This savory puff pastry tart has a beautiful asparagus-leek topping, plus a surprising vegan cheese alternative. Bookmark it for your next party.
Last December, I was tasked with bringing a savory tart to a friend’s holiday party. Not wanting to fuss with making dough from scratch, I picked up frozen puff pastry. (It may not be the healthiest thing in the world, but it is delicious, convenient, and loved by all – thus, totally fine once in a while for a party.)
For the topping, I planned on making the cashew “ricotta” I use for vegan lasagna but had a bag of walnuts in the cupboard instead, so I swapped them in. The walnut spread had everyone at the party asking, “Mm, what’s that?” (Even I was pleasantly surprised.) Caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms rounded out that Christmas tart.
With holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day coming up, I wanted to create a spring version. To adapt to the season, I subbed onions with leeks and mushrooms with asparagus. This vegan asparagus puff pastry tart is light and simple to make, but looks impressive and celebratory, if I may say so myself.
The Recipe At a Glance
This vegan asparagus tart has a base of store-bought frozen puff pastry. For the toppings, there’s a walnut spread that acts as a dairy-free replacement for something like goat cheese or Boursin [that you might typically find on a savory tart]. Lastly, sautéed leeks and sliced asparagus are arranged on top, and the tart goes into the oven for about 25 minutes.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Puff Pastry: This rich, flaky, French-style dough creates wonderful things like wellingtons and hand pies. It’s sold frozen. Pepperidge Farm is vegan and available everywhere, but doesn’t have the best ingredients. DuFour is much better, but harder to find. Trader Joe’s has a good all-butter one that’s sold seasonally.
- Raw Walnuts: Can be substituted with raw cashews or almonds. If you have a nut allergy, use raw sunflower seeds instead.
- Miso: Adds a savory, salty, “cheesy” taste to the walnut spread – do not skip it. Miso can be found in the refrigerated section in most supermarkets near things like tofu, kimchi, etc.
- Leek: Can be substituted with a large onion here.
- Asparagus: For the freshest asparagus, look for crisp and sturdy spears. Avoid slimy, soft ones.
How to Make This Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak the Walnuts
Place the walnuts in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes. This will soften them so they can be blended into a smooth cream later.
Step 2: Sauté the Leeks
Slice the leeks into half-moons and clean thoroughly in a salad spinner/bowl of water (see full instructions in the recipe card). Then cook over medium heat until soft and golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Walnut Spread
Drain the walnuts and place in a food processor along with garlic and miso. Pulse to break them down. Then add lemon juice, water, and salt, and purée until smooth.
Step 4: Prep the Asparagus
Trim off the fibrous ends of the asparagus (usually 1 to 2 inches) and discard. I like cutting the lengths of the asparagus into small diagonal pieces and then halving the asparagus tops into strips; this combination is beautiful and I appreciate the easy-to-chew texture. You’re welcome to cut the asparagus into whatever shape you want, though. Once sliced, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 5: Assemble the Tart
Lightly roll out the puff pastry – just so it’s a bit thinner and about an inch longer on both sides. Spread the walnut mixture across the top, leaving a small border. Then scatter the leeks on top, followed by the asparagus.
Step 6: Bake the Tart
Bake in a preheated 400ºF oven until the edges are golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes.
Tips for Working with Puff Pastry
- Wait to roll it out until it’s completely thawed – this usually takes at least 30 minutes at room temp. Do not unfold the dough when it’s still frozen/stiff or it may break.
- Roll it out on a lightly floured kitchen counter, coating the rolling pin with flour as well if it’s sticking. If you don’t own a rolling pin, use a bottle of wine/vinegar.
- If the dough is cracking during rolling, it means it is still too cold and needs more time to thaw. If the dough is sticking to the rolling pin or counter, sprinkle it lightly with flour. If the dough is wet/slimy, it has gotten too warm and should be refrigerated for a few minutes to firm up again.
How to Serve This Asparagus-Leek Tart
If making as a vegan main course, serve the tart with a salad (like this kale-orange one) and another side like stewed eggplant or creamed corn. You can also serve it as an appetizer – just cut it into smaller pieces. The tart is great warm or at room temperature.
Make-Ahead Tips
The tart should not be baked in advance, since puff pastry loses its crisp, flaky texture after refrigeration. You can bake it up to a few hours in advance though and keep it at room temp. (Reheat in the oven, if needed, not in the microwave.) If you want to get a head start, make the walnut spread and sauté the leeks the day before, and keep them in airtight containers in the fridge.
The Full Recipe
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
PrintAsparagus Puff Pastry Tart
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Serve this puff pastry tart as an appetizer or a main course.
Ingredients
For the Walnut Spread
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Tart
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts
- 6 ounces asparagus (6–7 spears), ends trimmed
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If your dough is frozen, leave it out at room temp while you prep the toppings; it takes ~40 minutes to thaw.
- Start the walnut spread. Place the nuts in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Meanwhile, work on the tart toppings. Cut the leek lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons. Clean the sliced leeks thoroughly in a salad spinner, or by swirling them vigorously in a large bowl of water, to release the sand from between the layers.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the drained leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the heat off and season with a pinch of salt.
- Finish the walnut spread. Drain the walnuts and place in a food processor, along with the miso and garlic. Pulse until the nuts are broken down. Then add the water, lemon juice, and salt, and purée into a thick, creamy paste, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Set aside.
- Slice the asparagus on a diagonal into thin pieces. Place in a medium bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and season with pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- When the dough is thawed, roll it out slightly just so it’s a bit thinner. Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet. Spread the walnut mixture across the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Scatter the sautéed leeks on top and arrange the asparagus into your desired pattern.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
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