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by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.
Published: May 12, 2017, Updated: April 19, 2025
Tarte flambée (flammkuchen) is a crispy flatbread and my version uses asparagus, bacon, and onion for a spring twist you’ll love.
The traditional flammkuchen recipe topping is crème fraîche, covered with strips of bacon and thinly sliced raw onions, however I've been in restaurants throughout Germany that have an actual menu card full of variations, from savory to sweet.
This dish began with Alsatian farmers who used thin dough to test the heat of their wood-fired ovens before baking bread. Its name, which translates to "pie baked in the flames," comes from this fiery tradition.
Over time, it evolved into a regional favorite that beautifully blends German and French influences. Tarte flambée, known as flammkuchen or flammekueche in German, is often compared to pizza or flatbread and is especially popular in Alsace (which shifted between German and French control) and the nearby German regions of Rheinland and Baden-Württemberg.
Having neither a wood-fired oven or crème fraiche readily available, the following recipe is the one I use. In fact, I use an unleavened dough, making it extra fast.
From start to finish, it can be on the table in just over one hour. There are many versions of tarte flambée recipes, many with yeast or baking powder, some even using puff pastry. Creativity rules in this.
I've not done it this way, but this is what I've been told: If you have a baking stone, you can use it by preheating it in the oven for about half an hour at 500°F near the top of the oven.
Transfer the unbaked flammkuchen to the stone with a pizza peel, just as you would a pizza. This should bake in about 10 minutes. If needed, turn the broiler on for about 3 minutes to brown the top.
If you do it this way, do let me know how it turns out. :)
(Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.)
Here I'm making flammkuchen with sliced asparagus, caramelized onions, and rendered diced bacon. This is going to be SO good!
When the dough has been oiled, it's easy to roll out. It doesn't stick to the rolling pin and doesn't need to be on a floured work surface to roll out. If it's done right on the parchment paper, you can just lift the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet.
This one is ready for the oven.
There are so many different toppings that are served on the flammkuchen. Traditionally, it's just the raw onions and thin strips of bacon. However the following additions and combinations are all delicious for a savory tart:
Make this as a dessert by topping the thin dough with sliced apples, cinnamon, and sugar on top of the Greek yogurt.
Tarte flambée, aka flammkuchen, is German pizza with a twist! So easy to make, quick and easy to get creative with. Enjoy this Alsatian treat that’s SO traditionally German!
Prep Time:
45 minutes
Bake Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings:
Makes 2-4 servings
Dough:
Topping:
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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Recipe update: April 19, 2025
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