25 Savory Puff Pastry Recipes You Haven’t Tried Before (2024)

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25 Savory Puff Pastry Recipes You Haven’t Tried Before (1)

By Heath Goldman

Published Apr 7, 2020

Additional reporting by

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

Every savvy home cook has a few tricks up her sleeve; puff pastry is ours. It bakes into a beautiful golden crust every single time, no fussing necessary. And did we mention it tastes like buttery, flaky heaven? Pre-made puff pastry is only a few dollars at most supermarkets (no need to whip this stuff up from scratch) and no, it’s not just for sweets. Pre-made puff pastry creates impressive, elegant looking meals on any budget, whether you’re hosting, staying at home or looking for a show-offy potluck dish. Ready to start living your best puff pastry life? Just top the refrigerated or frozen (defrosted first, of course) dough with some fresh veggies and dinner’s basically done. Here are some delicious and easy ideas to get you started.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

1. Savory Tomato Tart

Not tonight, pizza. With half an hour of prep time and half an hour of bake time, this beauty is an easy at-home weeknight recipe.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Asparagus, Pea And Ricotta Tarts

Personal dinner pastries? Don’t mind if we do. Serve them with a side salad, or just fill up on these cuties.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. The Ultimate Chicken Potpie

Potpie might seem pedestrian, but when it’s homemade, it’s truly something special. (Warning: You won’t be able to stop eating the leftovers.)

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Vegetable Wellington With Mushrooms And Spinach

You’d never even know the beef is missing from this healthier (but still super hearty) baked Wellington, stuffed with savory veggies.

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5. Asparagus, Egg And Prosciutto Tart With Everything Spice

Breakfast for dinner? Definitely worth it for this recipe, which is basically edible artwork, no filter necessary.

6. Smoked Salmon Quick Quiche

Our motto: There’s never a bad time for quiche. This guy is a breeze to make and a great way to use up any leftover smoked salmon from brunch (or, in a pinch, last night’s salmon dinner).

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

7. Italian Pinwheels

Are they an app? A side? An entree? No one knows. But what we do know is that it’s really, really hard to stop eating these adorable little pinwheels.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. Spinach Artichoke Squares

If spinach artichoke dip and spinach artichoke pizza had a very delicious baby, these puff pastry squares would be it.

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Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

9. Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts

Pretty much all the food groups are in this spicy, savory and sweet tart. It’s also super photogenic...if you don’t scarf them down before you can pull out your phone.

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10. Flaky Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mini Pies

This hybrid recipe takes all the best parts of creamy soup and turns it into a flaky pastry. Eat them on their own, or dipped into soup, of course.

11. Mini Ham And Cheese Croque Monsieur Puff Pastry Tarts

It seemed impossible to improve upon the decadent French version of grilled cheese, but this puff pastry gave the creamy sandwich an instant upgrade. (Add a fried egg on top to make it a croque mademoiselle.)

12. Thyme And White Bean Pot Pies

These vegetarian pot pies are super easy to make and hugely satisfying once they’re ready. Serve in a dinner party spread or cuddle up on the couch with your own for an ultra cozy night in.

13. Salmon Wellington

Sick of making the same old baked salmon recipes? This seafood-focused take on a Wellington only takes a few minutes to prepare, looks super impressive, and the combo of melted butter, lemon zest, and Dijon cooked into the salmon are extremely tasty.

14. Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites

Well, we have good news and bad news. The bad news is that these guys are pretty small. The good news? You can eat, like, ten.

15. Lamb Pie

Shepherd's pie is usually topped with a layer of mashed potatoes or puff pastry, but this recipe uses both, because the more carbs, the better. Bookmark this dinner for a rainy day, or for whenever you need a little extra comfort.

16. Pigs In A Puff Pastry Blanket

If you want to get extra fancy, sprinkle some everything bagel seasoning on top before you pop them in the oven. We’re not drooling, you’re drooling.

17. Avocado, Cream Cheese And Salsa Stuffed Pastries

Sick of tacos? Give this easy-to-make take on an empanada a try. (And if you want to really go nuts, sprinkle them with cheese before popping them in the oven.)

18. Cheesy Sweet Potato Kale Galette

When we’re talking about puff pastry, “sweet potato” and “kale” probably don’t come to mind. But oh, they should. You’ll see why when you take your first bite.

19. Pumpkin Pecan Baked Brie

Bookmark this for every party from October through December. (Or just make it on a random weeknight and make the whole thing yourself. We won’t tell.)

20. Smoked Salmon And Cream Cheese Pastries

No bagel? No problem. These breakfast sandwich-inspired pastries are perfect any time of day and pair fabulously with a mimosa.

21. Spinach Puffs

These little cuties remind us of wedding hors d’oeuvres, but they’re secretly pretty easy to make at home. Who knew?

22. Smoked Gouda Puff Pastry Pinwheels

You had us at gouda. And again at “bakes in 20 minutes.” Is it legal to marry an appetizer?

23. Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites

File this one under “make this to impress Grandma during the holidays.” (Oh, and there are only four ingredients—a major win.)

24. Best Ever Beef Wellington Recipe

Beef wellington is one of those dazzling showstopper recipes that will have your guests ooo-ing and ahh-ing all night. And when you make it with puff pastry, it’s actually pretty easy to pull off.

25. Asparagus, Goat Cheese And Cherry Tomato Breakfast Tart

And just like that, we officially became morning people. With a breakfast like this, who even needs an alarm clock?

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Heath Goldman

Food Editor

From 2017 to 2019 Heath Goldman held the role of Food Editor covering food, booze and some recipe development, too. Tough job, eh?

read full bio

25 Savory Puff Pastry Recipes You Haven’t Tried Before (30)

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

Freelance PureWow Editor

read full bio

25 Savory Puff Pastry Recipes You Haven’t Tried Before (2024)

FAQs

25 Savory Puff Pastry Recipes You Haven’t Tried Before? ›

Puff pastry does need some gluten development but, because of the amount of rolling out that will happen during lamination, it is very easy to overwork a dough which makes it incredibly hard to use and can cause a lot of shrinkage.

Why is puff pastry so difficult? ›

Puff pastry does need some gluten development but, because of the amount of rolling out that will happen during lamination, it is very easy to overwork a dough which makes it incredibly hard to use and can cause a lot of shrinkage.

Does puff pastry need to be baked before filling? ›

If you're making a tart or filled Puff Pastry, place it on the baking sheet before adding toppings or fillings. That way, you won't have to transfer the dough with the extra weight and risk tearing it. For extra-thin, crisp Puff Pastry, set a second baking sheet on top of the filled pastry before baking.

What things should we avoid with puff pastry? ›

Heat is the enemy of Puff Pastry—it handles best when cold. So avoid working with it on hot, humid days, in a stifling hot kitchen or next to your oven.

Should you roll out ready made puff pastry? ›

Lightly roll out the puff pastry: Dust the top of the puff with just a little flour, then use a rolling pin to very lightly roll across the seams and bumps from the packaging and make the pastry even.

How unhealthy is puff pastry? ›

Puff pastries are a distinct type of pastry that features layers of butter-covered dough rolled and folded over each other. Puff pastries are so named because they puff up when baked. They are not ideal for optimal health or weight loss diets, as they are high in calories and fat.

Which flour is best for puff pastry? ›

I recommend including at least some bread flour (Paul Hollywood's recipe uses half and half). The higher gluten content helps the dough layers to hold together as they are rolled and folded, facilitating those flaky layers that are the hallmark of puff pastry.

What are the rules for puff pastry? ›

Always cut Puff Pastry straight down, never on an angle, to prevent layers from sticking together and inhibiting the rise. Cut up and down, and don't drag the knife. You can brush an egg-wash glaze (1 egg plus 1 tsp. water) over the Puff Pastry to create a rich, golden sheen when baked.

Should puff pastry be room temperature before baking? ›

Pastry should be at room temperature for rolling (to make it more pliable), but chilled before baking (so the buttery layers remain separate).

Can I put puff pastry on the bottom of a pie? ›

I do line the base of the pie with pastry, which is optional – but I love it. You blind bake the pastry slightly to prevent a completely soggy bottom however. The sides of the puff pastry when blind baking may puff slightly, but that is totally okay.

Is butter or egg better on puff pastry? ›

The Los Angeles Times notes that butter can still be used as a "wash," but it yields different results than egg: Instead of imparting color or crispness, it offers a more luxurious flavor and softness.

Is puff pastry inflammatory? ›

Plus, these puff pastries possess processed, refined carbohydrates, which we already know can increase blood sugar levels and promote an inflammatory response.

What are the faults in puff pastry? ›

The document lists common faults that can occur when baking pastries such as lack of volume, shrinkage, fat seeping, tough pastries, and excessive flakiness. It then provides potential causes for each fault including issues with ingredients, technique, and oven temperature.

Why is my store bought puff pastry not puffing? ›

Your puff pastry may fail to puff for several reasons.
  1. Warm pastry: Your pastry should be cold, cold, cold going into the oven. ...
  2. Cool Oven: To get the right lift, puff pastry needs a hot oven—about 400ºF. ...
  3. Thick pastry: Even perfectly prepared puff pastry won't rise properly if it's cut too thick.
Mar 1, 2022

Why is my puff pastry raw inside? ›

Pastry being soggy in the middle is a result of the pastry being undercooked. Don't place the pastry on too high a shelf in the oven. One way to prevent soggy bottom pastry is to blind bake the pastry – This means partially or completely bake the pastry before adding the filling.

How to avoid soggy bottom puff pastry? ›

If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

Is puff pastry easy to work with? ›

Puff pastry can be tricky to work with and needs to be treated with care and respect to ensure good results. By following a few simple guidelines you can have perfect puff pastry every time. The keys to ensuring that you get crisp, flaky layers from your pastry are concerned with temperature and handling.

Why didn't my puff pastry work? ›

Temperature is a key factor in baking up puff pasty that actually puffs. Set the oven dial too low, and the pastry is likely to fall flat. Follow this tip: As a rule of thumb, a higher oven temperature (400°F is ideal) results in puff pastry with a higher rise.

Why is pastry so hard to make? ›

Richard's solution: Tough pastry is very common, but easily avoidable. It usually occurs when you've been a bit heavy-handed with the water when you're initially bringing the pastry together (by adding water to the flour and butter), or if you have over-worked the dough and developed the gluten in the flour.

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