This asparagus tart with puff pastry is the most impressive weeknight dinner you can make. It can be made in just a few minutes using frozen store bought puff pastry, mustard, cheese and asparagus for the perfect light dinner or cut it into smaller pieces to make a great party appetizer.
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Hello everyone!
Happy easter! I hope you are getting to spend this safe and sound in your home, enjoying some good food with your loved ones.
This year is definitely a weird one for sure, but hey we are all trying to make the best of it.
For dinner tonight, even if it’s not a weeknight dinner, I will be making this amazingly easy asparagus tart with puff pastry. I found out that I had extra puff pastry in the freezer so I wanted to make a special dinner for everyone.
Today is the second time, this week I will be making this again… that should tell you how good this is. Even the picky eaters loved this veggie dinner. I mean who doesn’t love dough topped with cheese? The asparagus is just there, and to get to the good stuff you need to eat your asparagus!
What’s so special about this asparagus tart?
Asparagus tarts are very simple but yet look like a work of art. They are impressive to serve, while taking you only 5 minutes of hands on work. So when we are talking about weeknight dinners, quick meals are my favorite thing ever! You can also make this main dish on the weekend if you have a little more time and get creative with how you lay out your asparagus.
The sky is your limit! If you do decide to get creative with how this asparagus tart looks, please let me know in the comments below or tag me on instagram!
Ingredients for this asparagus tart with puff pastry?
- Puff pastry
- Asparagus
- Dijon mustard (optional)
- Cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Egg white
- Salt and pepper to taste
Do I have to use mustard?
The Dijon mustard is optional. I personally love adding it to my veggie tarts because it adds a little kick to elevate the veggie flavor.
Can I make this using different cheeses?
When it comes to cooking you can really get creative and use whatever you have at home. So yes, you can use whatever cheese you want. Of course, there are some cheese that would work better with asparagus tarts like gruyere, but who has that right now?
Because I didn’t want to go to the store, I used some cheddar and jack mix, topped with some fresh parmesan that I had leftover in the fridge.
I would suggest using just parmesan for this recipe because of the incredible flavor it gives to the tart, but if you don’t have that, don’t worry, anything else works too!
I’m staying home and trying to be safe during this whole coronavirus craziness, can I use something other than Asparagus?
Absolutely! I am here to bring you easy dinner ideas to take the burden off of you. For this puff pastry savory tart, many veggies will work in place of the asparagus. Just make sure that they are quick cooking just like asparagus. If not you can cut them into smaller pieces or pan cook them lightly so they cook faster once placed in the oven. Here are other veggies options you can use to top your savory tarts:
- Zucchini slices
- Caramelized or thinly sliced onions
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Sliced tomatoes
- Leeks
- Cooked spinach
- Cooked carrot slices
- Artichoke hearts
- Think egg plant slices
And the list goes on, so if you have an ingredient at home and are curious as to if you can use it or not, leave me a comment below so I can help you 🙂
How to make puff pastry asparagus tart?
1. Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Then using a rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry to a 13″x11″ rectangle on some parchment paper. Score a border around the edge, making sure to not cut all the way through the puff pastry dough. Transfer the parchment paper with the puff pastry dough to a large baking sheet.
2. Brush the inside of the border with mustard
3. Then spread the softened cream cheese.
4. Arrange the asparagus stalks on top of the cream cheese and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
5. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg whites and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden.
6. When the asparagus tart is done baking, slice into squares and serve immediately.
Tips for the perfect asparagus tart
- Make sure the puff pastry is thawed but is still cold – Puff pastry consists of layers of dough and layers of butter, you want your butter to still be cold before it hits the oven to create those beautiful layer.
- Cut the asparagus tart using a serrated knife to get clean cuts– The pie is very flaky so cut it gently to avoid crumbling it completely.
- Bake the tart on a lower wrack after 10 minutes- This will ensure a perfectly crispy bottom.
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How do you keep puff pastry from getting soggy?
Puff pastry can turn soggy quickly, that’s why for this recipe we are limiting the amount of wet ingredients. If you notices, I only used 2 tablespoons of mustard and only 4 ounces of cream cheese. This amount is enough for you to feel it but not enough to make the puff pastry soggy!
Another trick to keep your puff pastry from being soggy is to preheat the oven for 10 minutes before you start baking it.
Can you make a puff pastry tart ahead of time?
It depends on how ahead of time, I would not make the tart today and enjoy it tomorrow. This asparagus tart with puff pastry is made to be eaten on the same day it was made. Letting it sit for too long might make it lose its texture.
How to serve this asparagus tart?
There are multiple ways to serve this tart, some of those are:
- Slice the asparagus tart into smaller squares and serve it as an appetizer. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be eaten, hot, cold or even at room temperature! Talk about versatile.
- You can also cut this tart into 4 larger pieces to enjoy it as a light meal. Pair it with a nice bowl of soup or a salad and you got yourself the best weeknight dinner.
- Serve this asparagus as a brunch option net time you’re the host. Top it with some micro greens or an arugula salad and some balsamic glaze to impress your guests.
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Asparagus tart with puff pastry
Asparagus tart with puff pastry
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 1 bunch asparagus washed and woody ends trimmed off
- 2 tablespoon mustard (optional)
- 4 oz cream cheese softened.
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg white
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry to a 13"x11" rectangle on some parchment paper. Score a border around the edge, making sure to not cut all the way through the puff pastry dough. Transfer the parchment paper with the puff pastry dough to a large baking sheet.
- Brush the inside of the border with mustard then spread the softened cream cheese. Arrange the asparagus stalks on top of the cream cheese and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
- Brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg whites and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden.
- When the asparagus tart is done baking, slice into squares and serve immediately.
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Alice
This tart ended up being a 50/50 in my house! It was flaky and had a nice bite to it. I loved the touch of cream cheese and mustard flavor (we reduced the amount of mustard in half due to personal preference). If you like strong flavors, you will like this tart. If you prefer mild flavors, you probably won’t like this tart. I would say you have to have a certain pallate to be able to actually appreciate the flavor profile.
My mother, sister, and I (who are all veggie eaters. Love brocolli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, green beans, etc.) liked this tart. It was unique in taste and different than anything I have tried before. Because of this, I found it to be enjoyable, as I am a foodie who loves trying new things.
My brothers and father (are NOT veggie lovers!) did not. (They’re missing out IMO). They found the “bite” of the cream cheese to be on the more pecculiar end.
Thanks for the recipe! Please make more savory appetizers like this 😀