Vegan Blueberry Tart

You won’t believe how fresh and fruity this vegan blueberry tart tastes! Vanilla shortcrust pastry (pâte sablée) is topped with a generous filling of juicy blueberries and finished with a shiny glaze for a bakery-style finish. It’s a wonderful dessert to serve during summertime!

Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits, and since they’re now in season, I thought it would be the ideal time to make a vegan blueberry tart! And not any tart — my version is based on the traditional French classic with a few tweaks to make it extra juicy, fresh, and as tasty as the one you would get from your favorite bakery!

This blueberry tart has a flaky homemade crust flavored with vanilla and a thick layer of juicy blueberries. There is no need to say that my tart is a crowd-pleaser and perfect for summertime. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I can assure you that you are in for a special treat!

⭐️ Why You Will Love It

As tasty as the bakery one (if not better).

This recipe is inspired by the blueberry tarts that you can find in most bakeries in France during the Summer season. Actually, I think it tastes even better than the ones from the bakeries for a couple of reasons. The first one is that it’s not overly sweet. Bakeries tend to cut costs by increasing the amount of sugar and reducing the amount of blueberries. This results in tarts that are more than often too sweet, at least for my taste.

The second reason is that the filling of this tart is THICK. Forget about tarts where the filling is as thin as the crust! This tart is packed with blueberry flavor thanks to the generous amount of filling.

Bonus point: I finished the tart with a thin glaze to give it that shiny bakery finish!

Simple and foolproof.

My recipe slightly differs in the process compared to traditional French blueberry tarts. See, the classic ones are usually entirely baked in the oven. That means the crust is generally sprinkled with almond flour (to absorb the juice of the blueberries) and then topped with blueberries before being baked. Here, I par-bake the crust first and then pour the blueberry filling over it. Why? First, it removes the need for almond flour and makes this recipe nut-free. Secondly, it prevents the crust from getting soggy, even after a couple of days in the refrigerator!

Juicy and fruity.

For me, a good blueberry tart should have a juicy and soft filling without a jelly-like consistency. It should also contain some whole blueberries and not look like jam. I tested the filling multiple times until it reached the consistency I was looking for. My goal was to get a consistency where it could be sliced without making a mess while still keeping the points I mentioned earlier. I achieved this by using a combination of agar + cornstarch, but more on that below.

Ingredients like blueberries, butter, flour, and maple syrup.

🫐 Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients that you will need to prepare this tart:

Vegan butter

Butter is a key ingredient in preparing shortcrust pastry, also known as pâte sablée in French. It brings a rich and buttery flavor that cannot be achieved with other alternatives, such as coconut oil. Yes, the latter can work, but the results are not even half as good, so please use vegan butter to make the crust. You can use store-bought vegan butter such as Earth Balance, Country Crock, or Violife, or use homemade vegan butter.

It’s essential to keep your butter chilled until the moment you are ready to use it.

Flour

All-purpose flour is the base of the shortcrust pastry, responsible for the crust’s sandy and slightly flaky texture.

If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I had good results in the past with King Arthur 1:1 gluten-free flour but I guess Bob’s Red Mill will work too. Just be aware that the texture is slightly different when using gluten-free flour. It tends to feel a bit coarser.

Powdered sugar

While the crust is not particularly sweet, it needs a bit of sugar to get a golden-brown color during baking. It also helps create a shortbread-like texture.

Blueberries

Blueberries are the star ingredient of this recipe! You will need 2 full cups of blueberries for an 8-inch tart.

I tested this tart with both fresh and frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries, at least the brand I used, yield a slightly stronger blueberry flavor than fresh ones. I didn’t notice any difference in sweetness, though, but that will depend on the type of blueberries you use.

Note: If you can get your hands on wild blueberries, go for it! According to the WBANA (Wild Blueberry Association of North America), wild blueberries have a higher skin-to-pulp ratio, which yields a more intense flavor. I had the chance to pick up some last summer, and I can confirm that their flavor is hard to beat!

Lemon juice

A squeeze of lemon juice takes the filling from good to delicious. When I first tried this recipe without lemon juice, it tasted great, but I felt something was missing. The addition of lemon juice enhances the blueberry flavor by bringing a touch of tanginess. It also helps the blueberries keep their purple color.

Maple syrup

To sweeten the filling, I went with maple syrup. While you can use granulated sugar, I like that extra flavor maple syrup brings. On top of making the recipe a bit healthier, it adds a subtle caramel-like flavor that balances pretty well with the blueberries.

Agar and cornstarch

After testing multiple thickeners, I found that agar + cornstarch was the ultimate combo. Cornstarch does two things: It thickens the blueberry filling and absorbs some of the blueberry juice, preventing the crust from getting soggy. Agar helps the filling set as it cools down.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I believe arrowroot would make a good substitute for cornstarch.

Note: The amount noted in the ingredient list is for agar powder, not agar flakes. If you want to use flakes, you will have to triple the amount as flakes are less concentrated than powder.

Vanilla extract

Finally, comes the vanilla extract, which I use in both the crust and the filling. It boosts the freshness and enhances the overall flavor profile. You can use high-quality store-bought vanilla extract such as Watkins vanilla extract or check my homemade vanilla extract recipe.

🥣 How to Make It

Shortcrust Pastry

While the blueberry filling is obviously the star of this recipe, I took special care to make sure the pastry crust tasted as good as possible, too. Hint: it does, people who tried this tart loved the crust! One of my testers said: “The crust is particularly good, it reminds me of shortbread cookies!”. With that being said, let’s prepare the crust:

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a bowl or stand mixer and mix until combined.
Add the cold butter. Next, dice the cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add them to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms a fine sandy texture. If you are using a stand mixer, mix on low speed using the paddle attachment.

Add the ice water. Once the texture resembles sand, add the ice water and vanilla extract. Knead until it forms a dough. Do not over-knead and stop as soon as the dough comes together.

To make the ice water: add 1/4 cup of water to a small bowl and 2-3 ice cubes. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Note: I used 2 tablespoons of ice water for the dough, but you might have to adjust that amount depending on the brand of flour and butter used.

Prepare your pie pan. Lightly grease an 8-inch pie pan with a dollop of vegan butter.
Flatten the dough. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and top it with another layer of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to a ⅛-inch thick (about 5mm) circle.
Transfer to the pan. Next, transfer the flattened dough to your pie plate and gently press the dough into the sides. If there is still excess dough, trim it using a pair of scissors or run the rolling pin on the edges of the plate to cut it off.
Prick the dough. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. This will allow the steam to escape and prevent the crust from puffing up.
Cover with parchment paper. Cut a circle of parchment paper large enough to fit the bottom of your crust. Place it inside the pan, on top of the crust, leaving the edges uncovered.

Fill with pie weights. Top the layer of parchment paper with pie weights or dry beans. I usually use a mix of expired dried beans. The weights will prevent the crust from puffing during baking.
Bake. Bake the crust in the lower rack of your oven for about 15 minutes or until the sides are slightly golden brown. Next, carefully remove the weights and the parchment paper and bake for another 15 minutes. The bottom of your crust should be golden brown. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the blueberry filling.

Blueberry Filling

Once your crust is ready, it’s time to prepare that thick and juicy blueberry filling!

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan. Add the blueberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, agar powder, and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan.
Cook the blueberries. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly, and cook for 5-7 minutes. Once the blueberries are soft and start to pop, mash about 1/3 of them using a wooden spoon or spatula by pressing them to the side of the saucepan.
Thicken the filling. Next, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the pan. Stir and cook for one more minute or until the filling has thickened.

Pour into the pie crust. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the filling into the pie crust. Use a spoon to spread it into an even layer.
Chill. Allow the tart to cool at room temperature for about 1 hour before transferring it to the refrigerator. The filling will thicken as it cools, plus this pie tastes a lot better fresh!

How to glaze it

If you want to give your tart a shiny finish, you have three options:

Agar glaze: This is the one I used here. That glaze consists of sugar, water, and agar that are brought to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Then, you can use a pastry brush to spread the glaze on top of the tart. I found that agar glaze is the one that gives the tart that “mirror” finish.
Simple syrup: If you have simple syrup, simply spread a thin layer on top of the tart.
Blueberry jam: Another option is to use blueberry jam to glaze your tart. To do so, melt 2 tablespoons of blueberry jam with a tablespoon of water over medium heat. Once the jam is thinner, spread it on top of the tart.

Let it cool before glazing: I recommend allowing the tart to chill for at least 2 hours at room temperature before glazing it. If you are using the agar glaze, do not try to glaze a chilled tart as it would set instantly when you try to brush it.

Shortcrust pastry filled with blueberry filling.

📔 Tips

Use cold butter. It’s very important to use cold butter when preparing the shortcrust pastry. If your butter is at room temperature, your dough will be very soft, sticky, and hard to work with. In addition, the texture won’t be as sandy or flaky. For the best results, dice your butter, transfer it to a bowl, and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. This way your butter will be perfectly cold.
Adjust the amount of sugar. Depending on the sweetness of your blueberries, you might have to adjust the amount of sugar. I suggest tasting the blueberry filling before adding the cornstarch to ensure the sweetness is to your liking. For information, I noticed that the filling tastes less sweet once it is cool.

Slice of blueberry tart topped with vanilla ice cream.

🍨 What to Serve It With

You can serve this blueberry tart as an afternoon pick-me-up or for dessert topped with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream!

❄️ Storing and Freezing

To store: You can store this blueberry tart for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Once completely cool, you can freeze the tart either whole or in slices for up to 2 months. Wrap them in plastic wrap before transferring them to the freezer.

💬 FAQ

Can I omit the glaze?

Sure! The glaze is completely optional, your tart will taste just as good without it.

Can I make this tart ahead of time? Will it get soggy?

If you plan to serve this tart to guests, you can make it up to 2 days ahead of time. The crust will start to soften after 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

If you like blueberries as much as I do, you are going to love this tart. It is super generous in blueberries, perfectly sweet, and kind of addictive! Top with vanilla or coconut ice cream, and enjoy!

🥧 More Fruit Tart Recipes

French Apple Tart

Vegan Strawberry Tart (Or Tartlets!)

Easy Plum Tart

Apricot Tart

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in August 2019 and was updated in April 2024 with new photos and process shots. The first recipe was made with a gluten-free oat crust, which I changed to a shortcrust pastry.

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About the Author

Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.

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