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

How to make puff pastry Jamie Oliver? ›

Mix on low speed to break the butter into the flour until you have shards of butter the size of rolled oats still visible. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the vinegar mixture and mix until the dough just comes together. You don't want any dry pieces, but you need to be careful not to overwork the dough.

What is the secret to baking puff pastry? ›

Always preheat your oven for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before baking, because Puff Pastry depends on even heat to rise and puff. Place pastries 1 inch apart. If you want a flaky thin and crispy pastry that's not very puffy, prick the unbaked Puff Pastry all over with a fork, which lets steam escape while baking.

Is puff pastry sweet or savoury? ›

Puff pastry is a light, buttery, flaky dough used in both sweet and savory dishes, from appetizers to main courses to desserts. It contains only three ingredients—flour, butter, and salt—yet it rises to a great height with no added leavening agent.

What is a puff pastry or better yet what makes a pastry a puff pastry? ›

Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough (détrempe) and butter or other solid fat (beurrage). The butter is put inside the dough (or vice versa), making a paton that is repeatedly folded and rolled out before baking.

Is butter or egg better on puff pastry? ›

We are Team Egg Wash (or Cream Wash). While melted butter adds more flavor than the washes, it is less effective in look; it gives a speckled appearance to pastry.

Why do you put lemon juice in puff pastry? ›

Make a well and add the liquid (the tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar helps tenderize the dough and keep it from oxidizing or turning gray). Stir into the bowl while lightly tossing the ingredients to moisten them evenly, keeping the butter pieces large.

What does vinegar do in puff pastry? ›

Adding vinegar tenderizes the pastry. It inhibits gluten from forming there by making the pastry tender and flaky.

Why is my puff pastry so hard after baking? ›

My baked pastry is tough.

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.

What does egg do to puff pastry? ›

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. Use an egg wash to help seal filled pastries and connect Puff Pastry pieces: mix 1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, brush between layers, then pinch or press together.

What is the best flour for puff pastry? ›

While all-purpose flour is fine and can be used successfully for homemade puff pastry, we recommend using strong bread flour like this for best results. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, and therefore, contains more gluten.

Does homemade puff pastry taste better? ›

Homemade puff pastry, even if made with a few errors, is almost always going to taste better than anything shop bought. So stop beating yourself up that this needs the hand of pastry perfection.

What is puff pastry called in France? ›

So where does puff pastry come from. Well it comes from France, where it is called pâte feuilletée. It was invented in 1645 by Claudius Gele, a pastry cook apprentice. He wanted to bake an improved bread for his father who was sick and was on a diet of flour, butter and water.

What's the French word for puff pastry? ›

The French call this dough "pâte feuilletée," which means "pastry made leaf-like." Each "leaf" in this pastry consists of a layer of flour separated by a layer of butter. The expansion (puff) occurs because the butter layers create steam when exposed to the heat of an oven.

What are the methods for making puff pastry? ›

First a dough is made using a little dough fat and then more fat is added between the dough layers. The dough and fat are then laminated, which involves folding and rolling the dough and fat a few times to make many layers of dough and fat. The fat stays as separate layers and does not mix into the dough.

What is the formula for puff pastry? ›

A typical puff pastry formula:4,5
IngredientBaker's %
Dough
Butter30.0–35.0
Water45.0–50.0
Salt2.0–2.5
4 more rows

What is the best way to cook puff pastry? ›

Bake the pastries at 375°F until done: Lower the oven temperature and continue baking until the pastries are dry, crisp, and deep golden-brown. Cool and serve: Let the pastries cool slightly, then serve. Or if you're filling them after baking, let them cool completely, then fill and serve.

What are the three 3 basic rules for pastry making? ›

General rules

Mix together the flour and salt by sieving. Keep everything as cool as possible otherwise the fat may melt which would spoil the finished dish. Introduce as much air as possible during making.

References

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