I once heard waiting for spring described as, “waiting for asparagus.” I’d like to update it to “waiting for Easy Asparagus Tart.”
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I adore asparagus.
- I shave it into ribbons, then pile it atop homemade Asparagus Pizza.
- I bake it into Asparagus Casserole and Cheesy Chicken Asparagus Casserole.
- I adore it simply prepared in this Roasted Asparagus and Grilled Asparagus.
- When I’m feeling fancy, I serve Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
One of my favorite aspects of cooking in the spring, in addition to the availability of fresh asparagus, is the easier, breezier tone that spring recipes adopt.
Winter, with its short days and long, cold nights, is a time for savoring time in the kitchen, lovingly poring over Beef Bourguignon and Red Wine Braised Short Ribs. Not spring.
Spring, a precious season, is a time for easy, effortless recipes like this asparagus tart with puff pastry and prosciutto.
Flaky, buttery puff pastry makes a light and lovely base for the tart, and it requires no effort beyond unrolling.
We enjoyed this French asparagus tart with puff pastry for a light dinner, and I think it would be lovely as an appetizer, and for a holiday brunch too.
5 Star Review
“I made this asparagus tart for Easter brunch with my family and it was a hit! It was such a delicious and fresh spring side dish!”
— Beth —
How to Make Asparagus Tart
With its simple ingredients list, this asparagus tart is easy to whip up for any occasion (including the start of asparagus season!).
The puff pastry crust is par-baked, ensuring it stays flaky, buttery, and light.
The rest of the toppings—creamy ricotta cheese, nutty Parmesan, and salty prosciutto—complement the asparagus and demand no cooking at all. Simply mix, spread, and bake.
The Ingredients
- Asparagus. A delicious spring veggie that’s packed with fiber and folate. It pairs wonderfully with the other flavors in this recipe.
- Prosciutto. Adds an undeniably delicious saltiness and meaty flavor.
- Puff Pastry. Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth puff pastry makes the perfect light and easy base for this tart.
- Egg. An egg wash helps the puff pastry turn a beautiful golden color.
- Ricotta + Parmesan. Creamy, tangy ricotta and nutty, salty Parmesan create a scrumptious, cheesy base for the toppings.
- Lemon Zest + Juice. For brightness and acidity.
The Directions
- Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, then lay it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prepare the egg wash, then brush it on the dough. Score a border on the dough, and pierce holes all over it. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the ricotta mixture together. Spread it onto the baked crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Trim the asparagus and add it to the crust. Brush the asparagus with oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the prosciutto.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Tent the tart with foil if it is browning too quickly, then bake another 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool and ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate tart in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat. Gently reheat leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day in advance, roll and score the puff pastry (do not add the egg wash). Refrigerate the dough until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
What to Serve with Asparagus Tart
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Parchment Paper. Helps make cleanup a breeze.
- Baking Sheet. Use this all-purpose baking sheet for everything from cookies to this rustic asparagus tart.
- Citrus Juicer. Juice limes and lemons with ease.
Spring, I’ll be right here waiting for you, with a slice of easy asparagus tart in each hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to make this recipe vegetarian or don’t have any prosciutto on hand, you can omit it.
While I’ve only tried making this as a ricotta asparagus tart, I think a goat cheese asparagus tart could be a tasty swap.
Yes, you can freeze asparagus tart. However, I don’t recommend freezing it, as it will alter the texture of both the ricotta mixture and puff pastry base. If you do decide to freeze leftovers, the flavor of the tart will still be delicious once thawed.
Easy Asparagus Tart
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Ingredients
- 1 (9×9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, divided
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 1 pound asparagus
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces prosciutto
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10-inch x 14-inch rectangle, then carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water to create an egg wash (save the egg white for a different use). Lightly brush the entire surface of the puff pastry with the egg wash. With a sharp knife, score a border around the pastry dough that is 1 inch from the edges on all sides, so that you mark a rectangle. With a fork, pierce holes in the pastry all over the center of the rectangle you just created (do not pierce the edges). Each fork imprint should be about 1/2-inch apart. Bake the puff pastry for 10 minutes. It will be golden and slightly puffed. If any areas are very puffy, gently press them down with a fork.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the ricotta, 1 whole egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread in an even layer over the crust, staying inside the rectangle and leaving the 1-inch border you created uncovered. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the rectangle (about 8-inches in length). Arrange them in a single layer over the ricotta, alternating ends and tips. Brush the asparagus lightly with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tear the prosciutto into pieces and scatter it over the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then check to make sure the pastry isn't browning too quickly. If it is, lightly tent the tart with foil, then return to the oven and continue baking until the asparagus is tender, about 5 to 7 additional minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Slice and serve, sprinkled with additional Parmesan as desired.
Nutrition
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Yay for spring produce!! This tart is GORGEOUS and sounds beyond delicious, especially with the ricotta and prosciutto…this would be so perfect for Easter brunch :) pinned!
I totally love that ricotta base- so yummy! Asparagus is the best :)
Thank you this was excellent. I added a dollop of very garlicky and lemony homemade hummus and cayenne with each bite. So good!
I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe, thank you!!! The garlicky lemon addition sounds so yummy too.
Does anyone know if this will travel well? I’ll be making before I head to an Easter lunch and I’m not sure if I should save the 4th step until I get there? Would be about an hour drive.
Hi Katie! If this is traveling an hour, I would recommend that you prep all of the ingredients (mixing the ricotta, trimming the asparagus, grating the cheese, etc), but do as much baking as you can once you arrive. You could maybe preroll and bake the puff pastry, but I’d worry about it getting soggy if it’s sitting in a car for a full hour before it’s served :(
this looks amazing – thank you for posting – hubby loves asparagus –
I’ve already made this twice this week, it’s delicious.
Thanks for posting!
I’m so happy to hear that Andrew!! Thanks for sharing this kind review. It means a lot!
Would this work well without prosciutto? I’m vegetarian – could I use something else or omit it totally?
Hi Jules, yes, you can leave off the prosciutto! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this as written for Easter and my family LOVED it. It really is incredibly easy to make. Thank you for another hit!
Erin, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for giving it a try and taking the time to leave this awesome review!
I made this recipe today. It turned out pretty good except for the edges. I didn’t know what “score the border” meant so they burnt.
Hi Toni, I’m glad you were still able to enjoy the recipe even if the edges didn’t come out! If you try the recipe again, you can check it early and tent it with foil if the pastry is getting too brown.
Everyone loved the taste. The lemon flavour is delicious with the filling. I used cottage cheese with a bit cream cheese in place of the ricotta cheese. This worked out really well. Thanks Erin for all your delicious recipes.
Thanks for reporting back, Lynn! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this.
Little bland so added mushrooms and thyme :) nice!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Di! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hi, just wondering can I bake everything together instead of baking the pastry first, then bake together with the rest?
Hi Jane! I recommend baking the pastry dough first so that it bakes through and doesn’t get soggy from the toppings. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this asparagus tart for Easter brunch with my family and it was a hit! While I love prosciutto, we had ham as our main dish so I left the prosciutto off. I also ended up only using about half the ricotta mixture – I felt as though I spread it on liberally and it was still more than enough. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and it was such a delicious and fresh spring side dish!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is really tasty, made as is but added some chives because I had them growing outside and substituted cooked bacon for prosciutto since I didn’t have that. I’ve made this four times now twice for my girlfriends get together to rave reviews! I cut up the asparagus into pieces last time and I think it cooked a little better.
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Forgot to buy ricotta, so I subbed in the 2/3 cup of alfredo sauce I had sitting in the fridge. The egg helped to thicken it up, and it still turned out to be tasty. I’ll definitely have to try it again with the ricotta though!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Donte! Thank you for sharing this kind review!