Asparagus Tart with Cashew & Tofu Ricotta
Asparagus has one of the most compressed seasons of any vegetable — in most growing regions, the harvest window runs from roughly late March through June, with April being the peak month when the spears are at their most tender, their most sweet, and their most abundant at market. After June the crowns are left to fern out and rebuild energy for next year, and asparagus disappears from shelves just as quietly as it arrived. This tart is built for that window. It has no business being made in September.
The base here is a simple, boldly seasoned cashew and tofu ricotta — blended until smooth, brightened with lemon zest, and set with a short bake. The result is creamy and substantial, with a mild tanginess that suits asparagus beautifully. If you eat dairy, a good whole-milk ricotta or crème fraîche works in exactly the same quantity and preparation. The tart is delicious either way, and the method doesn't change.
The pastry is an olive-oil shortcrust — lighter than a butter crust, with a pleasant crispness that holds up well to a moist filling, and fully plant-based without any substitutions required. It comes together quickly and rolls out cooperatively. If you prefer to use a store-bought pastry shell, use it without apology and put your attention into the filling and the asparagus, which are where the flavor lives.
What matters most here is the asparagus itself. Buy it fresh, ideally the day you plan to cook it — asparagus converts its sugars to starch within 24 to 48 hours of cutting, and the difference between asparagus bought yesterday and asparagus bought this morning is not subtle. Store it upright in an inch of cold water in the refrigerator if you need to hold it, like flowers. Thin spears are sweeter and more tender; thick spears have more structural bite. Both are correct; choose what the market offers at its best.
Serves 6 · 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
— For the olive oil pastry —
250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
80ml (⅓ cup) good olive oil
60–80ml (4–5 tablespoons) ice cold water
— For the lemon cashew ricotta —
150g (1 cup) raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours, drained
200g (7 oz) firm silken tofu, drained
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
White pepper to taste
Optional: substitute 300g (1¼ cups) whole-milk ricotta or crème fraîche for the ricotta above
— For the asparagus —
1 bunch asparagus (about 450g / 1 lb), woody ends snapped off
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
— To finish —
Fresh tarragon, chives, or flat-leaf parsley
Lemon zest
Good olive oil, for drizzling
METHOD
1. Make the pastry: whisk together the flour and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil and mix with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together — it should hold when pressed but not be sticky or wet. Press into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Make the ricotta: blend the drained cashews, silken tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and white pepper in a high-speed blender until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be bright, creamy, and well-seasoned. (If using dairy ricotta or crème fraîche, simply stir in the lemon zest, mustard, salt, and pepper — no blending needed.)
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Roll the chilled pastry into a circle or rectangle to fit a 9-inch tart pan or a rectangular tart tin. Press gently into the corners, trim the overhang, and prick the base all over. Chill for 15 minutes.
4. Line with parchment, fill with baking weights or dried beans, and blind bake for 18 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake a further 8 minutes until the base is golden and fully dry throughout.
5. While the case bakes, blanch the asparagus in aggressively salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer immediately to ice water to stop the cooking and lock in the color. Drain and pat dry. Toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
6. Spread the cashew ricotta evenly over the cooled tart case in a generous layer. Arrange the asparagus over the top — in a single direction, fanned from the center, or simply laid in parallel rows. All are beautiful.
7. Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 20–25 minutes, until the ricotta is set and the asparagus tips are beginning to color at the edges. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
8. Finish with fresh tarragon or chives, a fine grating of lemon zest, and a generous thread of your best olive oil over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
