This asparagus goat cheese puff pastry tart is spring on a plate. It’s the kind of recipe you whip up when you want to impress with minimal effort. Perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light meal with a glass of wine.
Pair it with one of my Mediterranean salad recipes. Or serve it as part of an appetizer board with other favorites like Eggplant Bruschetta or Blistered Shishito Peppers.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Usher in the spring. Asparagus comes into season in early spring. Take full advantage of asparagus season. Other asparagus ideas: Grilled Asparagus and White Bean Salad and Asparagus Potato Salad.
- Quick and easy. I always have a roll or two of puff pastry in my freezer (and think you should too!). It’s easy to work with and doesn’t take a long time to defrost or bake up.
- Great for any special occasion. Mother’s Day brunch recipe, dinner party appetizer, made into mini tarts for cocktail party hors d'oeuvres…
Ingredients
This easy asparagus tart comes together with a few basic fresh and frozen ingredients. Here’s what you will need:
- Fresh Asparagus: Asparagus is available year-round, but make sure to try this recipe in early spring when local asparagus is in season. Choose slender stalks and make sure to trim off the tough ends. The ends can be composted.
- Store-Bought Puff Pastry: I would never tell you to make your own puff pastry from scratch! I mean, not unless you really want to! Frozen rolls of puff pastry are available at most grocery stores. Some places only sell blocks of puff pastry. If you only have access to those, defrost completely and then roll out to your desired shape.
- Creamy cheese: The goal here is to get a soft, creamy bed for your asparagus to lie in. I like goat cheese, but you can totally use a creamy feta, cream cheese, or Boursin cheese (it’s what I use in my Cherry Tomato Tart).
- Fresh herbs. Keeping the spring theme going, I am using fresh chives and thyme from my garden. If you have access to chive flowers, use those as a garnish! Or use your favorite herbs instead.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Step By Step
This is a pretty straightforward recipe. What is key here is the puff pastry technique, so read all the way through before starting to get familiar with the process.
Step 1. Cheese Mixture. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, a splash of cream, chopped chives, and thyme leaves until smooth and well-combined.
Step 2. Prepare the puff. Unroll the puff pastry sheet onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or sheet pan. Using a sharp knife, score a ½ to 1-inch border around the edges. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Then, use a fork to gently prick the interior of the pastry to prevent it from puffing too much.
Step 3. Spread cheese. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly inside the border.
Step 4. Lay down asparagus. Arrange the tender asparagus spears tightly in a single layer over the cheese.
Step 5. Egg wash. Brush the edges of the pastry with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Step 6. Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Step 7. Garnish. Let it cool slightly, then garnish with flaky sea salt, chopped chives or chive flowers, and a drizzle of honey before serving.
Expert Tips
- Work with cold puff pastry. Make sure your puff pastry is cold but pliable when you work with it. If it comes to room temperature before you unroll it, it’ll be challenging to work with. If it does become too soft to work with, cool it in the fridge slightly and then unroll.
- Think of the final presentation. Trim asparagus so all spears are roughly the same length for even coverage.
- Size matters. Avoid using thick asparagus spears as they will take longer to cook. Choose thin asparagus instead if you can.
- Golden Sheen! Don’t skip the egg wash. It makes the edges gorgeously golden.
- Feel free to get creative. Add lemon zest to the cheese mix, or swap in different herbs. Add black pepper, chili flakes, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, or a touch of Dijon mustard.
- Summer version. I make a version of this recipe using fresh summer cherry tomatoes. Try my Cherry Tomato Tart or my Heirloom Tomato Galette.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prepare the tart and refrigerate it for a few hours before baking.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven to maintain crispiness.
While best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze baked tart slices. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven until hot.
If you make this Asparagus Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart or any other appetizer recipe on Urban Farm and Kitchen, please take a moment to rate the recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe.
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Recipe Card
Asparagus Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
- 4 oz Goat cheese - 113 gram block
- 3 tablespoon Heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon Fresh chives (finely chopped)
- 1 Sheet of puff pastry
- ½ lb Asparagus spears (bottoms trimmed)
- 1 Egg (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds - Black, white or a combination
Garnish
- Flaky salt, chopped chives, chive flowers and honey
Instructions
- Cheese Mixture. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, mix together 4 oz Goat cheese, 3 tablespoon Heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme leaves, and 1 teaspoon Fresh chives (finely chopped) until smooth and well-combined.
- Prepare the puff. Unroll 1 Sheet of puff pastry onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or sheet pan. Using a sharp knife, score a ½ to 1-inch border around the edges. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Then, use a fork to gently prick the interior of the pastry to prevent it from puffing too much.
- Spread cheese. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly inside the border.
- Lay down asparagus. Arrange about ½ lb Asparagus spears (bottoms trimmed) tightly in a single layer over the cheese.
- Egg wash. Brush the edges of the pastry with 1 Egg (beaten) and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds.
- Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
- Garnish. Let it cool slightly, then garnish with Flaky salt, chopped chives, chive flowers and honey before serving.
Notes
- Fresh Asparagus: Asparagus is available year-round, but do try this recipe in early spring when local asparagus is in season. Choose thin stalks and make sure to trim off the tough ends.
- Store-Bought Puff Pastry: Frozen rolls of puff pastry are available at most grocery stores. Some places only sell blocks of puff pastry. If you only have access to those, defrost completely and then roll out to your desired shape.
- Creamy cheese: The goal here is to get a soft, creamy bed for your asparagus to lie in. I like goat cheese, but you can totally use a creamy feta, cream cheese, or Boursin cheese.
- Fresh herbs. I am using fresh chives and thyme from my garden. If you have access to chive flowers, use those as a garnish!
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