Yellow Tomato Galette with Spinach and Red Onion

Every now and then, an ingredient shows up in my kitchen without much of a plan attached.

This time, it was about 2½ pounds of yellow tomatoes, handed to me by a friend who seems to have a near-endless supply on her farm. They were firm, wonderfully sweet, and needed to be used while they were still at their best.

Fortunately, I’d been toying with the idea of making a tomato galette for several months. The idea had never made it much further than my recipe calendar, but with a pile of yellow tomatoes sitting on the counter, its time had clearly come.

I wanted the tomatoes’ sweet, almost creamy character to remain the star, so I added everything else with restraint: a light layer of mozzarella, some baby spinach, thin slices of red onion, a dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a little freshly ground black pepper. All of it tucked into a flaky, buttery crust and baked until the tomatoes softened and began to caramelize.

What came out of the oven surprised me.

The tomatoes were unmistakable—slightly sweet, almost creamy, and somehow even more distinctly themselves. But the spinach, onion, and cheese? I could see them. I knew they were there. Yet when I took a bite, they had almost disappeared.

Not because they weren’t contributing anything.

Quite the opposite.

Somewhere in the oven, those supporting flavors stopped competing for attention and quietly became part of something larger. The result is a tomato galette with plenty going on in every bite, yet everything stays where it belongs—the tomatoes remain unmistakably the star while the other ingredients add depth and complexity and almost disappear into the background.

Why you’ll love this Yellow Tomato Galette

• The tomatoes remain the star – Sweet yellow tomatoes stay front and center while the other ingredients quietly add depth and complexity.
• Every bite is balanced – Spinach, red onion, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and black pepper contribute without any one flavor taking over.
• The crust is crisp, flaky, and tender – An all-butter crust holds the juicy tomatoes without becoming soggy.
• It’s rustic by design – There’s no need for perfect tomato placement or carefully shaped edges; its casual appearance is part of the appeal.
• It’s an unexpected way to use fresh tomatoes – When summer tomatoes are plentiful, this tomato galette offers something different from the usual salads, sandwiches, and sauces.

First-Things-First: Mise en Place

Before you start with the recipe, let me share some kitchen wisdom that’s made cooking much easier over the years. It’s called Mise en Place—a French phrase that means “everything in its place.” It might sound fancy, but it’s just about setting yourself up for success: read the recipe all the way through, gather your tools, then prep and measure everything before the heat goes on.

This simple habit takes the guesswork out of cooking and keeps surprises to a minimum. Whether you’re new to the kitchen or have been cooking for decades, Mise en place makes a big difference.

Curious to learn more? I recommend Everything in Its Place: The Power of Mise-En-Place to Organize Your Life, Work, and Mind—it’s a great read that goes way beyond the kitchen.

Ingredients for this Yellow Tomato Galette

There aren’t many ingredients in this tomato galette, and that’s intentional. Each one has a job to do, but none of them should get in the way of the sweet yellow tomatoes.

• Yellow Tomatoes – The star of the galette. The yellow tomatoes I used were small, wonderfully sweet, and had an almost creamy character without much acidity. You don’t need the exact variety I used; other ripe yellow tomatoes will work well. Halving, lightly salting, and resting them before assembly draws out some excess moisture. After about 20 minutes, gently blot the cut surfaces with a paper towel. Don’t salt them again—the salt that remains, along with the cheeses, is enough to season the finished galette.
• All-Butter Pie Crust – A flaky, buttery crust is more than a container for the filling; it’s an important part of every bite. Chill the dough before rolling so the butter stays cold, giving the baked crust a tender interior with just enough crispness to stand up to the juicy tomatoes.
• Mozzarella – Use a light layer of low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella beneath the filling. Its mild flavor adds richness without making the galette taste particularly cheesy, and it provides another layer of protection between the juicy filling and the crust.
• Baby Spinach – An even but relatively light layer is all you need. There’s no need to cook the spinach first; it wilts as the galette bakes and settles quietly into the filling. Its flavor stays well in the background while adding another layer of complexity to the tomatoes.

• Red Onion – Slice the onion very thinly and separate the slices into small arcs before scattering them over the spinach. During baking, the onion’s sharpness mellows and its sweetness blends with the sweetness of the tomatoes. The finished galette doesn’t taste noticeably of onion, but that subtle contribution adds depth to the filling.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano – Think of this as a dusting rather than another cheese layer. Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a little saltiness and savory depth without announcing itself as a separate flavor.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper – A fairly coarse grind works particularly well here. Use enough that you can see an occasional fleck of pepper, but not enough to make the galette peppery. It adds a subtle warmth that becomes part of the background rather than a flavor of its own.
• Egg Wash – A lightly brushed egg wash gives the folded edge of the galette a rich golden finish and helps define the rustic folds as the crust bakes.

How to Make a Yellow Tomato Galette

• Make the Pie Dough – Whisk the flour and kosher salt together, then scatter the cold butter evenly over the flour. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Those pieces are important—they’ll melt in the oven and help create the flaky layers in the finished crust, so don’t keep working the mixture until the butter disappears.
• Add the Ice Water – Start with 2 tablespoons of ice water and gently fold it into the flour mixture with a silicone spatula. Continue adding water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. As the dough begins to come together, switch to your hands and gently gather it, adding only enough additional water for the dough to form a ball and pick up the loose, sandy bits from the bowl. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, that may take anywhere from 2 to 6 tablespoons. Let the dough tell you when it has enough water rather than trying to reach a particular measurement.
• Chill the Dough – Gather the dough into a disk without kneading it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. Chilling gives the flour time to hydrate while allowing the butter to become firm again. Cold butter is one of the keys to the flaky, tender crust we’re after, so don’t be tempted to skip the rest.
• Prepare the Tomatoes – While the dough chills, wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Line a baking sheet or tray with paper towels, then arrange the tomatoes cut side up and lightly salt the cut surfaces. Let them rest for about 20 minutes. Tomatoes contain a lot of water, and some of that moisture needs to come out before they meet the pastry. The salt draws moisture to the surface, where we can remove it instead of allowing it to soak into the crust during baking.

• Blot the Tomatoes – After about 20 minutes, gently blot the cut surfaces with paper towels. You aren’t trying to dry the tomatoes; you’re simply removing the moisture the salt has brought to the surface. Don’t salt them again. Enough salt remains on the tomatoes to season them, and the mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano will contribute additional salt as the galette bakes.
• Roll the Dough – Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle roughly 13 inches across. Work efficiently so the butter stays cold, but don’t worry about producing a perfect circle. This is a rustic galette, and slightly irregular edges will look right at home once they’re folded over the filling. Gently transfer the rolled dough to a sheet of parchment paper, then use the parchment to move the dough onto a large baking sheet.

• Start with the Mozzarella – Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1½-inch border uncovered. Keep the layer light. The mozzarella adds richness without making the galette cheese-forward, and placing it directly against the dough creates some separation between the juicy filling and the pastry beneath it.
• Add the Spinach and Red Onion – Arrange the baby spinach in a light, even layer over the mozzarella. Separate the thinly sliced red onion into individual arcs and scatter them across the spinach. Resist the temptation to add more simply because the layers look thin. As the galette bakes, the spinach will wilt considerably, and the sharpness of the onion will mellow, allowing both to contribute without competing with the tomatoes.
• Arrange the Tomatoes – Cover the filling generously with the tomatoes, placing most of them cut side up. There’s no need for a precise pattern—in fact, a somewhat random arrangement suits the rustic character of the galette. Fill the available space without piling on tomatoes simply to use every last one. Depending on their size and how large you rolled the dough, you may have a few left over.
• Finish the Filling – Lightly grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the tomatoes, thinking of it as a dusting rather than another layer of cheese. Finish with a fairly coarse grind of black pepper—enough that you can see an occasional fleck without making the galette peppery. Both are supporting flavors; we’re looking for savory depth and a little warmth while keeping the yellow tomatoes unmistakably in front.

• Fold the Galette – Lift a 2- to 3-inch section of the uncovered dough and fold it over the edge of the filling toward the center. Lift the next section and fold it inward, gently overlapping the previous fold to create a pleat. Press lightly where the two sections overlap to help hold the pleat in place, then continue lifting, folding, and overlapping your way around the galette. The pleats don’t need to be identical; a little variation is part of the galette’s rustic character. When you’ve finished, check the folded edge for any holes or tears and gently pinch them closed so the tomato juices stay inside the crust.

• Brush with Egg Wash – Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and lightly brush it over the exposed pastry. The egg wash doesn’t affect the filling or the structure of the galette; it simply helps the crust develop the rich golden-brown finish that makes those rustic folds stand out.

• Bake Until the Galette Looks Done – Bake for about 30–35 minutes. Use the clock as a guide, but let the galette tell you when it’s done. The crust should be golden brown rather than merely beginning to color, the tomatoes should be softened and starting to caramelize, and the bottom crust should be fully baked. If your galette hasn’t reached those markers at 35 minutes, give it a little longer.

• Let It Cool Before Slicing – Let the finished galette rest on the baking sheet for about 15–20 minutes. The filling will settle slightly as it cools, making the galette easier to slice cleanly. It doesn’t need to be piping hot to be at its best; a short rest also gives you a better chance to appreciate the sweet tomatoes, buttery crust, and quieter flavors underneath them.

How to Store Yellow Tomato Galette

This galette is wonderful freshly baked, but leftovers hold up remarkably well. The crust may soften somewhat during refrigeration, but reheating it in the oven helps restore its crisp texture.

• Refrigerate Leftovers – Refrigerate leftover galette within 2 hours. Store the slices in a single layer in a shallow, covered container lined with a paper towel to help absorb any excess moisture. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in the Oven – Reheat the galette uncovered in a 350°F oven until warmed through and the crust has crisped. The dry heat does an excellent job of restoring the pastry without adding additional moisture. Avoid the microwave, which will warm the galette but is likely to soften the crust.
• Skip the Freezer – I don’t recommend freezing this galette. Although it holds up exceptionally well in the refrigerator, freezing and thawing the tomatoes and spinach could introduce enough additional moisture to compromise the texture.