Spring Vegetable Tart

A spring vegetable tart is a savory custard baked in a pastry shell with tender vegetables and cheese. The eggs and cream set into a silky filling that holds the vegetables in place, and you slice it clean and neat. The trick is pre-cooking the vegetables so they don’t release water into the custard and make it soggy.

Ingredients for Spring Vegetable Tart

All-purpose flour and butter make the tender crust. Salt and ice water bring it together. Asparagus and peas are the spring vegetables, cooked just until tender so they don’t weep into the filling. Gruyère cheese adds nutty flavor and helps the custard set. Eggs and heavy cream form the silky custard that holds everything in place. Dijon mustard, black pepper, and fresh thyme season it all.

Why This Spring Vegetable Tart Works

The pastry shell bakes blind first, so it stays crisp and doesn’t get soggy from the custard. The asparagus and peas are cooked in boiling salted water before they go into the tart, which removes excess moisture and makes them tender. If you add raw vegetables, they release liquid as they bake and the filling becomes watery and won’t set properly.

The egg and cream custard is poured over the vegetables and cheese, then baked at 375°F until it puffs slightly and the center is just set. The tart needs to cool and rest before you slice it, so the custard firms up and you get clean slices instead of a soft, runny mess. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

Mistakes To Avoid

Raw vegetables in the filling release liquid as they bake and turn the custard into soup. Cook asparagus and peas in boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp, then drain them well and pat them dry on a clean kitchen towel before you add them to the tart.

Skipping the blind bake lets the pastry puff up and the bottom stays pale and soft instead of golden and crisp. Line the crust with foil, fill it with dried beans or pie weights, and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and bake 2 more minutes until just set.

Overbaking the custard makes it rubbery and pulls away from the crust. Start checking at 35 minutes; the center should jiggle just slightly when you gently shake the pan. It will continue to cook as it cools.

Cutting the tart while it is hot breaks the custard into pieces instead of clean slices. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature so the eggs firm up and hold together when you cut.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen peas
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and rub with your fingertips until it looks like coarse sand, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently, until the dough just comes together. Form a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan, press into the bottom and sides, and trim the edge.
4. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 10 minutes until the sides are set, then remove weights and foil.
5. Bake 2 more minutes at 400°F until the crust is pale and set, about 12 minutes total. Remove and let cool slightly. Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes, then add peas and cook 1 more minute until tender-crisp. Drain well and pat dry on a clean towel.
7. Scatter the cooked asparagus and peas in the crust. Sprinkle Gruyère cheese over the vegetables.
8. Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and fresh thyme in a bowl. Pour the custard over the vegetables and cheese.
9. Bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes until the filling is set at the edges and the center jiggles just slightly when you gently shake the pan. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer in the center.
10. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 6 wedges.