A Taste of Spring: Lemony Spring Vegetable Tart
There’s something about spring that makes me want to fling open the kitchen windows, put on a bit of music, and make something light, fresh, and just a little bit pretty. You know the sort of thing — food that feels like sunshine on a plate. That’s exactly where this tart came from: a scruffy, rustic, no-fuss number that ended up being an absolute stunner.
I do love shortcrust pastry, but I wanted something a bit heartier, with a bit more characterful than your standard buttery tart base. So, I added mature cheddar into the dough, the proper punchy stuff. Also a dollop of thick Greek yogurt for a bit of tang. Once blind-baked, it came out gorgeously golden with just the right amount of chew and crumble.
A generous amount of ricotta, whipped with lemon zest and seasoned with salt and black pepper, topped it off. The zesty edge lifts it, turning a simple creamy layer into something you’d happily eat with a spoon straight from the bowl (and I may have!).
Spring vegetables
Then the vegetables — all green and glorious. I blanched fresh peas, added frozen broad beans, and tossed in new season asparagus. They went into a quick herb dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and soft herbs. (I used garden mint and chives). Simple, but it makes everything glisten and sing.
To finish it off, I foraged a few garlic mustard flowers on my morning walk. They looked lovely scattered on top — a wild, seasonal flourish.
Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard is a common wild green with a gentle garlicky kick and peppery leaves. Found in shady hedgerows, its white flowers and tender leaves are both edible — perfect for adding a fresh, foraged touch to spring dishes.
The end result? A glorious mess of seasonal goodness — unfussy and fresh. Perfect for a light lunch or supper.
So if you’re craving something cheerful and green, have a rummage in your fridge (or your hedgerow, if you’re feeling adventurous) and give this tart a go. It’s forgiving, flexible, and oh-so-satisfying. Just don’t skip the cheese in the pastry — trust me on that one.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR Lemony Spring Vegetable Tart?
I’d love to hear how it turned out! Let me know in the comments below, or share a photo on Instagram and tag @nordickitchenstories.
Lemony Spring Vegetable Tart
Ingredients
Pastry
- 180 g white spelt or plain/all purpose flour
- 90 g cold butter diced
- 40 g mature cheddar grated
- 65 g full-fat Greek yogurt
Topping
- 250 g tub ricotta
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 clove garlic blanched
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed
- 180 g fresh peas in their pods shell
- 160 g broad beans I used frozen, blanched
Dressing
- ½ small lemon juice only
- 4 Tbs extra virgin love oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- handful soft herbs ie. mint and chives, chopped
- fresh herbs and edible flowers to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.
- To make the pastry: Tip the flour and butter into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, then rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is fully combined and resembles breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese and stir in with a fork. Now add the Greek yoghurt, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. (You can also make this in a food processor.) Shape into a ball, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll the pastry out with a rolling pin and trim with a knife to measure 30 x 16 cm. Place on a piece of baking parchment on a baking tray. Prick the entire surface with a fork. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
- For the ricotta topping: Tip the ricotta into a bowl. Add the lemon zest, olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. Place the garlic clove in a small saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil, and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and leave to cool. (As the flavours in this tart are quite delicate, blanching the garlic helps to mellow its strength.) Finely mince the garlic and add to the ricotta.
- Prepare the vegetables: Cut the asparagus into 3cm pieces. Blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water. Do the same with the shelled peas. Slip the skins off the blanched broad beans. Place all the blanched vegetables in a bowl and set aside.
- Make the dressing: Place the dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender with a little salt and pepper. Blitz for 10 seconds, then set aside.
- To assemble: Place the pastry on a suitable serving dish or wooden board. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1cm border. Dress the vegetables with the herby dressing, then pile them on top of the ricotta. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and edible flowers. Serve immediately.
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