food
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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Shop Kitchen Picks:
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?
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Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
Freelance PureWow Editor
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