• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Mad about Macarons
  • Recipes
  • French Food Guides
    • All Guides
    • Market Guide (fruit & veg)
    • Best Paris Tea Rooms
    • Food Travel From Paris
    • Paris Pâtisseries & More
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • French Food Guides
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home • Recipes • Spring Recipes

    Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart

    Published: Apr 16, 2022 · Modified: May 29, 2023 by Jill Colonna10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Quick and easy recipe for French asparagus puff pastry tart with parmesan and a creamy lemon base. Baked in only 25 minutes, it celebrates Spring season.

    Had this tart tonight and all family members agreed that it was absolutely scrumptious. Will definitely cook it again! - Danni

    asparagus tart on wooden board in the sun

    Can Puff Pastry Be Used as a Tart Crust?

    Ever rustle up a family lunch so fast that it doesn't even seem like a recipe?  This is my best example and the reason why I haven't even posted it on le blog before. I have been making this for years without a recipe as a guide, nor have I thought much about the proportions! Until now, to be able to share this.

    The best part of this tart recipe is that it's so quick to make thanks to using ready-made puff pastry.

    Puff pastry is ideal as a tart crust as it doesn't even need a tart tin. Just use it flat, score with a knife in from the sides to create a little outside crust. Then it's so easy to spread over a thick lemon and parmesan cream and top with halved asparagus spears.

    Here I use ready-made rolled round puff pastry but if yours is square or rectangular, then this tart is great in all shapes! If using frozen puff, then simply defrost before using.

    asparagus spears like sun rays on a tart

    French Asparagus with Nuts

    As soon as our French asparagus season arrives at the local markets, we love all the varieties - from white, purple and green to the little bundles of wild spears. All kinds work well on this tart.

    What's more, top the tart with a handful of slivered nuts, hazelnuts or walnuts and the taste is taken to another level.

    Ever tried them together? So simple yet so elegant, it adds that little bit crunchy texture that makes it all the more French.

    How to Make Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart

    ingredients for an asparagus tart

    • First roll out a sheet of ready-made puff pastry. 
    • This almost feels like cheating but, as ready-rolled puff (pâte feuillétée) is such a regular item to be found in the supermarkets' chilled sections, why not make use of our 'fast food' à la française.
      Ensure you buy 'pure beurre' - the butter version of puff pastry is so much better.
    • Using the back of a sharp knife, score a light line about 1cm from the edge of the puff. This will help raise the puff pastry to create a natural tart edge in the oven.

    preparing asparagus spears

    How to Prepare the Asparagus Spears

    • Prepare the asparagus spears by snapping off the bottoms about a quarter up, where they snap naturally.  If green asparagus, trim off the triangular pedoncules (this makes it easier to digest).
    • If white or purple asparagus, thinly peel of the tougher, outer skin.

    For much more about this Spring vegetable, how to prepare, roast and seasonal recipes,
    see the market's French asparagus page.

    making parmesan lemon cream

    Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart with Cheese

    To make a quick sauce, just stir together a couple of egg yolks, crème fraîche, lemon zest and add some freshly grated parmesan. Please don't use the ready prepared sachets of grated parmesan.

    For the full flavour to make this tart extra special, grate from a block of fresh parmesan (even better, Reggiano).

    We have tried this on many occasions using grated Gruyère or Emmental (these are also easy to find ready-grated in the French supermarkets).  While the latter is also good, as it's lighter than the others, anything like Gruyère or Comté are a little too overwhelming for asparagus, in my humble opinion.

    If you love cheese with asparagus, then try these mini asparagus clafoutis served in a puddle of silky parmesan sauce. The combination is divine. Asparagus Clafoutis Recipe with Parmesan Sauce is also on video.

    What to do with the extra whites?
    Keep them aside in the fridge and make any of these egg white recipes.

    grating lemon and parmesan into bowl

    Easy Recipe for Asparagus

    As well as the lemon zest, I like to add a touch of turmeric. It's not only a cheaper version of saffron, but it's also healthy too and an excellent match with lemon. Try it in this savoury white asparagus and lemon clafoutis.

    My husband, Antoine, has been adding ground turmeric to so many dishes to help naturally rebuild knee cartilage (don't get me started!)  The addition is totally optional but it's such a subtle touch that adds that je ne sais quoi too.

    spreading on lemon parmesan cream on puff pastry

    • Season with a grinding of a little salt and pepper.
    • Spread the lemon parmesan cream on the puff pastry. Push it towards the scored border, leaving a 1cm space at the edge all the way around.  Scoring the border just puffs up the pastry on the sides.
    making an asparagus tart
    try asparagus with nuts - ever since we tried this in Parisian restaurants it's a game changer

    How Long Do you Bake Puff Pastry?

    For this asparagus tart, first sprinkle with a little more grated parmesan and some nuts. Ready-made puff pastry only takes about 20-25 minutes to bake.

    So this beauty not just bakes the puff pastry in 25 minutes but roasts the halved asparagus spears at the same time.

    close up of a creamy crusty asparagus tart

    How to Serve

    Serve the tart hot or warm from the oven for either a starter if entertaining or as a light lunch or supper.
    Top with a little fresh chervil or other light aromatic herb of your choice.

    round tart on wooden board with asparagus spears laid out like the rays of the sun

    More Easy Recipes With Puff Pastry

    Ready-made puff pastry is such a handy ingredient to have in the fridge - especially as it's easy to whip up a quick tart with it, both savoury and sweet. Here are our family favourites:

    • Quick French Apple Tart (Tarte fine aux pommes)
    • Onion Tarte Tatin with Cheese - recipe also on video
    • Tarte Tatin - the classic French dessert
    asparagus tart on wooden board in the sun

    Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart

    Jill Colonna
    Quick and easy French recipe for fresh asparagus tart with puff pastry and a creamy parmesan base. Baked in just 25 minutes.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Light Lunch
    Cuisine French
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 372 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 Asparagus spears
    • 230-280g (17oz) pack ready-rolled puff pastry (or defrosted if frozen)
    • 2 egg yolks organic *
    • 200 g (7oz/ ¾ cup) crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt if unable to find)
    • 100 g (3.5oz/ 1 cup) parmesan grated
    • 1 lemon, grated zest only unwaxed, organic
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1 tablespoon slivered almonds or hazelnuts
    • 1 tablespoon chervil or other fresh herbs to garnish (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
    • Roll out the sheet of puff pastry (either if ready rolled or roll out) and, using the back of a sharp knife, score a border 1cm from the edge.
    • Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus, where they break naturally about ¼ up from the bottom and trim off the pendoncules. Cut the spears in half horizontally to make 16 halves.
    • In a bowl, mix together the yolks, crème fraîche, turmeric, grated parmesan (leave some for later) and lemon. Season with a few turns of the salt and peppermill to your taste. Spread evenly over the tart pushing to the scored edge. Top with the asparagus and top with remaining parmesan and sprinkle over the almonds or hazelnuts.
    • Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Before serving, top with a crowning bundle of fresh chervil or any other of your favourite fresh herbs.

    Notes

    For more details on how to prepare them, see the Asparagus page.
    * Save the egg whites (can keep for up to a week in a covered jar in the fridge - otherwise freeze for later) to make French tuiles or financiers from my book, Teatime in Paris. 
    Keyword asparagus recipes, asparagus tart, quick asparagus recipe

    More Easy Spring Recipes

    • ice cream scoop of pink sorbet in a tub
      Rhubarb Sorbet (Sorbet à la rhubarbe)
    • rhubarb cake with almonds
      Rhubarb Cake (Gâteau à la rhubarbe)
    • green asparagus spears baked in a roasting tin topped with toasted hazelnuts
      Oven-Roasted Asparagus (Asperges rôties)
    • cup of lemon ice cream with strawberries
      Creamy Lemon Ice Cream (Glace au citron)
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Please leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Made this? Rate this recipe...




    1. Trudi Gomez

      May 14, 2023 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      Morning Jill , my Asparagus tart was wonderful we loved it ,I did add a little more Parmesan cheese and that did the trick,thank you

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 14, 2023 at 10:38 am

        So glad you liked it, Trudi. Thanks for your feedback x

        Reply
    2. Trudi Gomez

      May 11, 2023 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      Hi Jill
      Thank you for responding so quickly, yes I did weigh everything exactly, but I think I’ll add just a tad more Parmesan ,I’ll let you know the outcome.Trudi

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 11, 2023 at 12:06 pm

        No worries - I'm glad I was at my computer to help! Although you still don't tell me what kind of crème fraîche you're using (if low fat version), as that could probably be what's wrong. Let me know how it turns out - the taste will be wonderful, I assure you! Jx

        Reply
    3. Trudi Gomez

      May 11, 2023 at 10:46 am

      Thank you Jill for the lovely recipe , I’ve just mixed the Parmesan crème fraiche lemon zest and the 2egg yolks ,
      But my mixture seems to runny , the eggs I used were large , should I add more cheese to thicken the mixture up?
      Waiting with anticipation ? Trudi .

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 11, 2023 at 11:24 am

        Hi Trudi,
        If you've weighed out all the ingredients as in the recipe it shouldn't be a problem. Perhaps it's the crème fraîche you're using (a low fat version)? The yolks will set it nicely but if you really think it looks far too liquid, sure add more freshly grated parmesan cheese but there's already 100g in there which is a lot.

        Reply
    4. Danni

      May 10, 2023 at 9:56 pm

      5 stars
      Had this tart tonight and all family members agreed that it was absolutely scrumptious. Will definitely cook it again!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 10, 2023 at 10:18 pm

        So lovely to hear that this was part of your family dinner tonight. Thank you Danni x

        Reply
    5. Anne

      May 24, 2022 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      So beautiful
      And so delicious
      And HEALTHY too !
      Well thought Jill - love that it's so easy

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 24, 2022 at 9:04 am

        Thrilled you like this, Anne. Enjoy asparagus season!

        Reply
    6. jeanne

      May 23, 2022 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      This was fabulous! Creme fraiche is not easy to get in the US, so I used full fat greek yogurt instead. Sprinkled with roasted almond slices, and a few cherry tomatoes.
      It was fabulous!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        May 23, 2022 at 10:06 pm

        Thanks so much for your feedback, Jeanne - especially on the US tip. That's so good to know and thrilled you like this. It's so easy. Now I'll add about the greek yogurt for my American readers. Much appreciated x

        Reply
    7. Christina

      April 23, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      Not only delicious, but delightful to look at! This is perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch next month!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        April 24, 2022 at 5:48 pm

        What a great idea - thanks, Christina. Forgot about Mother's Day!

        Reply
    8. Susan Rees

      April 19, 2022 at 4:13 am

      5 stars
      I made a tarte St Germaine for our family’s Easter brunch, but I love the visual appeal of this and the asparagus and Parmesan combination. I am going to make this one for our next family get together (and a test drive before)! Lemon zest and almond are a yummy bonus so I cannot wait to try! Cheers!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        April 19, 2022 at 4:49 pm

        It's a real pleasure, Susan. We love this combination so I'm happy to share this with your next family get together around the table.
        Please do leave a review for the Saint Germain tart too, if you can. I'd most appreciate it, as it shows that the recipes are being made and loved. Thanks so much for your support, Susan.

        Reply
    9. Dana

      April 17, 2022 at 8:46 am

      5 stars
      Seasonal, beautiful and most delicious
      Not to mention very healthy
      Thank you Jill Colonna

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        April 18, 2022 at 11:56 am

        Thank you for your kind words - glad you like it, Dana. Here's to asparagus season!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl
    BIENVENUE!

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

    Recent recipes

    • 3 bowls of pea soup with fresh peas and pods
      French Pea Soup (Potage Saint-Germain)
    • dish of layered roasted vegetables in Provence
      Roasted Summer Vegetables (Tian de Légumes)
    • gratin dish of berries in a creme brulee cream
      Berry Gratin - A Light Crème Brûlée
    • bowl of bright red rhubarb compote
      Rhubarb Compote (Compote de Rhubarbe)
    Palets Bretons French Biscuits

    SEASONAL

    Spring Recipes

    It’s spring in Jill’s French kitchen – get her collection of free recipes to celebrate French printemps…

    Spring recipes
    glass dish of chocolate mousse with cherries

    POPULAR

    French Desserts

    From Crème Caramel (flan), rice pudding, dark chocolate mousse (no cream) to crêpes, clafoutis and tarts – enjoy making our family’s favourite desserts, all with reduced sugar.

    French Desserts

    square brown pancake folded like an envelope with egg yolk in the middle surrounded with a little ham and cheese and side salad

    CLASSIC FRENCH DISHES

    Savoury Pancakes

    We all love the classic French pancakes (crêpes). Let's go savoury with buckwheat galettes with all the typical fillings. Also gluten free, they're just one of our many favourite family classics.

    Classic French Dishes
    pink macaron cookie with ruffled feet

    LOCAL GUIDES

    Best Macarons in Paris

    Looking for top quality Parisian macarons and going mad which ones to choose? I have you covered with my TOP 20 list of the best in Paris.
    As a local for 30 years with 2 macaron recipe books, I’ve tasted a lot to help you!

    Top 20 Macarons
    blue recipe book cover for Mad About Macarons

    BESTSELLER

    Mad About Macarons

    Scared to make the first move to make macarons? Jill shares all the tips and step-by-step instructions in her bestselling recipe book.
    It has inspired many now-professional macaron bakers since 2010!

    Get the book
    pink cover of patisserie recipe book Teatime in Paris by Jill Colonna

    EASY FRENCH PASTRY RECIPES

    Teatime in Paris

    Even more macarons and easy French pastry recipes. Each step-by-step recipe visits many best bakeries for an armchair walk around the City of Light.
    A must for all budding bakers and Paris-loving Francophiles.

    Get the book
    Paris map Mad About Macarons

    BIENVENUE

    Newsletter From Paris

    Stay connected with the free monthly newsletter from France.
    With seasonal recipes, tips and more spilling the tea from Paris.

    Sign Me Up

    Footer

    Jill Colonna logo Mad About Macarons
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Twitter
    • Recipes
    • About
    • French Food Guides
    • FAQ
    Contact
    Newsletter

    Copyright © 2010-2023 Jill Colonna

    Terms and privacy