Tomato and Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
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This easy Tomato and Asparagus Tart tastes as good as it looks! It is an easy brunch recipe made with puff pastry, fresh asparagus, tomatoes, and cheese.
This quick and easy tomato and asparagus puff pastry tart makes an irresistable appetizer or brunch recipe. In just a few simple steps you transform a prepared puff pastry into an amazing slice and serve tart topped with fresh asparagus, tomatoes, Gruyere and goat cheese.
Table of contents
- What Ingredients Do I Need?
- What can I use Instead of Goat Cheese?
- How to Prepare the Puff Pastry
- How to Trim Asparagus
- More Asparagus Recipes
- What is the Difference Between Puff Pastry and Phyllo Dough?
- Can You Reheat Cooked Puff Pastry?
- Looking for More Puff Pastry Recipes?
- How to Make Tomato and Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Perfectly cooked puff pastry topped with two of my favorite ingredients, asparagus and goat cheese. It’s light, crisp, and the perfect addition to any spring brunch. It also makes a great light lunch when you’re craving something fresh and bright.
What Ingredients Do I Need?
- Puff Pastry – A light, flaky, and buttery dough, known for its delicate layers that puff up in the oven to create a golden, crispy texture. It’s a versatile base for both sweet and savory dishes, from elegant pinwheels and spinach puffs to turnovers and danish.
- Gruyère cheese – Gruyère is a rich, creamy Swiss cheese known for its nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It is perfect for melting making it a favorite in dishes ranging from popovers to casseroles.
- Goat Cheese – This soft, tangy cheese adds a little creaminess to the tart as it melts and it perfectly compliments the asparagus and tomatoes!
- Asparagus – You’ll want beautiful, fresh asparagus spears for this recipe so it can be the star of the show!
- Cherry tomatoes – We use a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes so add extra color to the dish.
- Egg white – This is whisked together with water to create an egg wash. This helps the pastry to develop a golden brown color as it bakes.
What can I use Instead of Goat Cheese?
If you don’t like goat cheese you can substitute a feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Fontina cheese, or just add more Gruyere.
How to Prepare the Puff Pastry
- Roll out the Puff Pastry. Place a thawed puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper and roll it into a 10” x 16” rectangle. Make sure to add a little flour to your rolling pin so the dough doesn’t stick.
- Score the Pastry. Use a knife to lightly score the dough creating a 1-inch border by drawing a rectangle shape into the dough (don’t go all the way through!). See photo above for reference.
- Prick the inside of the drawn rectangle with a fork. This will make the edges puff up and leave the center lower.
- Brush edges with egg white. In a small bowl whisk the eggs white and then use a basting brush to brush the egg white over the outer edges of the dough.
- Bake. Move the parchment paper with the tart dough on it to a baking sheet and put it in the oven to bake for 12 minutes. When it has finished baking set aside. We used Pepperidge Farms pastry sheets. Your bake time may vary with other brands or from scratch recipes.
How to Trim Asparagus
Trimming asparagus is like giving it a little haircut before the big show, ensuring every bite is tender and enjoyable. So, grab your asparagus bundle, and let’s get those stalks ready for the spotlight!
Step 1: Rinse and Dry
First things first, give your asparagus a good rinse under cold water to wash away any lingering dirt or grit. Shake off the excess water or pat them dry with a kitchen towel. You want them clean but not waterlogged.
Step 2 – Examine Your Spears
Take a moment to look at your asparagus spears. You’ll notice they have a natural breaking point where the woody, tough end begins to turn tender. This is what you’re aiming to remove. The bottom part can be rather fibrous and chewy, not exactly what you want in your perfect bite.
Step 4 – Snap or Chop
Here’s where the magic happens. You have two options to trim your asparagus, each equally effective, depending on your preference or if you’re aiming for a more uniform look.
The Snap Method
Hold a spear of asparagus at both ends and gently bend it. It will naturally snap at the point where the stem starts to become tough. This method is foolproof and ensures you’re only getting the most tender part of the asparagus. However, it might leave you with spears of varying lengths, which is perfectly fine for most home-cooked meals.
The Chop Method
If you’re looking for uniformity or working with a large batch, lay all your asparagus spears on a cutting board and line them up by the tips. Find the general area where the color starts to change from white or pale green to a deeper green—that’s your cue. Grab a sharp knife and slice about 1 to 2 inches off the bottom of the stalks. This method is quick, efficient, and gives your dish a restaurant-quality presentation.
Step 4: Ready, Set, Cook!
Now that your asparagus is beautifully trimmed, it’s ready to use! Whether you’re roasting them with garlic and parmesan, serving them as a side for your chicken Madeira, or adding them to a casserole, they’re prepped and ready to impress.
What is the Difference Between Puff Pastry and Phyllo Dough?
It’s easy to confuse the two but puff pastry and phyllo dough are very different things and while both are delicious, for this recipe you’re going to want to make sure you purchase (or make!) puff pastry dough.
Puff pastry is made by layering dough with butter and rolling it together until you can’t see the folds of dough anymore. When it bakes it puffs up and all of that butter gives it a rich, buttery taste and a beautiful golden brown color.
Phyllo dough is super thin sheets of dough that are almost transparent. The sheets of dough are basted with butter and layered on top of one another before they are baked. This gives you a very light, super crisp, almost papery crust.
Can You Reheat Cooked Puff Pastry?
Baked puff pastry tarts like this one are best if they are eaten on the same day they are made. The toppings have moisture in them and they will begin to soften the crust as it sits.
If you do have leftovers of your asparagus tart and you want to reheat them the next day you can reheat them in a 200-250 degrees F oven. Place them on a sheet pan and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until warmed through. This should help re-crisp the tart before serving.
Looking for More Puff Pastry Recipes?
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How to Make Tomato and Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Tomato and Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese
- 3 ounces Goat Cheese , crumbled
- 15 Asparagus Spears, approximately (see note 2)
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced into thin, flat, slices
- 1 large Egg white
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Place a thawed puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper and roll it into a 10” x 16” rectangle.
- Use a knife to lightly score the dough about 1 inch from the edge, drawing a rectangle shape into the dough (don't go all the way through!).
- Prick the inside of the drawn rectangle with a fork. This will make the edges puff up and leave the center lower.
- In a small bowl whisk the eggs white and then use a basting brush to brush the egg white over the outer edges of the dough.
- Move the parchment paper with the tart dough on it to a baking sheet and put it in the oven to bake for 12 minutes. When it has finished baking set aside. See note #1 below.
- While the pastry bakes wash and trim about 15 asparagus spears (or however many you will need to cover the puff pastry). See note #2 below.
- Par-cook your asparagus by either boiling them for 1-2 minutes or steaming them. I wrap my asparagus spears in a damp paper towel and put them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Once they are done run them under cold water to stop the cooking process and then dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese and goat cheese over the tart (leaving the outer edges bare).
- Lay the asparagus spears and sliced cherry tomatoes on the cheese.
- Place the tart back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- We used Pepperidge Farms pastry sheets. Your bake time may vary with other brands or from scratch recipes.
- I suggest using the thinnest asparagus spears you can find so it will cook quickly in the oven.
Nutrition
This was originally published on 3/2/15. It was republished on 4/9/24 with updated recipe and photos.
I love asparagus but i dont have any idea how to prepare asparagus. Glad I found this. Love the idea. Keep posting!
herweightlossdiary.blogspot.com
That looks so delicious! I am dropping by from the Show Me Saturday Link up. Thank you so much for sharing this. I pinned it for my readers too!
This looks fantastic!
Looks delish!
Thinking this would make a wonderful Easter brunch dish!
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great week,
Suzanne
Oh yum. So simple, yet oh so tasty!!!
hanks for linking to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.
Delicious! Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful week.
Beautiful tart! I used to make a similar recipe, but never added the eggs – what a great idea!!! And perfect for spring/Easter! Love it, thanks for sharing!!
I love this tart! I started making my own home-made goat cheese when I discovered Wegmans sold goat milk! It’s easy and I don’t need to have a goat in the yard! Pinned and stumbled!
That is awesome! Now I want to make goat cheese!!
Oh this makes my mouth water. Looks amazing!!! Thank you for sharing.
What an awesome dish! Featuring you tomorrow at Work It Wednesday, hope to see you back!