave. Squeeze out the excess water.
Measure out the chopped pimento and crumbled feta cheese and place each in small prep bowls.
Divide the garlic herb goat cheese into 12 pieces. Slice the gouda cheese into 12 small pieces. Place in bowls.
If you have the shopping options to buy specialty cheese, you might try white cheddar and olives in place of the gouda cheese. I have used both, but really appreciated the extra flavor when using an olive flavored cheese we bought in Wisconsin this summer. So, experiment if you want. Aged cheddar, gouda, or even gruyere pairs well with goat cheese.
Using a cutting board and Chef’s knife, slice the grape tomatoes in half. Place in small prep bowls.
Assemble the Tarts
To make the 12 Spinach Tarts, place two teaspoons of spinach in each mini muffin cup, followed by two teaspoons of feta cheese.
Prepare the remaining 12 tarts by placing pieces of goat cheese and gouda cheese in the mini muffins cups.
Next, spoon 1/2 tablespoon of egg filling into each cheese cup.
Follow this with 1/2 teaspoon of chopped pimento over each of the spinach tarts, and 2 tomato halves for each of the goat cheese tarts.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes to test for doneness. If you prefer the tarts to be darker, check after 13 or 14 minutes, and remove when golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer the tarts to a serving platter. Serve these tarts warm or at room temperature.
To store, place leftover tarts in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and heat in 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
This recipe will make 24 mini tarts and will serve 12 people. It’s perfect for a tea party savory, appetizer, or as a finger food at a brunch.
See more Appetizers Here. Browse Breakfast and Brunch Recipes Here. View Tea Party Ideas Here.
Cheesy Quiche Mini Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Topping #1
- 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped pimento
Topping #2
- 4 oz garlic herbed goat cheese
- 3 oz gouda cheese or specialty cheese such as white cheddar and olives
- 12 each grape tomatoes halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Spray a 24-cup mini muffin or mini tart pan with a nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the Pastry Dough
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and salt. Stir to combine.
- Using a blending fork, mix in vegetable shortening until mixture is crumbly. Add cold water in two parts, mixing after each addition until dough forms in a ball. Divide dough in half, and then divide each half into 12 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball and place in the mini muffin cups. Using a tart tamper or your thumb, dip in flour and then form dough into each muffin cup, pressing against the sides until nearly to the top. Repeat with the remaining 12 pieces of dough until all of the wells are lined with dough.
Make the Egg Filling
- In a small bowl, combine large eggs, heavy whipping cream, and minced garlic. Whisk to combine. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Prepare the Toppings
- Place frozen chopped spinach in a glass mixing bowl, and thaw in the microwave. Squeeze out the excess water.
- Measure out the chopped pimento and crumbled feta cheese and place each in small prep bowls.
- Divide the garlic herb goat cheese into 12 pieces. Slice the gouda cheese into 12 small pieces. Place in bowls.
- Using a cutting board and Chef's knife, slice the grape tomatoes in half. Place in small prep bowls.
Assemble the Tarts
- To make the 12 Spinach Tarts, place two teaspoons of spinach in each mini muffin cup, followed by two teaspoons of feta cheese.
- Prepare the remaining 12 tarts by placing pieces of goat cheese and gouda cheese in the mini muffins cups.
- Next, spoon 1/2 tablespoon of egg filling into each cheese cup. Follow this with 1/2 teaspoon of chopped pimento over each of the spinach tarts, and 2 tomato halves for each of the goat cheese tarts.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes to test for doneness. If you prefer the tarts to be darker, check after 13 or 14 minutes, and remove when golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer the tarts to a serving platter. Serve mini tarts warm or at room temperature.
- To store, place leftover tarts in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and heat in 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
- This recipe will make 24 mini tarts and will serve 12 people.
Nutrition
