Delicious and Easy Squash Tartlets Recipe

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In this recipe for savory squash tartlets, winter squash and apples are baked on puff pastry and topped with parmesan and balsamic.

With alternating layers of winter squash and apple, these mini tarts are the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Before and after baking, they're sprinkled with parmesan cheese, which adds a beautiful layer of crispy cheese. Then they're finished off with a simple balsamic vinegar and maple syrup reduction, which quickly cooks on the stove while the tartlets bake in the oven.

🎃 Why You'll Love This Squash Tartlet Recipe

It makes a great holiday appetizer and it seems fancier than it is.
Puff pastry keeps things simple. You're mostly just slicing squash and apples and arranging them on the pastry dough. No baking skills required.
Perfect for eating seasonally in fall and winter. Squash and apples are at their best during the cool weather months.

Looking for more squash recipes? Try these:

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🎃 Why You'll Love This Squash Tartlet Recipe
🍏 Ingredients
🥓 Substitutions & Variations
🔪 Instructions
✨ Top Tips
🥡 Storage
🙋🏼‍♂️ FAQ
🍲 Pairing
📖 Recipe
🍝 Related Recipes
💬 Comments

🍏 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these easy squash tartlets.

Key Ingredients

Winter squash: Such as black futsu (pictured here) or delicata. Both of these squashes are smaller, easier to handle, and have edible skin so there is no need to peel.
Apples: A few small apples is all you need. Choose a firm, crisp apple that will hold up well during baking such as Granny Smith, Cortland, Gala, or Honeycrisp.
Puff pastry: Often found in the freezer case of the grocery store, puff pastry is a light, flaky pastry made up of several layers. If frozen, you'll need to defrost it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before using. Most packages have roughly the same amount, give or take a few ounces.
Parmesan: Grated pam adds a little crispy cheesiness to the tartlets.
Thyme: Fresh thyme elevates the tartlets with complimentary fresh herby flavor.
Balsamic vinegar and maple syrup: While the tartlets bake, we'll reduce these on the stove to create a tangy sweet sauce for drizzling over the tartlets.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

🥓 Substitutions & Variations

Try different winter squashes: Most winter squash would work great in this recipe if they're prepped correctly. Squash such as butternut will need to be peeled, sliced at about ¼ of an inch and cut in half or quarters to fit nicely on the tartlets.
Skip the balsamic glaze: If you're short on time you can just drizzle over some balsamic vinegar from the bottle and skip the maple syrup.
Make smaller tartlets: The recipe makes 12 large tartlets. For smaller portions, cut them in half to get 24 appetizer sized servings.
Use pears in place of apples: They would also pair well with the squash.
Skip the fruit: I like the sweet and savory combo and alternating the two on the tarts, but you could leave the apples off and use all squash if you prefer.
Add other cheese: Use crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese instead of the parmesan.
Add crumbled bacon: Sprinkle with cooked and crumbled bacon after baking. Because everything really is better with bacon.

🔪 Instructions

How to make these tasty apple and squash tartlets.

Step 1: Unfold your puff pastry and cut into 12 event pieces. Lightly roll them out to stretch them out a bit and then lay them out on baking sheets.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half, scoop out and discard the seeds.

Step 3: Slice the squash into roughly ¼ inch pieces. There's no need to peel if using black futsu or delicata squash.

Step 4: Slice the apples into similar sized pieces. No need to peel these either.

Step 5: Add the squash and apple slices to the bowl and toss with melted butter, salt, and garlic powder.

slices of squash being placed on puff pastry

Step 6: Arrange the squash and apples on top of the puff pastry and sprinkle with some of the parmesan cheese.

apple and squash tartlets on a baking sheet

Step 7: Bake the tartlets for 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender and the pastry is lightly browned.

balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a pan

Step 8: Meanwhile, simmer the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan until reduced in half.

Step 9: When the tartlets are done, remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and the balsamic reduction.

tartlets on a cutting board with balsamic sauce

Step 10: Serve warm or at room temperature. They make a good appetizer, but are also a nice side dish.

✨ Top Tips

Give yourself time to defrost the puff pastry! The package should tell you how long it takes. Don't do what I've tried and try to defrost in the microwave. It doesn't turn out well.
Don't worry about perfectly arranging the squash and apples. They'll cook down in the oven and the pastry will puff up, too.

🥡 Storage

Fridge: Store the squash tartlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating: Place tartlets on a baking sheet and heat for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees F. Or place them in a skillet and heat over medium low until hot. This will help to recrisp the pastry.

🙋🏼‍♂️ FAQ

What's the difference between a tartlet and a tart?

Tartlets are simply smaller versions of tarts. They may be sweet or savory.

Can you eat the skin of black futsu squash?

Yes, the skin of black futsu squash is edible and turns soft and tender when cooked.

What is the most flavorful squash?

There are a range of flavors when it comes to winter squash and despite being one of the most popular, butternut squash is not the only flavorful squash. It's worth exploring the tastes and textures of less common winter squash to see what you like best. Check out a local farmers market for the best varety.