Rustic Vegan Tomato Galette with the most delicious herby cashew cream, and foolproof olive oil crust! Because it's a galette, it's easier than pie to make, you don't need to worry about it being perfect, and you don't even need a pie pan. It's great served hot or cold and freezes perfectly either before or after baking.
Looking for more ways to use fresh tomatoes? Give my Tomato Fritters and Easy Tomato Basil Soup a try!
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This savoury Vegan Tomato Galette is perfect in every way with a crisp, golden crust, garlicky, herby cashew cream, and layer upon layer of sweet, juicy tomatoes. It's easy to make with a foolproof olive oil crust, and is a wonderful way to use up your summer tomato stash!
Galettes are such an easy way to bring pie into your everyday life because they take way less time and work than a traditional double-crusted pie, and they are free-form, so you don't even need a pie pan. There is zero need for perfection because rustic is the aesthetic.
This galette in particular is even more foolproof because the crust is made with olive oil, not vegan butter or shortening which means there is no cutting in. The olive oil flavour works exceptionally well with the sweet tomatoes, and it forms a deliciously crisp bottom despite the juicy filling.
Impressive yet surprisingly easy and perfect for dinner or as an appetizer for a crowd, I love to serve this galette in great big slices with a crispy, fresh green salad dressed in my simple vegan vinaigrette, or my lemon orzo salad for a very delicious and summery lunch or dinner!
Mel x
🤍 WHY YOU'LL LOVE MY VEGAN TOMATO GALETTE RECIPE
- Easy to make. A galette is way easier to make than a standard double-crust pie.
- Rustic. Because it's freeform and rustic, you don't have to pay much attention to detail. It's ok if it cracks a bit, and there's no blind-baking or crimping.
- Olive oil crust - Using olive oil means you don't have to do any cutting in, and you don't need to worry about the crust shrinking as it bakes.
- Uses a good amount of tomatoes. If you grow your own tomatoes, this recipe is perfect for using them all up!
- Flavour-packed. With the fragrant olive oil crust, the herby cashew cream and lots of tomatoes, it's so delicious and full of interesting flavours and textures.
- Freezer-friendly. This tomato galette freezes perfectly either before baking or after. I usually make two at a time, one to eat and one to save for another day.
- Family-friendly. This is a recipe the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- All-purpose flour - Use plain flour in the UK. I have not tested this recipe with any other type of flour.
- Extra virgin olive oil - Adds a pleasant fruitiness and peppery note to the vegan galette dough. The flavour works exceptionally well with the tomatoes.
- Tomatoes - These must be fresh tomatoes. You can use large tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, or a mix. Even supermarket tomatoes taste good in this, but obviously, the better your tomatoes, the better the galette will be. With heirloom tomatoes from my local farm, it was incredible!
- Raw cashews - These must be raw and not roasted. I haven't tried it, but for a nut-free version, I'm pretty sure sunflower seeds or hemp seeds would work well. As the volume will be different, you will need to measure them by weight to ensure the correct amount.
- Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. This goes into the crust to make it extra tender, and the cashew cream to add a little tanginess. You could use lemon juice instead if you avoid vinegar.
- Dried basil - Basil and tomato = the perfect partnership. Using dried basil gives a concentrated flavour without adding any extra moisture. You could use dried oregano or rosemary instead. I don't recommend fresh basil unless it's for a garnish after baking.
- "Egg" wash - My go-to for pies is a 50/50 mix of dairy-free milk and maple syrup. It browns the crust beautifully. If you've got some JustEgg open, you can use that instead, and if you don't have any maple syrup or JustEgg, use dairy-free milk. You will need to accept that your crust won't get such a lovely colour, though.
An optional ingredient that I highly recommend scattering over your crust before baking, if you have some in your spice collection, is za'atar. It is really delicious in this tomato galette! You could also use sumac, or any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern-style spice or herb mix that complements the tomato/olive oil flavour. Even Everything Bagel, I think, would work well, although go easy with that one, as it could be a little overpowering.
How To Make A Tomato Galette!
Can't wait to make it? The full printable recipe is below, but first, let me walk you through the steps to set you up for success in your kitchen.
1 - Mix up the easy olive oil pie crust. Be particularly careful not to add too much water. This dough benefits from being on the drier side.
2 - Slice the tomatoes, lay them on a large paper towel-lined baking tray, sprinkle them with salt, cover them with more paper towels, and leave them while your pie dough chills in the fridge. This removes excess juice from the tomatoes so your galette stays nice and crisp.
3 - Blend up the cashew cream.
4 - Roll out your olive oil crust into a 12-inch circle.
5 - Spread the crust with cashew cream, leaving a good, clear margin.
6 - Layer up the tomatoes, piling them up more towards the middle.
7 - Fold over the sides and pinch as necessary to make them stay where they should and contain the tomatoes around the edges. Brush with "egg" wash, sprinkle with the optional spices or herbs, then bake until golden.
8 - Remove from the oven but leave on the tray for at least 20 minutes. This gives the galette time to rest and absorb the bubbly tomato juice. It also makes it easier to slice.
Important Tip
When making the galette crust, to get the very best tender, crispy, short texture, it is really important to measure the ingredients accurately so you end up with the correct fat to flour ratio.
Use a measuring spoon to measure the olive oil and please, if at all possible, weigh the flour with a digital scale. Cups are not an accurate way to measure, especially when baking. If you have to use a cup, it's important to use it correctly. Do not scoop the flour into the cup. Fluff the flour with a fork, then spoon it gently into the cup before levelling the top with a knife. Don't shake the flour down or compact it. By doing this you will have the best chance of getting close to the correct amount.
Three digital scales that I recommend are:
- Very Budget-Friendly Option - Amazon Basics Digital Scale. It is under $10 and works great.
- Middle Of The Road Option - Oxo Good Grips 5-lb Digital Scale. It's pretty cheap, and reliable and the pull out display is really handy if you're using a large mixing bowl.
- My Favourite Scale - Oxo Good Grips 11-lb Digital Scale. A little more spendy, but mine has lasted for years and years. A good option if you make bread or larger batches of baked goods using more flour than average home baker.
Galette Baking Tip
No one wants a galette with a soggy bottom, and the number one reason it happens is that the galette is taken out of the oven too soon.
The cook time provided in this recipe should be used as a guide only, as all ovens cook slightly differently, and all baking trays radiate heat differently.
Don't be afraid of increasing the cooking time. Your galette should remain in the oven until the crust is a lovely, deeply golden colour and you can visibly see and feel its crispiness. It's only when the exposed crust is like that that the bottom will be perfectly crisp.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using my olive oil galette dough recipe if you can because its fragrance and flavour is fantastic with the tomatoes in this recipe. However, you can use store-bought pie dough if that's more convenient.
This galette will be at it's tastiest when made with the olive oil crust, but you can make it oil-free by using my healthy pie crust recipe for the galette crust. Replace the olive oil in the cashew cream with 2 tablespoons of extra water.
Recipe
Vegan Tomato Galette
Author:Ingredients
For the olive oil crust
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, plain in the UK
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or regular olive oil
- about 8 tablespoons of cold water, divided
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
For the tomatoes
- 1.5 lb (680 grams) tomatoes
- about ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- a few grinds/pinches of black pepper
For the cashew cream
- 1 cup (120 grams) raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 large clove of garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the "egg" wash
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- OR 2 tablespoons JustEgg
Optional
- Za'atar (my fave), sumac, everything bagel, a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean-style spice mix or dried herbs for sprinkling over the crust before baking
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE OLIVE OIL CRUST
- Add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Pour in the olive oil and stir well again so the flour is coated with oil and becomes a bit lumpy and clumpy.
- Make a well in the middle and add 5 tablespoons of cold water and the vinegar. Mix with a spatula, then slowly add more water a tablespoon at a time until it just comes together. You should be able to just squeeze it together with your hand, but it should look drier than regular pie dough, a little marbly from the olive oil, and slightly crumbly. This gives it a great texture once baked. Add too much water, and it can become a little tough and not as flaky.
- Form a ball, wrap tightly in clingwrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is fine if you want to start the day before.
PREP THE TOMATOES
- While the dough chills, take your largest baking tray and line it with a double layer of kitchen paper or a clean absorbent lint-free cloth that you don't mind getting stained. Slice the tomatoes into thick'ish ¼ inch slices and lay them out on the tray. Sprinkle them evenly with salt (about ½ to 1 teaspoon), then cover them with more kitchen paper or another cloth. Press down gently all over, then leave for 25 to 30 minutes. The salt will help draw out excess moisture so your galette stays crisp.
MAKE THE CASHEW CREAM
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain. Add them along with the olive oil, vinegar, water, garlic, dried basil, salt and pepper to a high-powered blender or food processor and process to form a thick cream. It does not need to be completely smooth. Some graininess is fine. You won't notice once it's baked.
ASSEMBLE & BAKE
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) about 15 minutes before you start assembly.
- Mix the "egg" wash ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Have a large sheet pan ready. It needs to be at least a half sheet pan size or 12 inches wide. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit it.
- Place the parchment paper on your work surface and put the ball of pie dough in the middle. Sprinkle with a dusting of flour if necessary, then roll out into a circle of about 12 inches in diameter. It doesn't need to be perfect. This galette is supposed to look rustic, and the edges will crack a bit. Once rolled out, pick the parchment paper up carefully and transfer the whole thing to your baking tray. It's way easier to do it now than when it's filled and heavy.
- Dollop the cashew cream into the middle of the crust (have a taste because it's delish!) and spread out with a spatula to form an even layer leaving a border of about 1½ inches around the outside, then lay the tomato slices over the cashew cream, piling them up more towards the middle. Season the tomatoes with some freshly ground black pepper.
- Fold the exposed edge of the dough towards the centre to make a rustic enclosure, pinching together any overlapping edges and patching up any cracks as you go. Brush the crust edges generously with "egg" wash and sprinkle them with the optional zaatar, or any other complementary Middle Eastern or Mediterranean-style spice blend/dried herbs.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes if using a light-coloured tray. If using a dark/black tray, check at 40 to 45 minutes. Once done, the crust will be golden and crispy on the sides and bottom, and the tomatoes will be bubbly and well-cooked.
- Remove from the oven and leave to rest on the tray for at least 20 minutes. This will give the galette time to settle and the bubbling juices time to reabsorb. It's delicious served warm, room temperature, or cold.
NOTES
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Colleen says
This is quick and delicious! My mom used tomatoes and basil from her garden. It feels fancy and looks great while tasting heavenly. The crust is so good and I’m already thinking of other savory ways to use it!