Can I make the dough with wheat flour?

Yes. Instead of 300 gr (10.6 oz.) of rye flour you can use 150 gr (5.3 oz.) of rye flour plus 150 gr (5.3 oz.) of wheat flour, which makes the dough a little more elastic and easier to roll out thinly. It also works with wheat flour alone, the base then tastes milder and less nutty. Depending on the flour you may need a little more or less water, the dough should be supple and not sticky.

Do I need to precook the potatoes?

No, as long as you slice them really thinly, ideally with a mandoline to 1 to 2 mm (1/16 inch). That way they cook through in the hot oven in 25 minutes. Waxy potatoes keep their shape, starchy ones turn softer. Thicker slices would stay raw while the crust is already turning dark.

Which cheese works, and is it vegetarian?

Savory hard cheeses such as mountain cheese, Gruyère or a strong Emmental work well, they melt nicely and turn golden. Many traditional hard cheeses are made with animal rennet and are strictly speaking not vegetarian. So look for cheese made with microbial rennet, which is usually labeled vegetarian in the shop.

Can I make the tarte flambée dough ahead?

Yes, the yeast-free dough is easy to prepare in advance. Wrapped in plastic wrap it keeps for 1 day in the fridge, let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling it out. Slice the potatoes only shortly before topping, otherwise they turn brown.

Can the potato tarte flambée be made vegan?

Yes. The dough is vegan anyway, so just replace the sour cream with a plant-based crème fraîche or creamy soy yogurt with a little lemon juice, and use grated plant-based cheese. 1 to 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast sprinkled over the topping adds extra savory depth.

16 SEPTEMBER 2026

Potato Tarte Flambée with Fennel and Rosemary

Name: Potato Tarte Flambée with Fennel and Rosemary
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4 servings (2 tarte flambées)
Ingredients: 300 gr (10.6 oz.) rye flour; 1 tsp salt; 180 ml (3/4 cup) water; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 2-3 waxy potatoes; 1 fennel bulb; 1 onion; 100 gr (3.5 oz.) sour cream; 100 gr (3.5 oz.) grated cheese; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; salt; pepper

By Verena Frei

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Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Servings: 4 servings (2 tarte flambées)

What can I cook tonight?Tap what you have at home and I will show you what fits.e.g. withrye flourpotatofennel

Hello lovelies,

tarte flambée is one of those dishes nobody in our house ever says no to, and as soon as it gets cooler outside, it is allowed to turn heartier. My potato tarte flambée with fennel and rosemary sits on a crisp rye crust that needs no yeast at all and only has to rest for 30 minutes. On top go sour cream, paper-thin potatoes, fennel, onion, cheese and rosemary, and you have a dinner where not a single piece is left at the end.

Potato tarte flambée with fennel cut into squares, photographed from above

If you already know my spinach tarte flambée with crème fraîche and almonds, you know how quickly a tarte flambée is topped. This time rye flour goes into the dough, which gives it a nutty, hearty flavor that goes wonderfully with potatoes and rosemary.

Potatoes and fennel

The most important thing is to slice the potatoes and fennel really thinly, then there is nothing to precook. I use waxy potatoes because they keep their shape in the oven. You can read which variety suits which dish in my guide on how to store potatoes: waxy or starchy.

Close-up of the potato tarte flambée with melted cheese, fennel strips and rosemary

In the oven fennel turns mild and almost sweet, and its aniseed flavor steps back noticeably. If you want to taste it properly caramelized, try my caramelized fennel on lemon ricotta, which makes a perfect starter.

Close-up of the golden rye crust edge of the potato tarte flambée

It is topped in layers: sour cream first, then potatoes, fennel and onions, with cheese and rosemary on top. After 25 to 30 minutes at 220°C (430°F) the crust is crispy and the cheese golden, so cut it right away and serve it hot.

Potato tarte flambée with fennel up close, with fresh rosemary on the golden cheese

Ingredients for the potato tarte flambée: rye flour, potatoes, fennel, rosemary, olive oil and salt

As a side I like to make my fennel arugula salad with pear and feta, so just buy 2 fennel bulbs and you have everything for an autumn dinner.

And if you still fancy something sweet afterwards, bake my apple tarte flambée with cinnamon and almonds for dessert. I would love to hear how you liked the potato tarte flambée.

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: slice the potatoes and fennel really thinly, that is the whole secret, then they cook without precooking and turn slightly crispy at the edges. The rye dough is firmer than pizza dough, so roll it out on plenty of flour and a little thinner than you think. With a fan oven at 200°C (390°F) you can bake both sheets at once and swap them halfway, with conventional heat bake them one after the other. If you like, scatter a few walnuts over the top before baking, they go wonderfully with the rosemary. A green salad with a tangy dressing is perfect alongside.

Potato Tarte Flambée with Fennel and Rosemary

Vegetarian tarte flambée on a crisp yeast-free rye crust, topped with sour cream, potatoes, fennel, onion, cheese and rosemary.

Course:Main Dish
Prep:25 min
Cook:30 min
Servings:4 servings (2 tarte flambées)

Vegetarian

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EQUIPMENT

Large bowl
Clean kitchen towel
Rolling pin
Mandoline or vegetable slicer
Grater
2 baking sheets lined with parchment

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

300gr (10.6 oz.)rye flour or half rye flour, half wheat flour
1tspsalt
180ml (3/4 cup)water lukewarm
2Tbspolive oil

For the topping:

2-3waxy potatoes about 300 gr (10.6 oz.)
1fennel bulb
1onion
100gr (3.5 oz.)sour cream or crème fraîche
100gr (3.5 oz.)grated cheese for example mountain cheese
2sprigsfresh rosemary
salt to taste
pepper to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

Make the dough

Mix the rye flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and knead everything by hand or with a stand mixer into a smooth dough. If it is still sticky, add a little flour.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Prepare the topping

Wash the potatoes, peel them if you like and slice them paper-thin on the mandoline.
Wash the fennel and slice it thinly as well. Peel the onion and slice it into thin rings. Grate the cheese.
Season the sour cream with salt and pepper.

Roll out, top and bake

Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) conventional heat. Halve the dough and roll each half out thinly on a floured surface. Place them on the lined baking sheets.
Spread the sour cream over both bases, leaving a narrow border. Arrange the potato slices, fennel and onion rings on top.
Scatter the cheese over the top, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary needles.
Bake the tarte flambées for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust and cheese are golden. Serve hot, cut into pieces.

Calories: 510 kcal
Protein: 17 g

GOOD TO KNOW

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Instead of 300 gr (10.6 oz.) of rye flour you can use 150 gr (5.3 oz.) of rye flour plus 150 gr (5.3 oz.) of wheat flour, which makes the dough a little more elastic and easier to roll out thinly. It also works with wheat flour alone, the base then tastes milder and less nutty. Depending on the flour you may need a little more or less water, the dough should be supple and not sticky.
No, as long as you slice them really thinly, ideally with a mandoline to 1 to 2 mm (1/16 inch). That way they cook through in the hot oven in 25 minutes. Waxy potatoes keep their shape, starchy ones turn softer. Thicker slices would stay raw while the crust is already turning dark.
Savory hard cheeses such as mountain cheese, Gruyère or a strong Emmental work well, they melt nicely and turn golden. Many traditional hard cheeses are made with animal rennet and are strictly speaking not vegetarian. So look for cheese made with microbial rennet, which is usually labeled vegetarian in the shop.
Yes, the yeast-free dough is easy to prepare in advance. Wrapped in plastic wrap it keeps for 1 day in the fridge, let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling it out. Slice the potatoes only shortly before topping, otherwise they turn brown.
Yes. The dough is vegan anyway, so just replace the sour cream with a plant-based crème fraîche or creamy soy yogurt with a little lemon juice, and use grated plant-based cheese. 1 to 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast sprinkled over the topping adds extra savory depth.

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TAGS:TARTEPOTATOESFENNELROSEMARYBAKEDSAVORYCRISPYFALLLUNCHVEGETARIAN

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