Here’s a pure Summer recipe idea: a tomato upside-down tart! Enjoy hot or cold, as a good starter with a basil cream or served with meat or grilled fish. Upside-down cakes are traditionally dessert fare, made with apples, but this onion and tomato Upside Down Tart is a combination of sweet and savory Mediterranean flavors: Perfect to delight your guests on a weekend dinner!
Table of Contents
Ingredients list for Onions, Tomato Upside Down Tart
Serves 4
The filling:
- 3 lbs (1.5 kg) tomatoes
- 3 red onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) butter
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- Olive oil
The dough:
- 3 cups (300g) flour
- 1/2 cup (10cl) olive oil
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 pinches of salt
- Fresh thyme, 3 pinches
- 1/4 cup (55ml) water
Cooking instructions
The filling
1. Start by peeling tomatoes, following the blanching technique — pictures here.
2. Remove skin from tomatoes, cut them in half to remove seeds and cut them into large dices. Keep aside for later.
3. Peel and slice an onion, make it sweat gently in a pan with olive oil, two sprigs of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and salt. Avoid burning the seasoning. When the onions become translucent, add the tomato cubes. Let the sauce simmer, stirring regularly to reduce; it shouldn’t be liquid at the end.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
The topping
1. Peel onions and make 3 mm thick slices.
2. Cut 5 tomatoes in half, remove the seeds, and make slices 5 mm thick.
3. Line the bottom of a greased tart pan with a drizzle of olive oil, a knob of butter, and 2 tablespoons of cane sugar.
4. Arrange the sliced tomatoes and onions at the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping.
5. Put the tart pan briefly into the oven to gently brown the onions; you can cover with foil to avoid burning the onions.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Final steps
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and thyme. Add oil and work the dough to make it homogeneous. Stir in the egg yolk, then water. Don’t knead the dough too much because it would become “elastic”. Keep the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan, over the onion.
3. Lay the dough on top.
4. Bake the tart for 25 to 30 minutes at 390°F (200°C), until the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.
5. Let cool for a while after removing from the oven. Then flip the tart with the help of a plate
Note:
A tart tatin pan should be thick with high edges so the tart is well maintained and evenly baked. Cast iron tart tatin dishes are among the best.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
(Photo: Frédéric Gaston)

Onions Tomato Upside Down Tart Recipe
by eatwell101
Yield: 4
Prep Time: min
Cook Time: min
This onions tomato Upside Down tart is a combination of sweet and savory Mediterranean flavors!
Ingredients
The filling:
- 3 lbs (1.5 kg) tomatoes
- 3 red onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) butter
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- Olive oil
The dough:
- 3 cups (300g) flour
- 1/2 cup (10cl) olive oil
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 pinches of salt
- Fresh thyme, 3 pinches
- 1/4 cup (55ml) water
Instructions
The filling
- Start by peeling tomatoes, following the blanching technique — pictures here.
- Remove skin from tomatoes, cut them in half to remove seeds and cut them into large dices. Keep aside for later.
- Peel and slice an onion, make it sweat gently in a pan with olive oil, two sprigs of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and salt. Avoid burning the seasoning. When the onions become translucent, add the tomato cubes. Let the sauce simmer, stirring regularly to reduce; it shouldn't be liquid at the end
The topping
- Peel onions and make 3 mm thick slices.
- Cut 5 tomatoes in half, remove the seeds, and make slices 5 mm thick.
- Line the bottom of a greased tart pan with a drizzle of olive oil, a knob of butter, and 2 tablespoons of cane sugar.
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes and onions at the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping.
- Put the tart pan briefly into the oven to gently brown the onions; you can cover with foil to avoid burning the onions.
Final steps
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and thyme. Add oil and work the dough to make it homogeneous. Stir in the egg yolk, then water. Don't knead the dough too much because it would become "elastic". Keep the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan, over the onion.
- Lay the dough on top.
- Bake the tart for 25 to 30 minutes at 390°F (200°C), until the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool for a while after removing from the oven. Then flip the tart with the help of a plate
Recipe Notes
- A tart tatin pan should be thick with high edges so the tart is well maintained and evenly baked. Cast iron tart tatin dishes are among the best.
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