Pissaladière Recipe: Classic French Caramelized Onion Tart 2026

Isabel Gaines
Pissaladière Recipe: Classic French Caramelized Onion Tart
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Pissaladière is a culinary gem from the south of France, a savory tart that sits somewhere between a focaccia and a rustic pizza. It is made with simple ingredients, is very easy to prepare, and the result is an exquisite bite.

The traditional pissaladière is made with just a few ingredients, so choosing good-quality products will make all the difference in the result. The dough, similar to focaccia, is topped with julienned onions cooked slowly until sweet and lightly caramelized, canned anchovies arranged in a lattice pattern over the entire surface, and last but not least, black olives.


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Although the classic recipe remains the favorite, pissaladière has inspired many reinterpretations, with versions that omit the anchovies to make it vegetarian, others that use red onions for a more intense flavor, and even some that add a tomato base. Among the possible ways to customize this recipe, one of the most delicious is adding a light layer of mustard before the caramelized onions and serving it with goat cheese on top. The result is irresistible!

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Sliced pissaladière ready to serve on a wooden board

Whole pissaladière tart with caramelized onions, anchovies and black olives

Single portion of pissaladière showing the fluffy crust and onion topping

Ingredients for Pissaladière

This recipe yields 16 servings.

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  • 500 g bread flour
  • 6 g salt
  • 5 g dry baker's yeast (or 15 g fresh yeast)
  • 95 ml olive oil
  • 300 ml water
  • 40 ml olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 900 g onions, cut into julienne strips
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 25 canned anchovies
  • 1 handful of black olives

Ingredients for pissaladière arranged on a kitchen counter

How to Make Pissaladière Step by Step

1. Make the Dough

Start by preparing the pissaladière dough. Put 500 grams of bread flour, 6 grams of salt, 5 grams of dry baker's yeast, 95 ml of olive oil, and 300 ml of water in a bowl. Knead for 10-15 minutes, until you get a smooth dough.

Hands kneading the pissaladière dough in a bowl

2. Let the Dough Rise

Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean cloth, and let it rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature, until it doubles in size.

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Ball of pissaladière dough covered and left to rise

3. Brown the Garlic

While the dough rises, move on to the topping. Heat 40 ml of olive oil in a large skillet and, once hot, lightly brown 2 garlic cloves.

Garlic cloves browning in olive oil in a skillet

4. Cook the Onions

Add 900 grams of julienned onions with 2 bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly caramelized. Set aside.

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Caramelized onions cooking slowly in a skillet with bay leaves

5. Stretch the Dough

Once the dough has fermented, degas it and stretch it into a rectangular shape of about 30 x 40 cm. Place the stretched dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Pissaladière dough stretched into a rectangle on a baking tray

6. Add the Onions and Bake

Preheat the oven to 190 °C with top and bottom heat. Spread the onion over the dough, covering the entire surface. Bake the pissaladière for 15 minutes.

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Caramelized onions spread evenly over the pissaladière dough

7. Add the Anchovies and Olives

Remove the pissaladière from the oven and arrange about 25 canned anchovies on the surface in a lattice pattern, as shown in the following image. Depending on the size of your anchovies, you may need more or fewer to achieve the desired design. Then distribute the black olives in the center of each lattice square and return the pissaladière to the oven for 10 minutes.

Anchovies arranged in a lattice pattern with black olives on the pissaladière

8. Let It Cool

Remove the pissaladière from the oven and let it cool slightly before cutting it into portions.

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Pissaladière cooling on a wire rack after baking

9. Serve

Cut it into portions and serve warm or cold. It is delicious either way.

Close-up of the soft texture of the pissaladière crumb and topping

Tips for the Best Pissaladière

Choose Quality Ingredients

The traditional pissaladière is made with few ingredients, so the choice of good-quality products will make the difference in the result. The dough, similar to focaccia, is covered with julienned onions cooked slowly until sweet and lightly caramelized, canned anchovies arranged in a lattice over the entire surface, and last but not least, black olives.

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Try a Twist

Although the classic recipe remains the favorite, pissaladière has given rise to numerous reinterpretations, with versions that omit the anchovies to make it vegetarian, or others that use red onions for a more intense flavor, and even some that add a tomato base.

Add Mustard and Goat Cheese

Among the possible customization options for this recipe, one of the richest is achieved by adding a light layer of mustard before the caramelized onion and serving it accompanied by goat cheese on top. The result is irresistible!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes (plus rising time)
Servings 16
Category Appetizer
Cuisine French
Calories 185 kcal per serving

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Isabel Gaines

Author

Isabel Gaines

As a former restaurant owner turned reporter, Isabel brings a unique perspective to Grand Goldman. With decades of experience, her articles on cooking and homemaking are both informative and engaging, reflecting her deep knowledge and love for all things culinary.


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