This asparagus clafoutis is a light and cheesy asparagus recipe for the oven, perfect for spring. Inspired by Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon, it’s elegant enough for Easter yet simple enough for a weekday lunch. Serve warm with crusty baguette to mop up every last bite of it's accompanying sauce.
This dish is a favorite in our household — I use it as an elegant side dish, or a light main course with a salad. The Parmesan sauce is the best accompaniment! - David
Why We Love Savoury Asparagus Clafoutis
We’re totally mad about French clafoutis every summer. Usually, it’s my Corsican mother-in-law’s cherry clafoutis classic, or our other fruity ones with raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries & lemon. But savoury clafoutis is so tendance right now in France. Even our local butcher and traiteur (delicatessen) features tomato and courgette versions - proof that it’s the crustless quiche everyone wants.
This version was inspired by Chef Eric Frechon of Le Bristol in Paris. I first came across his recipe in Elle Magazine, where he used asparagus and boiled the peelings with the spears for extra flavour. I loved how light it was - and that “cheffy” tip stayed with me.
Made with blended asparagus, eggs and cream, this one is baked until gently puffed and golden. It’s moist and delicate inside, thanks to blending the asparagus into the batter - don’t skip that step!
What Goes Well with Asparagus? How to Serve
If you’re looking for an asparagus recipe for Easter or a spring lunch, this clafoutis is perfect. Serve it warm or chilled, as a starter, side, or light vegetarian main.
For a citrusy twist, try my White Asparagus & Lemon Clafoutis - but this version is an asparagus recipe without lemon, and it's extra cheesy. Make them either in one big dish or individual portions using muffin moulds. Oh so chic!
It’s even better with a spoonful of my Parmesan cream sauce sitting underneath in the most delicious pool. Simple, silky and made without garlic or flour.
Asparagus Recipe with Bacon
If you're used to wrapping asparagus in bacon, this is a different take. For that same hit of salt and crunch, top the clafoutis with a crispy bacon rasher before serving. It’s a subtle nod to the classic, without overpowering the dish.
Asparagus Recipe to Serve with Salmon
Need an asparagus recipe to serve with salmon? This clafoutis pairs beautifully with smoked or poached salmon as a starter or light lunch. No need for any creamy additions - the clafoutis delivers all the delicate texture and flavour.
How to Prepare & Cook Asparagus
I blended Eric Frechon's tip of cooking the asparagus with the peelings and mixed it with another chef's tips.
A few years ago, I was kindly invited to take part in a pilot run for Parisian cookery classes with Chef Philippe Excoffier in Paris's 7th arrondissement, where I wrote up an article about the delicious experience. It's where the chef serves his legendary cheese soufflés, Soufflés Suissesse. I strongly recommend trying out this signature dish in his restaurant in rue de l'Exposition, near the Eiffel Tower.
Chef Excoffier showed us how to prepare asparagus and how long to cook it:
- Snap or trim the woody asparagus bottoms (about a quarter up)
- Remove the pedoncules or spiky bits for easier digestion
- Boil in well-salted water for only 3 minutes
- Plunge into iced water to stop the cooking.
See more tips in my French Market Asparagus guide.
Clafoutis vs Soufflé - What's the Difference?
A soufflé rises tall and proud. A clafoutis? Gently puffs, then relaxes - and that’s exactly how it should be. It’s easier to make, just as tasty, and lets you skip the stress.
The French soufflé uses a béchamel sauce recipe as its base and whipped egg whites - so there's a lot more preparation involved.
Chef Excoffier added a parmesan sauce to his Parisian soufflés and served them with asparagus on the side. The flavours together are divine! So this recipe is a mixture of admiration of ideas from both chefs, by adding the most silky parmesan sauce.
Asparagus Recipe: Savoury Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) fresh asparagus (2 bunches)
- 3 eggs organic
- 2 egg yolks organic
- 15 g (1 tbsp) all-purpose flour (or ½ tablespoon cornflour to make this gluten-free)
- 115 ml (4 floz/ ½ cup) half-fat single cream 12% fat or use half-and-half (heavy cream + whole milk)
- 55 g (2oz/ ⅔ cup) matured parmesan cheese finely grated
- good pinch each salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F/160°C fan/Gas 4. Prepare 4 ramekin oven dishes (or 6 muffin moulds) by greasing them well with softened butter. Snap the asparagus spears about ¼ off the bottom, where they break naturally. For green asparagus, scrape them as close as possible to the spear heads or peel for white. Cut the spears into 3.
- Fill a large pan with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add a generous heaped teaspoon of salt to the cooking water. Prepare a large bowl of (preferably iced) cold water.
- Turn down the heat and cook the asparagus (with the peelings if white asparagus) for 3 minutes (no more than 4 minutes if they're more chunky). Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer to the cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prepare the clafoutis batter: beat the eggs, yolks, grated parmesan, flour and season with salt and pepper.
- Drain the asparagus, setting aside a spear top per person for the decor and one spear top each for the clafoutis. Place the rest of the asparagus in a food processor and mix to a purée with some of the batter.
- Stir in the puréed asparagus to the rest of the batter. Pour into the individual buttered ramekin dishes/muffin moulds, placing a spear top in each. Alternatively, pour into one buttered ovenproof dish, adding the rest of the spears. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes (35 mins for a large clafoutis).
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, using a sharp knife, release the clafoutis from around the edges and place directly on the serving plates on top of a few spoonfuls of parmesan sauce (link below).
Video
Notes
Love clafoutis? Make this rhubarb clafoutis and tons more variations in my new French custards e-book!
David Scott Allen
This dish is a favorite in our household — I use it as an elegant side dish, or a light main course with a salad. The Parmesan sauce is the best accompaniment!
Jill Colonna
I want to be a guest chez vous, David! This as an elegant side just has me begging for an invitation!
Agreed on that parmesan sauce - it's not the same without it. Thanks x
sherry
how delicious Jill. i love a good savoury dish, and this looks superb. i love asparagus of whatever kind.
cheers
sherry
Jill Colonna
Thrilled to hear this, Sherry - thanks!
Christina Conte
Oh goodness, I must be very strange as I dislike green asparagus, but discovered that I really like the white one a few years ago. Unfortunately, I've only seen it here in LA once and it was ridiculously priced. Love these savoury clafoutis, Jill and the Parmesan sauce is delectable! Thanks for another fabulous recipe AND great video! 🙂 You're a natural!
Jill Colonna
Yes, white asparagus is incredibly juicy, isn't it? Both make this clafoutis so different yet that parmesan sauce go insanely well with either. Thanks for your lovely words as ever, Christina x
Betty
Jill, so happy you published this, as we tried it and loved it! In fact, you might not have seen it, but I did a miniature version of it for my newest blog post! When you recommended to use a silicone mold, I remembered that I had bought a silicone chocolate mold a few months ago and it worked just perfectly! I will tell you that we couldn't eat all that I had made and of course, we refrigerated the leftovers. We are having heatwave here right now and only want to eat cold food and I have to say that these clafoutis are actually really delicious served cold as well (without the parmesan sauce), with some of the crusty bread you recommend! Excellent recipe and so honored to make it for my Teeny Tea!!
Jill Colonna
Dearest Betty,
What a most imaginative, magical post you created. Thank you so much for sharing the asparagus clafoutis and parmesan sauce. Imagine you recreating this so cleverly as a miniature? Hats off to you! And waving back to Mrs Tiggy Winkle. Feel that I've sat down to tea in a wee, magical world.
Betty
Just coming back to leave a follow-up comment about this delicious recipe! The second time making it was to accompany your Smoked Tea Beurre Blanc Salmon and what a lovely combination it makes. Very rich and elegant. I found I did not buy enough asparagus for the entire recipe, but reduced all the other ingredients by a bit and it was very forgiving and still turned out absolutely delicious. As I mentioned above, the leftovers are just as yummy, eaten the next day for luncheon with some crusty bread. In fact, I can see making this in the summer as a picnic dish, taken in a small cooler. Lovely!
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much for getting back to me after making the recipe, Betty. So delighted you love this too. We adore it in summer - great idea on the picnic - and so honoured you made it at Christmas time. Have a most delicious New Year!
Mimi
Well, I'm stunned that people who like green asparagus don't like white asparagus!!! I can't get the white variety where I live, but whenever I'm in Europe in the springtime i practically order it at every meal! This version is beautiful.
Jill Colonna
Totally agree with you Mimi - I guess we're not all alike. No wonder you get your fill of white asparagus when you're here!
Elke Gausepohl
Fantastique!
I‘ll prepare it tomorrow and I am sure that it tastes like it looks like on your pictures!
Jill Colonna
So happy to hear you're making it this weekend, Elke. Greetings to all the family in Germany!
Liz
Ooh, a clafoutis that even Bill will love! So yummy!!!
Jill Colonna
Liz, that's music to my ears. Enjoy this with Bill.
Victor
My wife, Betty, follows you on twitter and instagram. We love your posts and recipes....and your stories of France !
Jill Colonna
So thrilled to hear such lovely, motivating words, Victor. It's a real pleasure!
Thomasina
This savoury Clafoutis looks scrumptious Jill. I love asparagus, white or green and it's sometimes boring on its own with only the sauce as an accompaniment. Good idea to have lemon zest with the white. Thanks also for the wine suggestions.
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much, Thomasina. Hope you try either version, as it's a lovely change, as you say, to asparagus on its own with sauce (even although I love that, too!)
Jean-Pierre D.
LOVE this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing. It's definitely a keeper.
Jill Colonna
So thrilled you've already tried it! Thanks for popping in.