Kick off the BBQ season with these smoky skewers Grilled asparagus! It’s an easy, healthy side dish with endless possibilities.
As the warmer spring weather sets in, you can count on me to fire up our grill and cook up as much grilled asparagus as possible during the season.
Slightly charred on the outside, caramelized on the inside, and touched with that tantalizing sense of easy living that only the grill can impart (grilled broccoli and grilled corn agree), this healthy way to cook asparagus takes 10 minutes or less.
Why I love grilled asparagus
Aside from being downright delicious, this easy grilled veg recipe has so much going for it.
- Healthy. Grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook asparagus, and it adds extra nutrition to your standard grilled meal.
- Simply. Just season with salt and pepper for a quick and easy side dish that will pair with any of your weeknight meals.
- Versatile. Take your asparagus game to the next level by spicing it up with a range of complementary flavors, spices and/or herbs.
TOP!
Just like this grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus pairs beautifully with parmesan, lemon, and/or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Below are other fantastic ways to flavor asparagus.
5 star rating
“What a perfect springtime side dish. The grilling process turns the asparagus so beautifully green and full of flavor.”
— Vicky —
How to grill asparagus
If you’re not making air fryer asparagus, grilling asparagus can be a bit tricky as those pesky spears tend to fall through the grates.
The delicate tips (my favorite part!) are easy to burn.
Tips for the BEST grilled asparagus ever
- Use thick spears of asparagus. While thick and thin asparagus taste the same, thicker asparagus spears are more tender than thinner ones. Thicker bars also don’t fall through the grates as easily and withstand high-temperature grilling more easily than thinner bars. (I also prefer thicker spears for roasted asparagus.)
- If in doubt, use foil or a grill basket. If you only have thin sticks (sometimes my grocery store only has thin ones, depending on the time of year), I recommend cooking them in a grill basket like this or on grill-safe foil. This will prevent your beautiful spears from succumbing to a sad, fiery demise. (You might want to use a grill basket for those grilled Brussels sprouts, too.)
- Dry your spears. Asparagus must be trimmed and washed before cooking (do not soak asparagus before cooking; a simple rinse will do). Be sure to pat it dry so it’s crispy and caramelized. If it’s too wet, it can steam.
- oil on. Don’t skimp on the olive oil, as it’s important not to burn the tips. Even with the oil, this easy grilled asparagus recipe is still healthy. It’s packed with fiber, folate, and vitamins. Plus, olive oil has its own health benefits, like antioxidants and beneficial fats.
- Season. Season. season. Even plain kosher salt and pepper works wonders. See below for more spice suggestions and topping ideas.
The ingredients
- asparagus. A truly delicious and nutritious vegetable to grill and enjoy alongside any BBQ recipe! It’s easy to make, kid-friendly, and pairs well with a variety of condiments and toppings.
- olive oil. Gives the asparagus a delicious aroma and prevents it from burning.
- Spices of your choice. Find tons of ideas below!
The directions
- Break off the woody end of the asparagus spears.
- Season with oil, salt and pepper.
- Place the asparagus on the grill (perpendicular to the grates to get nice cabbage trails).
- Grill for 6 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until fork is tender. Remove the spears on a platter and add any toppings you want. ENJOY!
Ways to flavor grilled asparagus
- Grilled asparagus with garlic. Before grilling, toss the asparagus with 3 minced garlic cloves or sprinkle with garlic powder if you add salt and pepper.
- Grilled asparagus with parmesan or feta. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese over your grilled asparagus.
- Grilled asparagus with lemon. Squeeze lemon halves over it.
- Grilled asparagus with balsamic vinegar. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar over your grilled asparagus. (Be sure to check out my Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, which have an amazing balsamic marinade.)
- Grilled asparagus with bacon. Sprinkle bacon bits on top (air fryer bacon and oven baked bacon are two of my favorite cooking methods). Also check out these bacon wrapped asparagus.
- Grilled asparagus with herbs. Finish off your grilled asparagus with a handful of chopped parsley, basil, or dill.
- Spicy grilled asparagus. Sprinkle the grilled asparagus with a pinch of paprika flakes.
- Elegantly grilled asparagus. Combine chopped shallot, a squeeze of lemon juice and oil. Pour over the grilled asparagus.
- Nutty grilled asparagus. Sprinkle your grilled asparagus with toasted almonds or pine nuts.
- choose your own. Try a combination of some of these to create your own flavor explosion.
storage tips
- To store. Store asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To warm up. Reheat leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze. Freeze asparagus in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that frozen asparagus will be more mushy.
What to serve with grilled asparagus
Although I’ve been known for eating copious amounts of grilled asparagus as a healthy snack, it’s also one of my favorite side dish recipes to serve alongside countless other main courses.
- grilled meat. Try grilled asparagus with grilled chicken thighs, grilled pork chops or grilled pork tenderloin.
- seafood. Enjoy with your favorite fresh catch of the day, like grilled salmon in foil, shrimp with garlic butter or grilled cod.
- salads. Let cool and cut into small pieces and enjoy with this steak salad, Niçoise salad or Italian mince salad.
- Appetizers. I know it’s going to be a good party when at an event I see grilled asparagus on a platter alongside some homemade roasted red peppers, roasted tomatoes, grilled eggplant and feta dip.
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Tongs. The ultimate grilling tool.
- grill pan. Perfect for this asparagus recipe.
- grill basket. Prevents your asparagus from falling through the grates.
The best grill pan
All the goodness of the grill in the ease of a pan. This durable, heavy-duty pan will quickly become a favorite tool in your kitchen.
frequently asked Questions
Yes! You can line your cooking grates with grill safe foil or make a foil packet similar to these Cajun Shrimp Boil Foil packets.
It’s up to you. Soaking asparagus is a great way to clean a large batch of asparagus with minimal effort. Soaking will loosen any dirt clinging to the spears or hiding under their fins. However, if you have a small batch to prepare, you can skip the soaking as long as you rinse each skewer thoroughly before cooking as directed.
While some recipes suggest blanching asparagus before grilling, I don’t think it’s a necessary step if you season the spears properly before cooking and control your heat well.
Yes! Asparagus is low in calories and high in antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K! It is also low in potassium and low in sodium. It can also be used as a plant-based protein!
I grill mine on medium heat (about 375 degrees F to 400 degrees F). Make sure the heat isn’t too high, you don’t want to burn the asparagus!
Quick to prepare and spectacular in taste, with countless ways to dress it up and keep it tasting fresh, grilled asparagus has become a favorite here, served twice a week. Can’t wait for it to be a regular at your table too.
For the grilled asparagus:
- 1 1/2 Pound thick asparagus*
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the topping (optional):
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Drizzle thick aged balsamic or balsamic glaze
- Chopped shallots mix with lemon juice and a little olive oil
- Chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or mint
- *INGREDIENTS NOTE: I recommend thick asparagus spears for grilling, as the thin ones can burn quickly and fall through the grates more easily. If you only have thin asparagus, check out my Roasted Asparagus recipe or grill the asparagus on a cast-iron grill pan or grill basket; Take good care as the thin stalks will cook very quickly.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate asparagus in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO WARM UP: Reheat leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F. Asparagus can also be reheated in the microwave.
- FREEZE: Freeze asparagus in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that frozen asparagus will be more mushy.
Portion: 1(of 4)Calories: 66kcalCarbohydrates: 7GProtein: 4GFat: 4GSaturated Fatty Acids: 1GPotassium: 347mgFiber: 4GSugar: 3GVitamin A: 1287ieVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 4mg
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