Pickled Asparagus Toast with Whipped Ricotta and Charred Spring Onions
Spring in Seattle always reminds me of restaurant prep tables covered in green vegetables. Cases of asparagus. Spring onions. Green garlic. Herbs everywhere. When I worked at Palace Kitchen, we were constantly trying to figure out new ways to turn simple vegetables into something that felt exciting enough to anchor a dish.
Toast was always one of those formats.
Not avocado toast. Not overloaded brunch toast. Actual restaurant toast. Thick sourdough charred hard in a pan, creamy whipped spreads, aggressive acid, smoky vegetables, pickles, olive oil, flaky salt. The kind of thing that eats like a full composed dish.
This recipe came from wanting to use asparagus in multiple ways at once.
The pickled asparagus becomes bright, crunchy, acidic, and almost addictive after sitting overnight in the fridge. But the bigger move here is using the asparagus trimmings and spring onion tops that normally get thrown away. Roasting them until soft and blending them into ricotta creates this insanely green whipped spread that tastes buttery, vegetal, and fresh without being heavy.
Then everything gets piled onto toasted sourdough with charred spring onions and olive oil.
It tastes like spring.
Why Pickled Asparagus Works So Well
Pickled asparagus is one of the best spring condiments you can make because it cuts through rich foods instantly. The vinegar wakes everything up, while the asparagus still keeps its snap and grassy flavor.
It also keeps extremely well in the fridge, which means you can throw it onto sandwiches, salads, grilled meats, eggs, or toast throughout the week.
The jalapeño and green garlic in the brine slowly perfume the asparagus over time, giving it a subtle heat and savory depth without overpowering the vegetable itself.
Why Roast the Asparagus Bottoms
Most people throw away the woody asparagus bottoms. Restaurants usually do too unless somebody in the kitchen starts experimenting.
Roasting them concentrates their sweetness and removes that raw fibrous taste. Once blended with spinach, butter, and stock, they turn into something surprisingly luxurious.
Folding that puree into ricotta makes this feel like something you would get at a cafe in Seattle or Copenhagen for $18.
But it is built almost entirely from scraps.
Ingredients
For the Pickled Asparagus
- 1 bundle asparagus, woody bottoms removed and reserved (about 450 g / 1 lb)
- 1 jalapeño, halved (about 40 g / 1 medium jalapeño)
- 100 g green garlic, thinly sliced (about 1 cup sliced)
Pickling Liquid
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 g four peppercorn blend (about 1 tbsp)
- 4 g fennel seed (about 1/2 tbsp)
- 8 g red pepper flakes (about 1 tbsp)
- 8 g coriander seed (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 to 1.5 L rice wine vinegar (about 1 to 1 1/2 quarts)
- 120 g kosher salt, or to taste (about 1/2 cup)
For the Whipped Asparagus Ricotta
- 150 g asparagus bottoms, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 100 g spring onion tops, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 15 g extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tbsp)
- Salt to taste
- 120 g stock (about 1/2 cup)
- 30 g spinach (about 1 cup loosely packed)
- 14 g butter (about 1 tbsp)
- 125 g asparagus puree (about 1/2 cup)
- 250 g ricotta (about 1 cup)
For the Charred Spring Onions
- 4 spring onion bulbs, halved lengthwise
- 15 g extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tbsp)
- Salt to taste
For Assembly
- 2 thick slices sourdough bread
- 125 g pickled asparagus, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 charred spring onion bulb, chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky salt
How to Make Pickled Asparagus Toast
1. Make the Pickling Liquid
In a saucepan, combine:
- bay leaf
- peppercorns
- fennel seed
- chili flakes
- coriander seed
- rice wine vinegar
- salt
Bring everything to a simmer.
Taste the liquid. It should be aggressively salty and acidic.
Pack the asparagus tightly into a large glass jar with the jalapeño and sliced green garlic.
Pour the hot pickling liquid over the asparagus until fully submerged.
Seal and refrigerate overnight.
The asparagus will continue improving over the next few days and can hold in the fridge for months if kept clean and submerged.
2. Roast the Asparagus Bottoms
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss the asparagus bottoms and chopped spring onion tops with olive oil and salt on a sheet tray.
Roast until fully softened and lightly caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes.
The asparagus should smell sweet and deeply vegetal instead of raw.
3. Char the Spring Onion Bulbs
Place the halved spring onion bulbs cut-side down into a hot skillet with olive oil.
Place a weight on top and transfer to the oven.
Cook until softened and deeply charred on the flat side.
Flip once briefly to finish cooking through.
Set aside.
4. Make the Green Asparagus Puree
Add the roasted asparagus bottoms and spring onion tops to a blender with:
- stock
- spinach
- butter
Blend until completely smooth and bright green.
Season with salt to taste.
This should look almost fluorescent green and taste buttery, grassy, and slightly sweet.
5. Make the Whipped Ricotta
In a mixing bowl, combine:
- 125 g asparagus puree (1/2 cup)
- 250 g ricotta (1 cup)
Whisk until smooth and airy.
Taste for seasoning.
This becomes ridiculously good spread onto toast, sandwiches, or grilled vegetables.
6. Toast the Bread
Toast thick slices of sourdough in olive oil until deeply golden and crisp around the edges.
You want restaurant-style toast here. Hard char on the edges is good.
7. Assemble the Toast
Spread the whipped asparagus ricotta generously onto the toast.
In a bowl, toss together:
- chopped pickled asparagus
- chopped charred spring onion
- olive oil
Pile that mixture onto the toast.
Finish with flaky salt and more olive oil.
Chef Tips
Use Rice Wine Vinegar
Rice wine vinegar keeps the pickles lighter and cleaner tasting than white vinegar. It lets the asparagus stay the star.
Do Not Waste the Trimmings
The asparagus bottoms are the entire reason the ricotta spread works. Roasting transforms them completely.
Blend Longer Than You Think
Restaurant sauces are usually blended far longer than home cooks realize. Let the blender run until completely silky.
Char Your Toast Hard
The bitterness from deeply toasted sourdough balances the creamy ricotta and acidic pickles.
What This Tastes Like
This sits somewhere between a restaurant tartine, a spring antipasto, and a chef snack eaten standing over a prep table.
You get:
- creamy whipped ricotta
- bright acidic asparagus
- smoky spring onions
- grassy green garlic
- crunchy toast
- buttery roasted vegetable flavor underneath everything
It feels rich while still tasting extremely fresh.
And honestly, this is one of the best ways to take advantage of asparagus season.
Pickled Asparagus Toast with Whipped Ricotta and Charred Spring Onions
Ingredients
Pickled Asparagus
- 1 bundle asparagus woody bottoms removed and reserved (about 450 g / 1 lb)
- 1 jalapeño halved (about 40 g)
- 100 g green garlic thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- Pickling Liquid
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 g four peppercorn blend about 1 tbsp
- 4 g fennel seed about 1/2 tbsp
- 8 g red pepper flakes about 1 tbsp
- 8 g coriander seed about 1 tbsp
- 1 to 1.5 L rice wine vinegar about 1 to 1 1/2 quarts
- 120 g kosher salt about 1/2 cup
Whipped Asparagus Ricotta
- 150 g asparagus bottoms chopped (about 1 cup)
- 100 g spring onion tops chopped (about 1 cup)
- 15 g extra virgin olive oil about 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- 120 g stock about 1/2 cup
- 30 g spinach about 1 cup loosely packed
- 14 g butter about 1 tbsp
- 125 g asparagus puree about 1/2 cup
- 250 g ricotta about 1 cup
Charred Spring Onions
- 4 spring onion bulbs halved lengthwise
- 15 g extra virgin olive oil about 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Assembly
- 2 thick slices sourdough bread
- 125 g pickled asparagus chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 charred spring onion bulb chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Combine the bay leaf, peppercorn blend, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, coriander seed, rice wine vinegar, and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until the salt dissolves completely. Pack the asparagus tightly into a large glass jar with the jalapeño and sliced green garlic. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the asparagus until fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate overnight before using.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the reserved asparagus bottoms and chopped spring onion tops with olive oil and salt on a sheet tray. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until fully softened, lightly caramelized, and sweet smelling.
- Place the halved spring onion bulbs cut-side down into a hot skillet with olive oil. Press with a heavy pan or weight and transfer to the oven. Cook until deeply charred and softened. Flip briefly to finish cooking through, then set aside.
- Add the roasted asparagus bottoms and spring onion tops to a blender with the stock, spinach, and butter. Blend until completely smooth, bright green, and silky. Season with salt to taste.
- Combine the asparagus puree and ricotta in a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth, airy, and fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Toast the sourdough bread in olive oil until deeply golden brown and crisp around the edges.
- In a small bowl, toss together the chopped pickled asparagus, chopped charred spring onion, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Spread the whipped asparagus ricotta generously onto the toasted sourdough. Spoon the pickled asparagus mixture over the top. Finish with flaky salt and extra virgin olive oil before serving.
