The gluten-free and lactose-free asparagus crepes are a creamy, delicate first course, perfect for spring when asparagus is in season. They are prepared with light rice-flour crepes, filled with a soft mixture of sheep ricotta and sautéed asparagus, all wrapped in a velvety almond-milk béchamel.
This is an ideal recipe if you follow a gluten-free diet but still want to serve a flavorful and very simple dish. The crepes, thin and soft, can also be made in advance and then filled shortly before baking.
The result is a fragrant, creamy, and well-balanced dish, perfect for a family lunch, a spring menu, or even a special occasion.
Asparagus, with their delicate and slightly herbaceous flavor, pair perfectly with the ricotta and the light lactose-free béchamel, creating a soft and enveloping filling that makes these crepes truly irresistible. Wild asparagus give an intense, aromatic flavor, but if you can’t find them you can comfortably use cultivated asparagus and still obtain a tender and tasty result.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1.8 oz gluten-free rice flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 7/8 cup gluten-free almond milk
- 2 cups sheep ricotta (lactose-free)
- 1.1 lbs wild asparagus
- 1 fresh spring onion
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- salt
- pepper
- 2 cups gluten-free almond milk
- 2 tbsp lactose-free butter
- 2.5 tbsp gluten-free rice flour
- salt
- nutmeg
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Pan
- 1 Baking dish
Steps
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a whisk with a pinch of salt. Add the flour and mix with the whisk to eliminate any lumps. Gradually add the milk, blending well. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Heat an 8-inch pan with a drizzle of oil and then wipe it with a paper towel; pour a little batter and rotate the pan to cover the entire surface. Cook a couple of minutes per side. Repeat the same way until the batter is finished.
Clean the asparagus, remove the hardest bottom part and cut them into pieces, leaving the tips whole. Thinly slice the spring onion.
In a pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil with the spring onion. Add the asparagus and sauté for a few minutes.
Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the asparagus are tender. Season with salt and pepper, then remove the garlic (if used).
Transfer the asparagus to a bowl and combine them with the sheep ricotta, stirring until you obtain a creamy mixture.Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring. Meanwhile, heat the milk.
Gradually add the hot milk to the roux, whisking and bring to the right consistency.
Salt and flavor with nutmeg. Continue to cook, whisking.
The béchamel is ready when it becomes thick, about 5 minutes from boiling.
Transfer to a glass or ceramic container. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and let cool to room temperature.Place a little filling in the center of each crepe and fold them into a square or roll them up.
Arrange them in a lightly oiled baking dish, cover with the béchamel and, if you like, add a few asparagus tips on top.
Bake at 356°F for about 20 minutes, until the surface is lightly golden.
Serve the gluten-free and lactose-free asparagus crepes hot.
WARNING: consult the Italian Celiac Association handbook and carefully read ingredient labels to ensure they do not contain gluten contamination.
Tips for perfect crepes
To obtain thin and soft gluten-free crepes, it’s important that the batter is smooth and lump-free. If you have time, let it rest 10-15 minutes before cooking the crepes: this allows the rice flour to hydrate better and the texture will be more elastic.
Another small trick is to lightly grease the pan with a little oil or a knob of lactose-free butter and spread it with a paper towel. This way the crepes won’t stick and will remain thin and delicate.
If the batter is too thick, you can add a tablespoon of almond milk to make it more fluid.
Variations of the asparagus crepes
Asparagus and salmon crepes
Add small pieces of smoked salmon to the filling for an even richer version, perfect for a special lunch.
Asparagus and speck crepes
If you like stronger flavors, you can add speck cut into strips and sautéed with the asparagus.
Completely lactose-free crepes
If you prefer to avoid dairy altogether, you can replace the sheep ricotta with plant-based ricotta — you can find the recipe for homemade almond ricotta here, or use blended tofu with a drizzle of oil and salt.
How to store the crepes
The asparagus crepes keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days, well covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
You can also prepare them in advance, assemble them in the baking dish and keep them in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I prepare the crepes in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the crepes the day before and store them in the refrigerator stacked and covered with plastic wrap.
Can I use another type of plant milk?
Certainly. Instead of almond milk you can use soy milk or gluten-free oat milk. Here you can find the video recipe to prepare béchamel with almond milk.
Can I freeze the asparagus crepes?
Yes, you can freeze them already filled and arranged in the baking dish. When you want to bake them, let them thaw in the refrigerator and then heat them in the oven. Watch here how to prepare crepes.
With which other ingredients can I fill the gluten-free crepes?
Crepes are very versatile: you can fill them with spinach and ricotta as I prepared here, mushrooms, smoked salmon or seasonal vegetables.
The gluten-free and lactose-free asparagus crepes are a simple yet truly special first course, perfect for showcasing seasonal asparagus with a creamy and delicate recipe.
Crepes made with rice flour are thin and soft, while the filling of sheep ricotta and sautéed asparagus creates a very pleasant balance of flavors. The almond-milk béchamel completes the dish, making it even more enveloping and suitable for those who are lactose intolerant.
It’s an ideal recipe for a spring family lunch, but also when you want to serve something different from the usual, tasty and prepared with simple ingredients.
If you love homemade gluten-free recipes, these asparagus crepes are an easy and versatile option that will win everyone over at first bite.
If you like gluten-free recipes with seasonal ingredients, also discover the other asparagus recipes on the blog.
1-White asparagus salad with hard-boiled eggs
