Make Mom a Carrot Tart for Mother’s Day

There’s something magical about the combination of buttery puff pastry, sweet carrots and the crunchy and fresh pop of pistachios and mint. This carrot tart isn’t just delicious — it’s a stunning addition to your Mother’s Day celebration that perfectly captures the essence of spring. 

The gorgeous colors and sophisticated flavor profile create an appetizer that feels special enough for the occasion without requiring hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re hosting a full brunch or simply wanting to start a family dinner with something memorable, this tart strikes the perfect balance between impressive and approachable. Plus, its elegant presentation shows Mom just how much thought you’ve put into making her day extraordinary — exactly what she deserves.

I hope you try it!

Mother’s Day Appetizer Tart

Yield: 16 squares

Ingredients

1 piece of puff pastry

2 bunches of carrots with tops

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg yolk

1 cup fontina cheese, grated

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup pistachios, chopped

⅓ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped or hand-torn

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Carefully roll out your puff pastry into a square that is about 11 inches by 11 inches. Place it onto a parchment lined sheet pan and pop it into the fridge.
3. Wash the carrots well and trim the tops so that you have about ½-inch of the tops still attached. Cut them in half lengthwise, drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle them with the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Toss them to combine and then lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan.
4. Transfer the carrots into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until almost tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. *Please note: the roasting time for the carrots will depend on their thickness.  Mine were on the thin side and only took about 20 minutes.  Remember that the carrots will cook for another 20 minutes when baking the tart.
5. When the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool down.
6. Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and score a half-inch edge around all four sides of the pastry — be sure not to let your knife go all the way through the pastry!
7. Next, grab a fork and poke it all over inside the scored area of the tart — this will prevent the bottom of the tart from puffing up, but will allow the sides to puff.
8. Brush the whisked egg yolk all around the perimeter of the tart, which will allow the edges to get golden brown.
9. Sprinkle the fontina evenly inside the scored area, and then top with half of the feta.
10. Grab your carrots and lay them right next to one another in an alternating pattern so that the top of the carrot goes one way and then the next carrot lies the opposite.  Repeat this the whole way across the tart. If you have any carrots left over, fill in any of the gaps.
11. Brush or drizzle the carrots with a small amount of olive oil and then top with the remaining feta.
12. Place the tart into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are deep golden brown and the bottom is cooked though (you might need to lift up a corner of the tart to peek at the bottom).
13. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, drizzle the top with honey, and sprinkle with pistachios and fresh mint. Cut into squares and ENJOY!

NOTES:

• You can substitute gruyere cheese for the fontina if you prefer.
• Try to choose bunches of carrots that are medium in size, if possible.
• When roasting your carrots, pull them out of the oven just shy of when you think they are done because they will continue to roast a little more when you bake the tart.

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Hello, I’m Natalie!  I’m a professionally-trained chef, culinary instructor and recipe developer living in Ann Arbor. A career change, a trip through culinary school 20 years ago, and being a lifelong Julia Child enthusiast has led me to a career doing my very favorite thing:  making food and cooking approachable to home cooks of all ages!   

My passion for creating great food experiences and getting people excited about learning and having fun in the kitchen is always at the heart of what I do.  You can find my blog at NatalieMarbleCooks.com. And on social media you can find me at @NatalieMarbleCooks.  Sign up for my email newsletter here, where I share family-friendly recipes, tips & tricks, new class information and hopefully a little inspiration!