Savory Galette French Tart

There's something about the way butter hits a hot oven that makes the whole kitchen smell like possibility. I learned to make galettes while staying with a friend in Lyon, watching her mother work dough with the kind of ease that comes from doing something a thousand times. She never fussed with measuring or fussing, just trusted her hands knew what they were doing, and somehow that confidence translated into the most impossibly flaky crust I'd ever tasted.

I made this for my sister on a Sunday afternoon when she called saying she was craving something that felt fancy but honest. We roasted the vegetables while drinking coffee at the kitchen table, talking about nothing important, and by the time the galette came out golden and steaming, she'd already forgotten to check her phone for the first time in weeks.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups): The foundation of your crust, and the key is keeping everything cold so the butter stays in little pockets instead of melting into the flour.
• Cold unsalted butter (1/2 cup): Cut it into cubes and keep it cold right until you use it, this is what creates those beautiful flaky layers.
• Ice water (1/4 cup): Add it slowly and stop as soon as the dough holds together, too much and you'll end up with something tough instead of tender.
• Zucchini (1 small): Sliced thin so it actually gets tender in the roasting time you have.
• Red bell pepper (1 small): The sweetness balances the earthiness of everything else.
• Red onion (1 small): Gets mellow and almost jammy when it roasts, trust me on this.
• Cherry tomatoes (1 cup): They burst slightly and concentrate into little pockets of bright flavor.
• Goat cheese (3 oz): Crumbles easily and melts just enough to bind everything together without getting heavy.
• Fresh thyme (1 tbsp): The herb that makes people ask what you did differently, even if it's just this one thing.
• Olive oil, salt, and black pepper: Season the vegetables generously before they hit the oven.
• Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk): This is what gives the crust that golden shine that makes it look like you know what you're doing.

Instructions

Make the dough and give it time to rest:

Whisk flour and salt together, then work in the cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs, the kind you might find under a table. Add ice water just a little at a time, stirring until the dough barely comes together, then wrap it and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you do something else.

Get your oven ready and roast the vegetables:

Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread them out on the sheet and let them roast for 15 to 20 minutes until they're slightly tender and the edges start to caramelize.

Roll out your dough into a circle:

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 12 inches across, then carefully transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Don't worry if it tears a little, you'll fold the edges up over the filling and it'll all come together.

Build your galette:

Pile the cooled roasted vegetables in the center of the dough, leaving about a 2-inch border all the way around, then scatter the crumbled goat cheese and thyme over the top. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pleating it naturally as you go.

Finish and bake:

Brush the crust with the egg wash so it gets golden and shiny, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is crisp and deep golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes before you slice into it.

Save

There's a moment when you pull a galette from the oven and see the crust puffed and golden, the cheese just starting to melt, the vegetables still holding their color and shape, and you realize you've made something that looks like it came from a real bakery. My neighbor caught the smell in the hallway and I ended up sharing a slice, and he said it was the kind of thing that made him want to learn to cook.

Why Temperature and Timing Matter

The key to a galette that doesn't disappoint is respecting the process. Your 400-degree oven needs to be truly preheated so the crust starts setting immediately, creating that crispy exterior. The vegetables roast first to drive off excess moisture, because a soggy galette is the only real failure here, and even then, it still tastes good.

Making It Your Own

This isn't the kind of recipe that demands obedience. Swap the goat cheese for feta if that's what's in your fridge, throw in sautéed mushrooms or spinach if you have them, use whatever vegetables are looking good at the market or in your garden. The structure stays the same, but the flavor belongs to you.

Serving and Storing

Serve it warm from the oven or let it cool to room temperature, both are equally lovely. Pair it with a crisp white wine, something like Sauvignon Blanc that won't fight with the herbs and cheese. Leftovers keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator and actually taste better the next day, when the flavors have had time to get to know each other.

• You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead if you wrap it well and keep it cold.
• If the edges start browning too quickly while baking, just loosely tent them with foil.
• This works as a main dish with a salad, or as an appetizer cut into smaller pieces.

Save

A galette is honest food, the kind that tastes like someone cares without requiring you to fuss over it for hours. Once you've made one, you'll find yourself making them all the time, in a thousand different ways.

Questions & Answers

→ How do I make the crust flaky?

Use cold unsalted butter and rub it into the flour quickly to create coarse crumbs before adding ice water. Keep ingredients chilled and avoid overmixing.

→ Can I substitute goat cheese with other cheeses?

Yes, feta or ricotta can be used for varied flavors while maintaining creamy texture.

→ What vegetables are best for roasting in this galette?

Zucchini, bell peppers, red onions, and cherry tomatoes roast well together, offering balanced sweetness and tenderness.

→ Should the vegetables be pre-roasted before baking?

Roasting vegetables beforehand softens them and concentrates flavors, preventing a soggy crust during baking.

→ How long should the galette cool before slicing?

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes so the filling sets and slicing is easier without breaking the crust.