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

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.

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.

Why is puff pastry so difficult? ›

Puff pastry does need some gluten development but, because of the amount of rolling out that will happen during lamination, it is very easy to overwork a dough which makes it incredibly hard to use and can cause a lot of shrinkage.

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.

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.

Is it cheaper to buy or make puff pastry? ›

If you make it from scratch, it'll cost you about $2.00 in ingredients, or $0.13 per ounce. So, yup, totally cheaper, ingredient-wise. However: A) if you've never made puff pastry from scratch, you will most likely need to start over a couple times, making the experience more expensive in the long run, and —

Is Phyllo dough the same as puff pastry? ›

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough includes only flour, water, vinegar, and a little oil.

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.

Can I roll out Pepperidge Farm puff pastry? ›

Use a floured surface to roll out your Puff Pastry sheet, but be sure to brush off excess flour before filling, cutting or folding, since flour will prevent layers from sticking together. When cutting Puff Pastry, the sharper the knife or pastry cutter, the better.

Why is butter leaking from puff pastry? ›

The fix: The butter needs to be at the right temperature: chilled, but not icy cold (or too warm). Keep it chilled and return the pastry to the fridge the moment it starts to feel soft or sticky.

What temperature do you bake puff pastry? ›

Always bake Puff Pastry Shells in a preheated 425° F oven. Bake Puff Pastry Cups in a preheated 400° F oven for 20 minutes. Do not bake either Shells or Cups in a microwave or toaster oven. See our Tips & Techniques page for more baking tips for Puff Pastry Sheets, Shells and Cups.

Why does my puff pastry not cooked underneath? ›

Pastry being soggy in the middle is a result of the pastry being undercooked. Don't place the pastry on too high a shelf in the oven. One way to prevent soggy bottom pastry is to blind bake the pastry – This means partially or completely bake the pastry before adding the filling. Also, avoid over-filling your pastry.

Can you fold puff pastry too much? ›

For puff pastry the more layers the better. But always stop at 7. Way too many layers will stretch the butter layer a little too much making it disappear.

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.

Should puff pastry be chilled before baking? ›

Warm pastry: Your pastry should be cold, cold, cold going into the oven. It's worth reiterating: Cold butter equals flaky layers. If your pastry is warm, the butter can easily leech right out during baking. For best results, work quickly and keep your hands off!

Should you blind bake puff pastry before filling? ›

Do I need to blind bake pastry cases when cooking with wet fillings? As a general rule, you do need to blind bake when cooking a dish with wet fillings. For example, if you're making a quiche or frangipane, blind baking the crust first will help ensure the pastry case stays buttery and retains its crunch.

How do you make puff pastry rise high? ›

Set the oven dial too low, and the pastry is likely to fall flat. Follow this tip: As a rule of thumb, a higher oven temperature (400°F is ideal) results in puff pastry with a higher rise. The higher temperature produces steam, which is the crucial component that makes the puff pastry, well, puff.

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