Shrimp and Goat Cheese Tartlets! They’re such an elegant and delicious appetizer for any party. Puff pastry rounds topped with tomatoes, feta, and tomatoes… simple yet so delicious!
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Start the Holiday Recipe Season Off Right!
So…it officially snowed this weekend. I wasn’t ready. We don’t have a snow shovel. We are never prepared! But now that it’s officially winter…I can legally post holiday recipes, right? I have a great appetizer for you today: Shrimp and Goat Cheese Tarts. Beautiful, delicious, and as always, EASY! First and foremost, easy. People will be impressed, so it can be our little secret!
The holidays bring all sorts of cooking opportunities, even for people who are rarely in the kitchen. I remember back before I learned how to cook (I probably shouldn’t use “learned” in past tense…it’s more of an ongoing thing!), Christmas and Thanksgiving would always give me party anxiety. All of those parties and potlucks. All of these places I needed to contribute a dish. Pat and I would almost always stop by the closest Buffalo Wild Wings before heading to friends’ houses and pick up something to go. Tasty yes, but also embarrassing. No more!
Why You’ll Love These Goat Cheese Tartlets
- Super simple! Five minutes to prep and only 15 more to bake – so easy!
- Addictive and delicious. Flaky puff pastry is topped with creamy goat cheese and plump shrimp – so good.
- Perfect for parties. This is such a crowd pleaser, packed with flavor and visual appeal.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes: Chopped cherry tomatoes look so pretty.
- Thyme: Fresh is best.
- Green onion: Diced.
- Puff pastry: Packaged puff pastry works great, and Pillsbury is my go-to brand.
- Goat cheese: Look for good quality cheese with a bit of seasoning, like garlic and herb flavor.
- Shrimp: Cooked, with tails off.
How to Make Goat Cheese Tarts
- Combine tomatoes, thyme, and green onion and set aside.
- Unroll the thawed puff pastry and cut out circles with a glass or biscuit cutter.
- Top with the tomato mix and add a slice of goat cheese.
- Bake, add shrimp and bake a bit longer. Serve warm or cold.
Trademark note: In the spirit of transparency, please note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. Pillsbury is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
These Look Pretty Fancy. Are They Tricky to Make?
These tartlets look intricate and involved, but really, they are so easy. Impress your friends and family, delight your tastebuds, and no one has to know the truth. You can make these beauties in under 20 minutes and be out the door. That’s quicker than a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings!
I’m obsessed. These Shrimp and Goat Cheese Tarts might just be the perfect holiday appetizer! Enjoy!
Can You Make These Tartlets Ahead of Time?
Yes, of course! That’s one more reason why I love this recipe so much. All you have to do is make the tarts, assemble, cover, and refrigerate. Then 5 minutes before guests arrive, add the shrimp, heat, and serve!
What Kind of Shrimp Works Best?
There are so many kinds of shrimp to choose from. For convenience, look for pre-cooked, deveined shrimp with heads and tails removed. Any size will work, but it’s nice if you can find shrimp that are about the size of the tart, so it looks generously filled. Extra-large or jumbo would be best–but any size works. Even the tiny salad shrimp will be fine–just use 2 or 3 of them.
Other delicious cheese appetizers
- Loaded Rotel Dip (Velveeta Cheese Dip!)
- White Queso Recipe (EASY Queso Dip)
- Best Cheese Ball Recipe
- Easy Beer Cheese Dip Recipe (Beer Cheese Spread)
Have you tried these Goat Cheese Tartlets? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Shrimp and Goat Cheese Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup diced green onion
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces quality garlic and herb goat cheese
- 20 cooked shrimp tails cut off
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, thyme, and green onion. Stir until combined; set aside.
- On a floured surface, unroll puff pastry sheets (thawed according to package instructions). Cut each sheet into 5-6 circles per sheet (I used the top of a cocktail glass to make my circles). Place the circles onto the baking sheet.
- Using a sharp knife, score the edge of each circle about a half-inch in. This will allow the pastry to bake up around the toppings.
- Fill each circle with 1-2 tablespoons of the tomato mixture, depending on the size of your circles. Stay within the scored lines.
- Top with a slice of goat cheese, about 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Pastry will begin to puff up but will not yet be browned.
- Remove from oven. Top each tart with 1-2 shrimp and return to the oven.
- Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until shrimp is warmed and pastry is completely cooked. Serve warm or cold.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Becky’s Top Tips
- You can use frozen shrimp, thawed. Deveined, headless shrimp are a convenient choice.
- Make sure to score the edge of the puff pastry circles before baking – this allows the pastry to rise.
- You can use a cocktail glass or a biscuit cutter to cut out the pastry circles evenly.
- Garlic and herb-flavored goat cheese adds a great herby punch.
Nutrition Information
What size shrimp did u use?
The proper spelling is scored ( score the edges). These little apps look delish!
Thank you Patty!
These look so cute and fancy. I’m am the only person on earth who doesn’t like goat cheese so I willtry these with cream cheese and hope they’re still great.Thank you!
These look amazing! I am going to make them for the NYE party I’m going to. Quick question, when you say “scour the edges,” what does that mean? Is it like when you poke holes in pie crusts so it doesn’t puff up?
Hey KJ! So glad you’re going to make them! I mean take a knife and trace along the inside of the circle. Don’t cut all the way through. That will cause the edge of each tart to rise/puff up but the inside of the circle (with the shrimp and goat cheese on it) to stay down. So that the tarts are formed. Does that make sense? Let me know if not :) Hope you love them!!
I added your blog post and picture to a roundup. I hope that you like it! Happy Holidays, Jessi
Thanks Jessi! So sweet of you!
Well aren’t these just adorable?! I would be your party guest that ate 6 and you would run out of appetizers. And then I would have crumbs all over my face and pretend not to know why ;)
I love guests like that! Thanks Christina :)
I am a total.sucker for cute apps. We host way too few parties where I get to make them, but I totally adore them. And these look and sound amazing (even more so than Buffalo Wild Wings ;) )!
Thanks so much Jessica!