Herbed Cream Cheese Cucumber Tarts
Cucumber Tarts
Elegant bite-sized tarts with tangy cream cheese filling, fresh herbs, and crisp cucumber slices. Perfect for entertaining.
Nutrition (per serving)
These herbed cream cheese cucumber tarts are the kind of elegant appetizer that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly, they come together in a flash. I love making these for summer gatherings and entertaining—they're refreshing, beautifully presented, and packed with bright herbaceous flavors that just sing on the palate. The creamy filling gets a wonderful tang from the cream cheese, while fresh dill and chives bring that garden-fresh quality that makes people ask for the recipe.
What really makes these tarts special is how the crisp cucumber plays against the soft, luxurious filling. The golden pastry shell gives you that satisfying textural contrast too. You can prep everything ahead and assemble them just before serving, which means you'll actually get to enjoy your own party instead of being stuck in the kitchen. They're equally brilliant as a light lunch or elegant starter for a dinner party.
Ingredients
- Pre-baked mini tartlets or phyllo cups:12 pieces
- Cream cheese, softened:8 oz
- Fresh dill, chopped:2 tbsp
- Fresh chives, chopped:1.5 tbsp
- Lemon zest:1 tsp
- Lemon juice:1 tbsp
- Salt:0.25 tsp
- Black pepper:0.125 tsp
- English cucumber:1 whole
- Garlic, minced:0.5 tsp
- Cream or sour cream:1 tbsp
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese with minced garlic, fresh dill, chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and well combined.
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Season the herbed cream cheese mixture with salt and pepper, then fold in the tablespoon of cream to reach a spreadable consistency.
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Slice the English cucumber into thin rounds, roughly ⅛-inch thick. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
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Spoon or pipe the herbed cream cheese filling into each tartlet shell, filling it about three-quarters full.
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Arrange 2-3 cucumber slices slightly overlapping on top of each tart.
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Garnish with a tiny pinch of fresh dill and a few flakes of lemon zest on each tart.
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Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. These are best enjoyed within a few hours of assembly.
Tips & Notes
- If you can't find pre-baked tartlets, use store-bought phyllo cups or even crispy rounds of toasted bread as your base.
- Slice your cucumber just before assembling to keep them fresh and crisp—moisture is the enemy here.
- Make the herbed cream cheese filling up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge. Just assemble the tarts shortly before serving.
- For a little extra elegance, add a tiny caper or a single dill frond on top of each tart before serving.
