Spring has been my favorite time of year ever since I was a little girl. Growing up in Norway, the winters were harsh, long, freezing cold and dark, which made people a bit depressed and not very social. Having daylight only for about five to six hours a day will do that to a person. 

But when the snow started melting, the days slowly got lighter and longer and I saw the first snowdrop flowers (snøklokke in Norwegian) pop up in the ground and the birch trees blooming, I always turned cheerful and excited for warmer weather to come.

Synonymous with the change of season came the new produce available to cook with. 

I’ve always associated asparagus with spring; the bright green, succulent and tender stalks offer a vibrant color signifying that nature is alive yet again, and provides a wonderful taste and texture to any dish. 

 Besides being tasty, asparagus is also nutritious, low in calories, helps digestion, is rich in fiber and has anti-cancer benefits. Asparagus has been prized as an epicurean delight and for its medicinal properties for almost 2000 years. 

Only in season from April-May (in some areas through July), make sure you take advantage of picking up some bunches at your local market and hopefully you will want to try out my delicious asparagus tart – recipe below!

In Norway, we celebrate the arrival of spring with meals that highlight the season’s first tender vegetables. This asparagus tart reminds me of outdoor dinners on our veranda back home in Sykkylven. 

My mom would open the windows to let in the fresh spring air as she prepared similar dishes with local ingredients. Asparagus holds a special place in Nordic cooking when winter finally releases its grip, and we eagerly incorporate it into our vårmat (spring food).

I’ve chosen to use whole wheat flour for this tart’s crust – a nod to the hearty, rustic baking traditions of Scandinavia. We’ve always valued wholesome, nutrient-dense ingredients in Nordic cooking, especially after the scarcity of winter. You can substitute all-purpose flour if you prefer, but I find the nutty flavor of whole wheat perfectly complements the spring vegetables. 

One of the joys of this recipe is how simple the dough is – just three main ingredients (not counting salt and water)! It’s become my go-to base for savory tarts throughout spring and summer.  Happy spring cooking!

Vegan Asparagus Tart

Makes 1 x 9-inch tart

Ingredients

For the tart dough:
9 oz (250 grams) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
1/4 cup (70 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) cold water

For the filling:
1 x 15 oz (425 g) can organic cannellini beans
¼ cup (45 g) heaping cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons spring pesto * (recipe to follow, or use store-bought)
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

For the spring pesto:
2 cups (40 g) tightly packed fresh basil, dill and parsley
1/2 cup (75 g) walnuts, almonds or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or vegan parmesan cheese)
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:
1 lb (450 g) fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 large Vidalia / sweet onion, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
1-2 garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

Directions

To make the dough:
Grease a 9-inch tart pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Whisk together the flour, sea salt, and fresh herbs in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add in the extra virgin oil and mix together with a fork. Add in the cold water and knead lightly until it comes together into a ball.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin, large enough to fit your tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough into your tart pan and line it neatly.

Trim the excess dough off the edges and place the pan in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Blind bake the crust: Prick holes in the dough with a fork, then cover with foil and place either dry beans or as I did, decorative rocks (!) on top to keep the dough from puffing up.

Place in the oven and blind bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and remove beans/foil. 

Meanwhile, make the pesto.

To make the pesto:
Place the basil, nuts, and garlic in a food processor – pulse to combine until mixture is coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast and season with salt and pepper, pulse a few more times until combined. Scrape out into a container and keep refrigerated until ready to use. 

To make the bean filling:
Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the clean bowl of a food processor. Add the cashews, mustard, pesto, salt and lemon juice. Pulse the food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides and pulse again. It should look like a rough paste.  Pulse a few more times, then sprinkle in the non-dairy milk while the machine is running, helping to further smooth the paste.

Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 

Cooking Tip: For extra creaminess, soak your cashews in hot water for 15 minutes before adding them to the food processor. This is especially important if you don’t have a high-powered blender.

To make the topping:
In a large saute pan, place 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with a clove or two of smashed garlic over medium-low heat, then increase heat to medium, add sliced onions, season with kosher salt and saute for 10-15 minutes or so until caramelized.

Remove the onions from the pan and transfer to a plate.  Add a little more oil to the pan and add the asparagus stalks. Season with salt and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes or so until they begin to soften but still stay vibrant and green.

Squeeze a little lemon juice on top of the asparagus, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate until ready to assemble the tart.

To assemble and bake the tart:
Spread the white bean/pesto mixture over the tart dough.

Then arrange the top with caramelized onions and asparagus.

Place the tart in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the dough is golden and the filling is cooked through.  

The tart is equally tasty warm right out of the oven or at room temperature. Serve with a nice green salad and your favorite full-bodied white wine – this is absolutely mouthwatering and tastes just like spring!!

More Recipes To Try…

Spring Salad with Scandinavian-Spiced Chickpeas

Solskinnsboller

A Classic Norwegian Potato Salad

Vegan Asparagus Tart

This Nordic-inspired vegan asparagus tart celebrates spring with a wholesome whole wheat crust, creamy white bean and cashew filling, and seasonal asparagus. The rustic dough pairs perfectly with caramelized onions and fresh pesto for a dish that's both nutritious and delicious – a perfect way to welcome warmer days the Scandinavian way!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Norwegian

Keyword: Tart

Servings: 6

Author: Sunny Gandara | Arctic Grub

Ingredients

For the tart dough:

• 9 oz (250 g) whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
• ¼ cup (70 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup (125 ml) cold water

For the filling:

• 1 x 15 oz (425 g) can organic cannellini beans
• ¼ cup (45 g) heaping cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoon spring pesto* (recipe to follow, or use store-bought)
• 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

For the spring pesto

• 2 cups (40 g) tightly packed fresh basil, dill and parsley
• ½ cup (75 g) walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, or vegan parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:

• 1 lb (450 g) fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1 large Vidalia or sweet onion, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

Instructions

To make the dough:

• Grease a 9 inch tart pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Whisk together the flour, sea salt and fresh herbs in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in the extra virgin oil and mix together with a fork. Add in the cold water and knead lightly until it comes together into a ball.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin, large enough to fit your tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough into your tart pan and line it neatly.
• Trim the excess dough off the edges and place the pan in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Blind bake the crust: Prick holes in the dough with a fork, then cover with foil and place either dry beans or as I did, decorative rocks (!) on top to keep the dough from puffing up.
• Place in the oven and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove beans/foil. Meanwhile, make the pesto.

To make the pesto:

• Place the basil, nuts, and garlic in a food processor–pulse to combine until mixture is coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream.

  Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and season with salt and pepper, pulse a few more times until combined. Scrape out into a container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

To make the bean filling:

• Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the clean bowl of a food processor. Add the cashews, mustard, pesto, salt and lemon juice. Pulse the food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides and pulse again. It should look like a rough paste.

  Pulse a few more times, then sprinkle in the non-dairy milk while the machine is running, helping to further smooth the paste.
• Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the topping:

• In a large saute pan, place 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with a clove or two of smashed garlic over medium-low heat, then increase heat to medium, add sliced onions, season with kosher salt and saute for 10-15 minutes or so until caramelized.
• Remove the onions from the pan and transfer to a plate. Add a little more oil to the pan and add the asparagus stalks. Season with salt and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes or so until they begin to soften but still stay vibrant and green.
• Squeeze a little lemon juice on top of the asparagus, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate until ready to assemble the tart.

To assemble and bake the tart:

• Spread the white bean/pesto mixture over the tart dough.
• Then arrange the top with caramelized onions and asparagus.
• Place the tart in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the dough is golden and filling is cooked through.
• The tart is equally tasty warm right out of the oven or at room temperature. Serve with a nice green salad and your favorite full-bodied white wine–this is absolutely mouthwatering and tastes just like spring!!

Notes

Cooking Tip: For extra creaminess, soak your cashews in hot water for 15 minutes before adding them to the food processor. This is especially important if you don’t have a high-powered blender.