Butternut Squash Tart with Caramelized Onions and Fried Sage is everything you want in a savory vegan tart. It’s layered with flakey puff pastry, cheesy ricotta, sweet sticky caramelized onions, and roasted butternut squash, all topped with crispy fried sage leaves. Each bite is *beyond* delectable and is sure to become a winter favorite!

Have you ever taken a bite of something so delicious that your only thought was “I need to take another bite immediately!” And then before you know it, the entire dish has been devoured? I experienced this recently while visiting my daughter in Manhattan. She took me to a new vegan Italian restaurant where we ordered a caramelized onion pizza. The sweet, sticky, toasty onions layered over a cheese base and tucked into a perfectly crispy-chewy crust was the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. From then on, I’ve been dreaming of creating a similar recipe in tart form.

Butternut Squash Tart with Caramelized Onions and Fried Sage? Yes! These winter favorites complement each other beautifully and embrace seasonal eating. In fact, I can still find these ingredients at my local farmer’s market! This savory butternut squash tart recipe has 4 layers: The bottom is flakey puff pastry. Next comes vegan ricotta sprinkled with ground sage. This layer is generously topped with sticky caramelized onions and creamy roasted butternut squash. Fried sage leaves decorate the top and add herby crunch. Each bite is a gentle explosion of flavor and texture. Que the Hallelujah Chorus!

This savory tart has 4 layers:

Vegan puff pastry
Vegan ricotta cheese
Caramelized onions
Roasted butternut squash

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients:

Puff pastry- As far as I know there’s only 1 vegan puff pastry on the market. It’s Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry and is carried by most major grocers. You’ll find it in the freezer section. Each box contains 2 sheets of pastry and each one is the perfect size for 1 tart. The sheets come in a 9”x9” square which can easily be rolled out to a 9”x13” rectangle. It’s pretty much a miracle in a box. They sell out fast so stock up!

Vegan ricotta cheese- My absolute favorite store-bought ricotta is by Kite Hill. It has minimal ingredients and really tastes like cultured dairy-based ricotta. It’s a bit pricey but I feel it’s worth it if you don’t want to make your own.

Caramelized onions- Just like in my Roasted Pumpkin Soup, caramelized onions add the most delicious flavor. Their soft, sticky texture and sweet, caramel notes make you want to eat the whole tart in one sitting.

Roasted butternut squash- Creamy, nutty, butternut crowns our winter squash tart with delectable seasonal flavor.

Fried sage leaves- These little guys marry all the wintery flavors together and add a fun crunch. Plus, they look beautiful.

Ingredient substitutions:

Can this tart be made gluten-free?

I’m so glad you asked! My Vegan Heirloom Tomato Tart with Basil Cashew Cream is made with a gluten-free pie crust. Use this recipe in place of the puff pastry. Make the dough and roll it out into a 10”x14” rectangle. Trim any ragged edges. Carefully transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and use a fork to press a ½” border around the outside. Par-bake (pre-bake) the crust for 15 minutes at 400°F / 204°C so it will be crispy on the bottom. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Can I use a squash other than butternut?

Although I haven’t tested it, I feel any creamy winter squash like acorn or kabocha would taste delicious in this roasted squash tart.

butternut squash tart with caramelized onions

Tips and tricks for vegan butternut squash tart success:

Thaw your puff pastry before unfolding it. Unfolding frozen dough will disappointingly break along the seams.
Use ½ cup of vegan ricotta cheese. You may be tempted to load up on the cheese but trust me, ½ cup is perfect. Speaking from experience, extra cheese overwhelms the other flavors.
Don’t over-crowd the baking sheet when roasting the squash. Each piece needs to lie flat on the sheet to brown and deepen in flavor. A 1½ to 2-pound squash will just fit onto a standard-size baking sheet.
Cut your onions *very* thin. If you have a mandolin this is the easiest way to slice onions thinly and evenly. (Use the 1mm setting.) If not, a sharp knife and a little patience will do the trick. Thinly sliced onions will shrink way down into sticky sweet, caramelized heaven.
Don’t skip the fried sage! Sage and squash are a wintery dream team. Fried sage literally takes minutes to make and is SO worth the effort! If you can’t find fresh sage leaves, go ahead and sprinkle on a little ground dried sage instead.

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe:

ingredients for butternut squash tart with caramelized onions and fried sage

Ingredients / Makes 9 slices

1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs.)
1 tablespoon of olive oil for roasting the squash plus more for brushing the tart
1½ teaspoons of kosher salt (divided)
Freshly ground black pepper for sprinkling
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (by hand or using the 1mm setting on a mandolin)
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of white balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons (65g) of organic cane sugar
½ cup (4 oz) of vegan ricotta (I love Kite Hill)
1 sheet (9x9”) of vegan puff pastry (see ingredient substitutions for gluten-free)
2 teaspoons of ground dried sage (½ teaspoon if using powdered sage)
10 fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons of olive oil for frying the sage

How to make Butternut Squash Tart with Caramelized Onions and Fried Sage

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1. Preheat your oven- to 425°F / 218°C / gas mark 7. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Prepare the butternut squash- Using a serrated knife or sharp chef’s knife, cut the tip and tail off the squash so that it stands vertically. Carefully cut the squash from top to bottom and open it up like a book. Scoop out the seeds and pulp. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin. Then cut each half vertically in half again so you have 4 pieces. Lay the squash cut side down and slice it from nose to tail into 1 cm pieces.

3. Season the squash- Tumble the squash into a large mixing bowl and drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper. Toss again.

4. Roast the squash- On your prepared baking sheet, spread the squash so that each piece lays flat and is not overlapping. Bake for 40 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 400°F / 204°C / gas mark 6.

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5. Caramelize the onions- While the squash is roasting, caramelize the onions. Cut the (peeled) onions in half and slice them into *very* thin slices. Do this by hand with a sharp knife or using the 1mm setting on a mandolin.

6. Add the vinegar and sugar to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and stir until well combined. Tumble in the onions. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and mix it all together. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions become soft, translucent and have absorbed most of the liquid.

7. Reduce the heat to medium to avoid burning and continue to cook. You’re looking for onions that are golden, sticky, and caramelized; about 15-20 minutes.

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8. Roll out the puff pastry- Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and place 1 sheet of unfolded and thawed puff pastry on it. Have a baking sheet ready. Roll the dough into a 9”x13” rectangle using a rolling pin. It will be about 1/8” thick. To make a ½” border, score the outer edges with a paring knife. Transfer the parchment paper and dough to the baking sheet.

9. Spread the ricotta- Use a butter knife to spread ½ cup of ricotta evenly over the pastry, inside the border. A little goes a long way and ½ cup is perfect. Sprinkle the ground sage on top next.

10. Top with caramelized onions- Plop the onions in dollops on top of the ricotta. Use a fork to scootch them around so they’re nice and even.

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11. Top with butternut squash- Now it’s time to place the squash. Arrange the squash pieces on top of the onions so that they fit very close together, like a mosaic, but are not quite overlapping. You will have some leftovers. Brush the puff pastry border with olive oil.

12. Bake the tart- at 400°F / 204°C / gas mark 6, for 20-25 minutes until the edges are puffy and slightly golden.

13. Fry the sage leaves- While the tart is baking, pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a small frying pan over medium-high heat. When a splash of water creates a sizzle, place the sage leaves in the oil. They will start to bubble around the edges. Scootch them around in the hot oil so they crisp on both sides. Cook for 30 seconds only. Use a fork to transfer the leaves to a paper towel to drain and immediately sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

14. Decorate the top with sage leaves- after the tart comes out of the oven. Enjoy!