Tomato Tarte Tatin recipe, also known as tomato upside-down cake, is a baked tart made with a crème patissière (also known as custard or cream), usually with various fruits and/or nuts on top. The tarte Tatin recipe is likely from the French cuisine, which was brought to Britain by the Romans.A tart is similar to a pie in that it has a baked crust that is filled with fruit or custard.
My freezer is nearly empty, my friends. It's spotless, everything is labelled, and I can see everything from top to bottom. It's fantastic. One of those minor victories that will give me a boost every time I open the door for weeks. With a round of frozen pie dough (leftover from this) and some nice market tomatoes, I created this simple tomato tarte tatin recipe. It's very simple, and I keep coming up with new ideas for variants on the overall concept, which I'll mention below…

This was baked in a cast-iron skillet. Most people avoid cooking acidic things like tomatoes in cast iron, but this pan is black, slippery, and well-seasoned, so it was no trouble baking the tomatoes in it. If you're undecided or have recently acquired new cast iron, try a different baking pan, preferably one that is ovenproof. Then simply roll out the crust to fit your pan's form.
A handful of interesting ideas I had about different paths you could go with this:
- Instead of balsamic vinegar, use 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa and extra zest.
- Drizzle a large amount of herb oil over the crust before serving.
- Before topping with crust, add some cheese, dollops of ricotta, or shredded gruyere.
- Instead of a pie crust, top with biscuit dough (a wonderful yoghurt biscuit recipe may be found in Super Natural Every Day).
Enjoy!

Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter
- 1 ½ pounds / 24 oz small tomatoes (here it's a mix of heirloom cherry & early girls)
- scant ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- a bit of flour
- zest of one lemon
- 1 pie crust, this rye crust is my go-to
- 1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of water.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 205C.
- While the oven is warming, uses a large skillet over medium heat to saute the onions and a couple pinches of salt in the oil/clarified butter. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are deeply golden and caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While the onions are cooking, cut any larger early girl tomatoes in half. I typically leave the small cherry tomatoes whole. Add to the caramelized onions along with the sea salt and balsamic vinegar. Transfer to a 10 or 11-inch cast iron skillet or equivalent deep pie dish. If you get the sense that your tomatoes are quite juicy, and might release a lot of liquid, you can toss the mixture with a tablespoon or two of flour at this point. Sprinkle mixture with lemon zest.
- Roll out your pie dough, and use it to cover the tomato mixture - tucking in the sides a bit. Brush the crust with the egg wash, cut a few decorative slits in the crust, and bake in the top third of the oven until the crust is deeply golden and the tomatoes are bubbling a bit at the sides, 25 - 30 minutes.
- Serve warm from the oven.
Serves 6-8.
Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 45 min
Note: If your tomato tarte tatin is overly liquid, it's because the pectin in the fruit has broken down as it ages, or the layer hasn't reached a full boil.

Tomato Tarte Tatin
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter
- 1 ½ pounds / 24 oz small tomatoes here it's a mix of heirloom cherry & early girls
- scant ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- a bit of flour
- zest of one lemon
- 1 pie crust this rye crust is my go-to
- 1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 205C.
- While the oven is warming, uses a large skillet over medium heat to saute the onions and a couple pinches of salt in the oil/clarified butter. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are deeply golden and caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While the onions are cooking, cut any larger early girl tomatoes in half. I typically leave the small cherry tomatoes whole. Add to the caramelized onions along with the sea salt and balsamic vinegar. Transfer to a 10 or 11-inch cast iron skillet or equivalent deep pie dish. If you get the sense that your tomatoes are quite juicy, and might release a lot of liquid, you can toss the mixture with a tablespoon or two of flour at this point. Sprinkle mixture with lemon zest.
- Roll out your pie dough, and use it to cover the tomato mixture - tucking in the sides a bit. Brush the crust with the egg wash, cut a few decorative slits in the crust, and bake in the top third of the oven until the crust is deeply golden and the tomatoes are bubbling a bit at the sides, 25 - 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pan is best for tarte tatin?
This was baked in a cast-iron skillet. Most people avoid cooking acidic things like tomatoes in cast iron, but this pan is black, slippery, and well-seasoned, so it was no trouble baking the tomatoes in it.
Why is tarte tatin soggy?
If your tarte tatin is overly liquid, it's because the pectin in the fruit has broken down as it ages, or the layer hasn't reached a full boil.
What is the difference between a tart and tarte tatin?
Tarte Tatin recipe, also known as tomato upside-down cake, is a baked tart made with a crème patissière (also known as custard or cream), usually with various fruits and/or nuts on top.
Should Tarte Tatin be served hot or cold?
Serve warm from the oven.
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