Mini Spinach Artichoke Tarts make a tasty two-bite appetizer. Made with mascarpone or cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, they’re ideal party food for any season.
Mini party appetizers, pre-made and tucked away in the freezer are life-savers! And these Mini Spinach Artichoke Tarts make ideal finger food for parties year-round. Oozing with cheesy goodness, they’re sure to be snapped up by hungry friends and family at your next get-together.
These mini appetizer tarts are delicious warm, straight from the oven, but they’re just as good at room temperature, too. Make them ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze and warm them in the oven just before serving time.
They’re tiny two-bite snacks filled with healthy spinach, tangy artichokes and salty cheese in a soft pastry shell.
Tips for making flaky pastry
I use my Never-Fail Pastry recipe to make these mini appetizer tarts, as it makes a dough that is very easy to work with. It rolls out beautifully and rarely tears.
While some cooks prefer to use shortening, or half butter and half shortening, I like to use all butter. Butter makes a rich flaky pastry with lots of flavour. Unsalted butter is recommended as it has a sweeter flavour. If you use salted butter, reduce the amount of salt you add to the dough.
Roll the pastry gently and as little as possible, always pressing from the center of the dough towards the edges. In this way, it will roll out in an even thickness. I like mine to be about 1/8th of an inch thick for tarts.
The secret to flaky pastry? Handle it as little as possible!
Use a cookie cutter, jar lid or a large glass to cut circles to fit the inside of your tart tins. Ease the dough in gently, crimping the edges if you like.
For more pastry-making tips, check out this guide.
Can I make these Spinach Artichoke Tarts with gluten-free pastry?
Yes! Will they be as tender? No. However, I have successfully made these Spinach Artichoke Tarts using gluten-free pastry both as mini tarts and as regularly sized tarts. I used a simple recipe from Bob’s Red Mill that uses Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking flour that I always have on hand.
Mini Spinach Artichoke Tarts make a tasty two-bite appetizer. Made with mascarpone or cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, they're ideal party food for any season.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter chilled
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts* drained and chopped
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves coarse stems removed, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (100 g) Mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 cup (150 g) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese finely grated
Put flour and salt in food processor and pulse.
Cube butter, then add to flour in processor bowl and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.
Add vinegar to milk. Add all at once to flour mixture. Pulse until it just forms a ball.
Remove and divide into two balls. Place on waxed paper or plastic wrap, flatten gently into a disc, top with another layer of wrap, fold over and refrigerate if not using right away.
Roll out and cut to fit your tart tins. Press gently into tins, smoothing out any creases. Prick several times with the tines of a fork.
Add coarsely chopped spinach leaves to a skillet over low heat. Stir occasionally as spinach wilts. Turn off heat and set aside until ready to add to tart mixture.
Turn off heat and set aside until ready to add to tart mixture.
In a 2 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium hear. Cook onion in butter until softened.
Add mascarpone or cream cheese and stir until melted and combined.
Add salt and pepper.
Remove from heat, stir in finely chopped artichoke hearts and wilted spinach.
Add grated cheese, reserving 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and stir until well blended.
Fill tart shells.
Bake at 400°F. for 18 - 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then continue cooling on rack, or serve immediately.
Refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
If using frozen artichokes, use 6 or 7 artichoke hearts, thawed and well drained.
If using frozen spinach, your filling will not have as much flavour. You could substitute approximately 1/3 of a 10 ounce package of frozen spinach (very well squeezed out) for the fresh spinach in this recipe. But use fresh if you have it! Wilting fresh spinach takes less time than measuring and squeezing out frozen spinach.
More finger-food inspiration for you!
- Mini Cheese Balls on a Stick
- Holiday Cheese and Olive Appetizer Wreath
- Cranberry Glazed Chili Chicken Wings
- Spicy Stuffed Mini Peppers
- 5 Tips for making Perfect Crostini
- How to make Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates
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Dierdre says
I made these tarts for appetizers during the holidays and they were snapped up. I froze half of them and reheated them in the oven. Delicious!