Simple Asparagus & Ricotta Puff Pastry Tart

[⏱️ Prep: 15 mins | 🔥 Cook: 30 mins | 🥞 Servings: 6 | 🥗 Calories: 280 kcal | ⌛ Total: 45 mins]

We’re going to make a recipe that’s absolutely great for spring. We are making a beautiful, fresh asparagus tart.
This tart has a super flaky pastry base, a savory ricotta filling, and then it’s topped with fresh asparagus. It really brings together a lot of fresh spring flavors, and it’s pretty easy to pull together. Let’s get started!

Why You’ll Love This

Honestly, you need this recipe in your spring rotation because it looks incredibly impressive but is so simple to make. The puff pastry gets unbelievably flaky, acting as the perfect crisp base for the creamy ricotta and fresh asparagus. Plus, it’s super customizable—you can use store-bought or homemade pastry, play around with the herbs, and even swap the citrus if you’re in a pinch. It’s the perfect savory bite for a spring brunch, lunch, or appetizer.

If you love elegant veggie tarts like this, also try my Treating Cabbage Like a Steak: Brown Butter & Miso Sabayon! for another showstopper!

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment

• Rolling pin
• Large rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Fork (for crimping)

The Ingredients

• 1 sheet Puff pastry (approx. 283–397g / 10–14 oz), thawed if using store-bought
• A tiny bit of all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 180 grams (approx. ¾ cup) Whole milk ricotta cheese
• 30–50g (2–3 tbsp to ½ cup) Fresh parsley, chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon (or 1 lime, if you forget the lemon!)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch Fresh asparagus (about 20–25 stalks, ~450g), washed and woody ends trimmed
• 1 Large egg
• 1 tbsp Water
• ¼ cup Grated cheese, such as Parmesan (optional, for topping)

Let’s Get Baking!

1. Preheat the Oven

Before we actually start rolling out the dough, make sure to start preheating your oven to 400°F (which is about 205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Prepping the Savory Ricotta Filling

This filling is super easy. We’re just going to combine fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and some citrus zest in with the 180 grams of ricotta and mix it all together.

A quick note on the citrus: You would normally use a lemon, but if you don’t have a lemon you can also use lime! It adds a great zesty punch.

As for the parsley, the recipe technically calls for two to three tablespoons, but honestly, I use closer to half a cup. You can use less, more, or even different herbs if you’d like!

Once that’s all mixed up, give it a quick taste to check if it has enough salt. We’re just going to set this aside until you’re done rolling out the dough.

3. It’s Dough Time

Get your surface ready by adding a tiny bit of all-purpose flour, and then you’re going to roll out your puff pastry dough until it is a rectangle about 10 inches wide by 15 inches long.

Once you have the size you want, transfer it to your parchment-lined baking sheet. My favorite trick for this is carefully rolling the dough up around the rolling pin, and then just unrolling it right onto the baking sheet.

4. Assembling the Tart

Now it’s ready for our filling! Spread the ricotta mixture on as evenly as possible, making sure to leave a 1-inch border bare around all of the edges.

Next, lay your trimmed asparagus in nice, neat rows across the top in a single layer. Just make sure that the asparagus doesn’t go beyond the ricotta layer and hang over that 1-inch border. On top of the asparagus, I personally like to add a little bit more salt and pepper for seasoning.

If you love asparagus stars like this, also try my Fuel Up with My Favorite Breakfast: Easy Egg Muffins! for a quick morning hit.

5. The Egg Wash & Fold

To get that gorgeous golden crust, we need an egg wash, which is just one egg beaten with a little bit of water (about 1 tbsp).

Brush the egg wash along that 1-inch bare border you left, and then fold the edges of the pastry up and over the ends of the asparagus and ricotta filling to make sure they stick and create a crust. Crimp the folded edges down with a fork to seal them securely.

6. Final Touches & Bake

Brush the top of the crimped, folded edges with the remaining egg wash so they get nice and shiny in the oven. Last but not least, you can add a sprinkle of grated cheese (like Parmesan) evenly over the top of the asparagus layer. It’s totally optional, but it just adds a really nice little extra savory element.

Bake it for around 30 minutes until the edges are puffed, nice and golden brown, and the pastry is super flaky. The asparagus will be perfectly tender and cooked through. Slice it up, serve warm, and I hope you try to make this perfect savory spring recipe!

If you love flaky, oozy mains, also try my Oozing Air Fryer Mini Chicken Kiev Balls! alongside.

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 Flaky Spring Asparagus & Ricotta Tart

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: AppetizerCuisine: French-Inspired AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Total time

45

minutes

 A fresh, savory, and incredibly flaky asparagus tart featuring a creamy herb-ricotta base and a buttery puff pastry crust. The ultimate easy spring appetizer or light lunch!

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Rolling pin

• Large rimmed baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Pastry brush

• Fork

• Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry (283–397g / 10–14 oz), thawed

• 1 tsp all-purpose flour (for dusting)

• 180g (¾ cup) whole milk ricotta cheese

• 30–50g (2–3 tbsp to ½ cup) fresh parsley, chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon (or lime)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1 bunch (~450g / 20–25 stalks) fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed

• 1 large egg

• 1 tbsp water

• 25g (¼ cup) grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, chopped parsley (30–50g), lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll the puff pastry out to a 10×15-inch rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Spread the ricotta mixture over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around all edges.
• Arrange the trimmed asparagus over the ricotta in a single layer. Season the top with a bit more salt and pepper.
• Beat the egg and water together to make an egg wash. Brush the 1-inch border with the egg wash.
• Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling to create a crust, then crimp the edges tightly with a fork.
• Brush the top of the folded edges with the remaining egg wash, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the center of the tart.
• Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and flaky. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

• The Citrus Swap: Usually, I would use a lemon for this, but if you forget to buy one, a lime works surprisingly well and adds a great zesty punch.
• Herb Variations: I love using a heavy hand with parsley (closer to half a cup), but you can stick to 2–3 tablespoons or swap it for fresh tarragon or chives for a more traditional French flavor.
• Pastry Prep: Whether you use an easy homemade puff pastry or store-bought, make sure to keep it cold until you’re ready to roll it out! If using store-bought, follow the package instructions for thawing safely.
• Asparagus Trimming: To easily remove the tough, woody ends of the asparagus, just bend the bottom of the spear gently—it will naturally snap off at the exact right place!