Description
These caramelized onion and goat cheese bites are elegant, savory appetizers featuring sweet, slow-cooked onions on flaky puff pastry, topped with creamy goat cheese and fresh thyme. Perfectly golden and bursting with flavor, they make a delightful starter or party snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Caramelized Onions
- 3 red onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Bites
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
- 100 g soft goat cheese
- 1 twig fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 egg, whisked
- 25 g arugula (optional)
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat a skillet over low heat and add olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until they become soft and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add brown sugar or balsamic vinegar and continue cooking for a few more minutes to caramelize. Remove from heat once caramelized and set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200˚C (400˚F) to prepare for baking the bites.
- Prepare Puff Pastry Rounds: Using a round cutter about 7 cm in diameter, cut rounds from the defrosted puff pastry sheet. With a slightly smaller cutter, press inside each round without cutting all the way through to create a border. Prick holes in the center of each round with a fork to prevent puffing up.
- Assemble the Bites: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of caramelized onion mixture into the center of each pastry round. Crumble soft goat cheese generously over the onions and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
- Bake: Place the assembled bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Optionally, garnish with fresh arugula leaves. Serve warm as an elegant appetizer or snack.
Notes
- Use a low heat to caramelize onions slowly for the best sweetness without burning.
- The smaller inner cutter helps keep a border so the filling stays in place while baking.
- Arugula adds a peppery freshness but can be omitted if preferred.
- Make sure the puff pastry is properly thawed before cutting and baking for even rising.
- These bites can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite (approx. 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 233 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 133 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.003 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
