Asparagus tart with puff pastry is one of the easiest French spring recipes. With a creamy parmesan and lemon filling, it bakes in just 25 minutes and makes a light lunch, starter or supper.
Had this asparagus tart tonight and all family members agreed that it was absolutely scrumptious. Will definitely cook it again! - Danni
Best Puff Pastry for an Easy Asparagus Tart
This recipe is so easy and quick to make thanks to store-bought puff pastry. For the best asparagus tart, use all-butter puff pastry ("pur beurre" in France). It gives a crisper crust and better flavour than pastry made with vegetable fats.
Puff pastry is ideal as a tart crust as it doesn't even need a tart tin. Just use it flat on a baking sheet, 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, simply defrost first.
This is what I've been making for years for a quick family lunch when I don't have much time. I just rustled it up one day with my favourite flavours with asparagus: lemon and parmesan and it just stuck. I only started working out the proportions so I could share this!
How to Make Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry
- First roll out a sheet of ready-made puff pastry.
- This almost feels like cheating but, as ready-rolled puff (pâte feuillétée in French) is such a regular item to be found in the supermarkets' chilled sections, why not make use of our 'fast food' à la française. Otherwise defrost from frozen and roll it out.
- 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. Although not essential, prick the pastry with a fork.
How to Prepare the Asparagus for a Tart
- Prepare the asparagus spears by snapping off the bottoms about a quarter up, where they snap naturally. If green asparagus, trim off any larger 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 guide to French asparagus.
Asparagus Tart with Parmesan & Lemon
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 full flavour, 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 shredded cheese 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.
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.
What to do with the leftover 2 whites?
Keep them aside in the fridge and make any of these egg white recipes.
- Season with sea salt and milled black 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.
- I also like to scatter over slivered almonds or hazelnuts, a trick we've seen in many French restaurants.
How Long Does Puff Pastry Take to Bake?
Most ready-made puff pastry takes 20-25 minutes to bake at 200°C (400°F) until golden.
For this asparagus tart, first sprinkle with a little more grated parmesan and some nuts. This beauty bakes in 25 minutes but it also roasts the halved asparagus spears at the same time.
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 some fresh chervil or other fresh herb of your choice.
After ordering asparagus tarts in Paris and Provence, I noticed many chefs add almonds or hazelnuts for crunch. It works surprisingly well with asparagus and parmesan - and I add it to this roasted asparagus too.
More Easy Recipes With Store-Bought Puff Pastry
Ready-made puff pastry is such a handy ingredient to have in your fridge - especially as it's easy to whip up a quick tart with it, both savoury and sweet. Here are our family favourites:
- French tomato tart with mustard
- Onion Tarte Tatin with Cheese - recipe also on video
- Quick French Apple Tart (Tarte fine aux pommes)
- Tarte Tatin - the classic French dessert
- Peach Tart with Puff Pastry
Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 8 Asparagus spears
- 230g (8oz/ ½lb) pack ready-rolled puff pastry (or defrosted if frozen)
- 2 egg yolks organic (See NOTES)
- 200 g (7oz/ ¾ cup) crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt)
- 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/400°F (180°C fan/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 or cut off the bottoms of the asparagus, 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 cheese (leave some for later) and lemon. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper 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
See more egg white recipes.
Anne Hormann
This tart is divine! The best savory tastes I've had in a long time.
Notes:
--I used 16 asparagus spears (as in the photo), not 8.
--My puff pastry sheet was under 9" diameter, so there was too much filling. I just used what was needed and baked the rest in a little baking cup (so that the filling did not overflow the pastry edges).
Jill Colonna
Hi Anne,
I'm thrilled you like this too! Thanks for your notes but what you're seeing in the photo are halved spears! I already specify 8 spears in the recipe and explain that they are cut in half to make 16 halves. Interesting on the diameter - our sheets are normally 26cm (10inch). It can take a generous filling, as long as you score the edges with the back of a knife, like I say. This way the edge puffs up to create a little barrier for the filling.
Hope that makes it clear.
Trudi Gomez
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
Jill Colonna
So glad you liked it, Trudi. Thanks for your feedback x
Trudi Gomez
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
Jill Colonna
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
Trudi Gomez
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 .
Jill Colonna
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.
Danni
Had this tart tonight and all family members agreed that it was absolutely scrumptious. Will definitely cook it again!
Jill Colonna
So lovely to hear that this was part of your family dinner tonight. Thank you Danni x
Anne
So beautiful
And so delicious
And HEALTHY too !
Well thought Jill - love that it's so easy
Jill Colonna
Thrilled you like this, Anne. Enjoy asparagus season!
jeanne
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!
Jill Colonna
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
Christina
Not only delicious, but delightful to look at! This is perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch next month!
Jill Colonna
What a great idea - thanks, Christina. Forgot about Mother's Day!
Susan Rees
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!
Jill Colonna
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.
Dana
Seasonal, beautiful and most delicious
Not to mention very healthy
Thank you Jill Colonna
Jill Colonna
Thank you for your kind words - glad you like it, Dana. Here's to asparagus season!