Grilled Asparagus
It doesn’t get any easier (or more delicious!) than Grilled Asparagus! Simply seasoned and cooked to perfection, these tender green spears will become your go-to grilling side dish.
When the days are warm and filled with outdoor fun, we like to keep our meals as simple as possible. That’s especially true when it comes to side dishes, which is why this grilled asparagus recipe is a favorite.
Cooking asparagus on the grill alongside Grilled Steak or Grilled Chicken Thighs is a surefire way to make dinner easy and delicious. The grill imparts a smoky roasted flavor, evident by the caramelized grill marks on the asparagus. This healthy side dish may look fancy, but the best part? You can have it on your table in just 10 minutes.
How to Make Grilled Asparagus
It couldn’t be simpler! You can grill asparagus on an outdoor charcoal or gas grill, or indoors on a grill pan.
- First, prep your asparagus. Wash the asparagus and dry it well. Then trim off the woody stem ends of the asparagus spears.
- Season the spears. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and black pepper, and toss to coat.
- Grill and serve! Heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the asparagus directly on the hot grill grates for 5-7 minutes total, flipping them over about halfway through the grill time. Serve it as is, or with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and enjoy!
Can you use a grill basket? Yes! Cooking asparagus in a grill basket on the grill works great. You may need to increase the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
Grilled Asparagus Recipe Tips
- Medium or thick asparagus spears are best for grilling. Thin asparagus spears will cook too quickly and may dry out.
- To quickly trim asparagus, hold one spear with a hand at each end and bend it until it snaps into two pieces. Discard the woody stem end. Then line up the rest of the asparagus next to the trimmed one and use a sharp chef’s knife to trim off the ends so that the spears are the same length as the first one.
- No need to grill asparagus in foil. Skip the foil and grill it directly on the grill grates over medium-high heat for the best umami flavor thanks to those beautiful grill marks. The same is true for other Grilled Vegetables.
- Flipping made easy! Gently push on the asparagus spears with a grill spatula to roll them over when it’s time to flip. It’s quick, and there’s less chance that you’ll lose one through the grill grates.
- Take asparagus off the grill when it’s just crisp-tender when pierced with a fork. Try not to overcook it, you want a bit of firmness in the spears.
What to Serve with Grilled Asparagus
Grilled asparagus is so delicious as is, that you really don’t need to add anything to it to make its flavor shine. If you’re feeling like fancying things up, you can add a sauce or additional seasoning. Try:
- A squeeze of lemon juice or a bit of lemon zest.
- Some grated Parmesan cheese for a hit of salty flavor.
- A drizzle of balsamic glaze for savory sweetness.
- Spoon on chimichurri sauce for garlicky, herby goodness.
For the main course, try one of these grilled proteins:
More Asparagus Recipes
Grilled Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, medium or thick spears are best for grilling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- lemon wedges, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus and dry it well.
- Trim off the tough woody stem ends of the asparagus: Hold one spear of asparagus with a hand at each end and bend it until it snaps into two pieces. Discard the woody stem end. Repeat this process with the remaining asparagus. Or, line up the rest of the asparagus next to the trimmed one and use a sharp chef's knife to trim off the ends so that the spears are the same length as the first one.
- Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to evenly coat.
- Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Once the grill is hot, add the asparagus. Grill for 5-7 minutes, carefully flipping the asparagus spears about halfway through (you can just push them a bit with a grill spatula to roll them over to flip), until the asparagus is crisp-tender.
- Serve as is or with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
- If you prefer to cook the asparagus in a grill basket on an outdoor grill, you may need to increase the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
