If you love the rustic charm of a free-form galette but are short on time, this Easy Vegetable Galette is about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner. By utilizing brilliant kitchen shortcuts like store-bought refrigerated pie crusts and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, this luxurious dish comes together with minimal effort.
The secret to its rich, decadent flavor is a creamy, thick sauce made from reduced heavy cream and a melting block of garlic and herb Boursin cheese. Mixed with the vegetables and baked on a flat sheet pan, it is the perfect introduction to the world of savory pies, requiring absolutely no special pie dishes or complicated dough-crimping techniques!
Pro-Tips for the Perfect Galette
To ensure your pastry is crisp and your filling stays thick and creamy, keep these crucial kitchen tips in mind:
- Drain the Vegetables: Do not skip the paper towel step! Frozen vegetables release a lot of water as they thaw and heat up. Ensuring they are completely drained and dry prevents your rich Boursin cream sauce from separating and keeps the bottom crust from getting soggy.
- Keep the Lardons Crispy: The recipe brilliantly has you scatter the cooked bacon pieces (lardons) over the top of the galette after it comes out of the oven. This ensures they maintain their shatteringly crisp texture instead of getting soft in the creamy filling while baking.
- The 2-Inch Border: When spreading your vegetable and cheese filling onto the pie dough, be strict about leaving a clean 2-inch border around the edge. You need this excess dough to fold up and overlap to contain the creamy sauce as it bubbles in the oven.
Delicious Variations to Try
This simple recipe is an excellent base for customizing with your favorite ingredients. Try these easy swaps:
- Make it Vegetarian: To make this a meat-free meal, simply omit the bacon. Sauté the chopped onions in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil instead of bacon fat before building your cream sauce.
- Change the Cheese: If you cannot find Boursin, you can substitute it with an equal amount of garlic and herb cream cheese, or even a soft, tangy goat cheese log mixed with a pinch of dried Italian herbs.
- Fresh Produce: When summer produce is booming, you can absolutely swap the frozen mix for fresh, par-cooked vegetables. Diced zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, or lightly steamed asparagus make beautiful additions!
Also Read : Kadai Mushroom Recipe
Easy Vegetable Galette
6
servings20
minutes45
minutes574
kcalIngredients
The Base and Vegetables:
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust dough
3 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained)
2 slices bacon (cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips/lardons)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
The Cream Sauce:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 (5.2 ounce) package spreadable French cheese (such as Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs flavor)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Crust:
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for the egg wash)
Directions
- Prep the Dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the refrigerated pie dough flat onto the prepared pan.
- Dry the Vegetables: Heat the thawed mixed vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl (with no added water) until warm, about 3 minutes. Line a platter with paper towels and pour the vegetables onto the towels to drain thoroughly. (Note: If you prefer softer vegetables, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on High for 5 minutes instead).
- Crisp the Bacon: Place the sliced bacon lardons in a nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until they are brown and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lardons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and set aside. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
- Sauté the Onions: Add the finely chopped onion to the same skillet with the bacon fat. Cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Build the Sauce Base: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, ensuring all the flour is moistened by the fat. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly and thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the Cheese: Crumble the Boursin cheese into the hot cream sauce and stir continuously until completely melted (1 to 2 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat and allow it to cool for 3 to 5 minutes (the sauce will be quite thick). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Combine the Filling: Fold the thoroughly drained vegetables into the cheese sauce until well mixed.
- Assemble the Galette: Pour the vegetable mixture directly onto the center of the pie crust, spreading it evenly to within 2 inches of the crust’s edges. Fold the bare edges of the dough up and over the outer ring of the vegetables. Dampen your fingers slightly with water and pinch the dough into little overlapping pleats to secure it. Brush the pleated dough lightly with the egg wash.
- Bake: Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the crust is a beautiful golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the galette from the oven and immediately scatter the reserved crispy bacon lardons evenly over the top. Let it cool on the pan or a wire rack for about 5 minutes before cutting into 6 slices. Serve warm!
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover galette slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or a toaster oven until warmed through to keep the crust crisp (microwaving will make the crust soggy).
