Why This Recipe Works

Blind-bake plus egg wash: ensures a shatteringly crisp bottom that refuses to sog even under a creamy filling.
Triple mushroom mix: cremini, shiitake, and a handful of dried porcini create layers of umami depth.
Kale massage trick: a quick rub with olive oil and salt tames bitterness and speeds wilting.
Make-ahead magic: bake, cool, refrigerate up to 24 h; reheat at 300 °F for 15 min—tastes freshly baked.
Holiday color story: emerald kale and bronze mushrooms look festive against the golden crust—no garnish required.
Vegetarian but hearty: satisfies even the carnivores at the table; optional Gruyère keeps it indulgent yet refined.
Freezer friendly: wrap slices individually; thaw overnight and warm for a near-instant weekday brunch.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great tarts begin with great building blocks, so let’s shop like we mean it. For the crust I swear by a 50-50 blend of European-style butter (82 % fat) and vegan butter; the combo delivers both flavor and flakiness, but feel free to use all butter if you keep a stick-to-tradition household. A whisper of white whole-wheat flour adds nutty depth without the heaviness of regular whole wheat. If you’re gluten-free, substitute your favorite cup-for-cup blend plus ½ teaspoon xanthan gum.

Mushrooms are the star, so buy the freshest you can find. Cremini provide meaty body, shiitake bring forest perfume, and a pinch of dried porcini—steeped in hot water and minced—adds an almost truffle-like bass note. Skip anything slimy or with collapsed caps; mushrooms should smell sweetly earthy, not like ammonia.

Kale choices matter. Lacinato (a.k.a. dinosaur) kale wilts quickly and lacks the harsh edge of curly kale, but either works if you remove the ribs and massage aggressively. If kale fatigue has set in, young collard greens or even beet tops are lovely understudies.

For the custard I favor half-and-half for richness that won’t seize in the oven, but whole milk works if you’re shaving calories. Eggs are the structural pillars; I blend one yolk into the mix for extra silk. A restrained hand with nutmeg and a shower of lemon zest brighten all that earthiness.

Cheese is optional yet highly recommended. Gruyère melts into nutty puddles, while a crumble of aged goat cheese offers tangy contrast. For a dairy-free version, whisk 2 tablespoons white miso into the custard and skip the cheese entirely—umami squared.

How to Make Savory Mushroom and Kale Tart for Festive Winter Brunch

Make the pastry

Whisk 1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (60 g) white whole-wheat flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp sugar. Cut in ½ cup (113 g) cold butter and ½ cup (113 g) cold vegan butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Drizzle 6–8 Tbsp ice water, stirring with a fork just until dough holds. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (Dough may be frozen 1 month; thaw overnight in fridge.)

Blind bake

Roll dough on floured parchment to 12-inch circle; transfer to 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press into corners and up sides; trim flush. Dock with fork, lay in parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375 °F (190 °C) 20 min, remove weights, brush with beaten egg white, bake 5 min more. Cool on rack. Lower oven to 350 °F (175 °C).

Prep porcini soak

Place ¼ oz dried porcini in heat-proof bowl; cover with ½ cup just-boiled water. Steep 15 min. Lift mushrooms out, squeezing excess back into bowl; rinse to remove grit. Finely chop porcini and reserve fragrant soaking liquid for the custard.

Sauté mushroom medley

Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in large skillet over medium-high. Add 8 oz sliced cremini, 4 oz sliced shiitake caps, chopped porcini, 2 minced shallots, 2 tsp minced rosemary, and ½ tsp salt. Cook undisturbed 3 min to brown, then stir occasionally until mushrooms release and reabsorb liquid, 8–10 min total. Deglaze with 2 Tbsp dry sherry; scrape browned bits. Cool slightly.

Wilt kale

Strip leaves from 1 large bunch lacinato kale; discard ribs. Tear into bite-size pieces. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil and pinch salt; massage 30 seconds until darkens. Add to skillet with mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, cover 2 min until just wilted. Transfer mixture to colander to drain excess moisture; press gently.

Whisk custard

In bowl whisk 3 large eggs, 1 yolk, 1 cup half-and-half, ¼ cup reserved porcini liquid, 1 tsp Dijon, ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, ½ tsp kosher salt, few grinds pepper, and 1 tsp lemon zest. (Custard may be made 2 days ahead; cover and chill.)

Assemble

Scatter mushroom-kale mixture evenly over pre-baked crust. Sprinkle ¾ cup grated Gruyère (or 4 oz crumbled goat cheese). Slowly pour custard to avoid overflow. Tap pan gently to expel bubbles.

Bake to perfection

Bake at 350 °F on center rack 32–38 min, until custard is just set with a slight jiggle in center and top is freckled gold. If crust browns too quickly, tent edges with foil. Cool 15 min on wire rack; remove ring. Serve warm or room temperature.

Expert Tips

Temperature matters

Start with cold fats and ice water for the flakiest crust; warm custard over hot filling prevents uneven cooking.

Remove moisture

Draining the sautéed vegetables prevents a watery custard and soggy bottom—taste, then press.

Overnight method

Bake the evening before, cool, refrigerate uncovered, then loosely tent with foil to reheat—texture stays silky.

Size swap

Recipe fits a 9-inch tart or an 8-inch square pan; increase bake time 5 min for thicker slices.

Flavor boost

Add 1 tsp white truffle oil to custard or finish with a whisper of smoked paprika for intrigue.

Color pop

Fold in ¼ cup chopped roasted red pepper for ruby flecks that scream celebration.

Variations to Try

Leek & Butternut: swap mushrooms for 1 cup sautéed leeks and 1 cup diced roasted butternut; season with sage.
Mediterranean: use sun-dried tomato, spinach, and feta; spike custard with oregano and lemon.
Smoky Bacon: add 4 strips crisped bacon crumble; replace porcini liquid with bacon drippings (reduce salt).
Mini party bites: press dough into 24 mini-muffin tins; bake 18 min for pop-in-your-mouth appetizers.
Spicy Southwest: fold roasted poblano, pepper jack, and corn kernels into custard; dust top with ancho chile.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Cool tart completely, cover loosely with foil, and refrigerate up to 4 days. To reheat whole, place in 300 °F oven 12–15 min; individual slices microwave in 30-second bursts but oven keeps crust crisp.

Freezer: Chill tart 2 h, cut into slices, wrap each in plastic then foil, freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat as above. Custuct may weep slightly; blot with paper towel and refresh in low oven.

Make-ahead components: Dough may be mixed, rolled, and frozen in pan (wrapped) up to 1 month. Vegetables keep 3 days refrigerated; custard base 2 days. Assemble and bake day of for optimal texture.