Vegan Asparagus and Pesto Cashew Cheese Tart with Lemon Arugula

Flaky puff pastry is layered with pesto, an easy cashew cheese and fresh asparagus. Some Everything bagel seasoning adds some extra brunch appeal to the crust. Serve with a 3 ingredient lemon arugula salad on top for a delicious meal that comes together with minimal work in the kitchen.

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Pin Save Recipe

Course: Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Asparaugs Tart, Savory Brunch Recipe, Vegan Tart

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 28

Servings: 12 (2 x tarts)

Calories: 351kcal

Author: Bronwyn

Ingredients

2 sheets vegan puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
349 g silken tofu, drained (1 pkg shelf-stable tetra-pak variety)
½ cup cashews, quick soaked (see recipe notes)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp shiro or light miso
½ tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp vegan basil pesto
2 lbs fresh asparagus, tough bottoms trimmed (about 2 bunches)
1 ½ tsp Everything Bagel spice

For the Lemon Arugula:

4 cups arugula
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
dried chili flakes
coarse salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a high-speed blender or a food processor, blend the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, and thyme until smooth.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each sheet of puff pastry to about 1/4" thick. Place each pastry on prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a 1" border on the puff pastry (this helps with a defined crust during baking.) Brush the border of each sheet with olive oil.
Spread 2 tbsp of pesto on each sheet of pastry, leaving the pesto off the borders. Gently spread about 3/4 cup of the tofu-cashew mixture over the pesto. Place the asparagus over the tofu-cashew mixture, alternating tips to bases for a more balanced look. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp of the Everything Bagel spice over the borders of each tart. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until dark golden. For best and even baking results, bake the tarts separately, keeping one in the fridge until baking.

For the Lemon Arugula:

In a medium sized bowl, toss the arugula with the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.
To serve, place half the arugula over each tart and sprinkle with additional coarse salt, pepper, and dried chili flakes as desired.

Nutrition Info:

Notes:

To quick soak the cashews: place the cashews in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the water level so they don't dry up and burn. Drain and use in recipe.

Did you make this recipe?Tag @crumbs.and.caramel on Instagram!