This grilled asparagus recipe is my favorite spring and summer side dish. Simply seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, it's fresh and delicious.
Grilled asparagus is the best spring and summer side dish! It’s tender, juicy, and lightly charred, and it cooks in minutes on the grill. Seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice, it pairs perfectly with almost any meal.
Below, you’ll find my easy method for cooking asparagus on the grill, along with my favorite ways to serve it.
Even if you’re an asparagus skeptic, I hope you’ll try this recipe. My husband Jack used to claim he hated asparagus, but once he tried it grilled, he became a convert. Who knows? You might love it too!
How to Grill Asparagus
Ready to learn how to grill asparagus? Here’s what you need to do:
Preparing the asparagus
To prepare fresh asparagus for grilling, start by trimming it. Use a sharp knife to cut off the woody ends of the spears, or use your hands to gently bend each stalk until it snaps. It should split where the woody end of the spear meets the tender stalk. Discard the woody part.
Then, season it. Toss the asparagus with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. These simple seasonings will help the asparagus soften and char on the grill.
Grilling the asparagus
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Let it get nice and hot, and then use tongs to place the asparagus on the hot grill grates.
Grill until the asparagus is lightly charred and bright green underneath. Flip the spears with tongs and grill until they’re fork-tender and lightly charred on all sides.
Remove from the grill. Season to taste, and, if you like, squeeze with lemon juice before serving.
How long to grill asparagus
The cook time in this recipe will vary based on the heat of your grill and the thickness of your asparagus spears.
I typically grill asparagus for 6 to 8 minutes, but very thick spears may take a few minutes longer. Thin spears may take a few minutes less! The asparagus is ready when it’s bright green, tender, and lightly charred.
Find the complete recipe at the bottom of this post.
What to Serve with Grilled Asparagus
I love to season grilled asparagus simply with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. But if you’d like to dress it up more, feel free! Top it with any of these garnishes for a fresh, flavorful side dish:
- Fresh herbs like basil, dill, or parsley
- Toasted nuts like pine nuts or almonds
- A sprinkle of cheese like feta cheese or grated Parmesan cheese
- Drizzles of a dressing or sauce like chimichurri, a balsamic vinegar reduction, or my lemon vinaigrette
- Or lemon zest for an extra pop of bright flavor
Pair it with your favorite protein for an easy weeknight dinner, or serve it alongside veggie burgers, black bean burgers, or portobello mushroom burgers at a cookout.
Grilled asparagus is also a great addition to salads, pastas, and more! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it when I’m not serving it as a side dish:
- In a salad. Make my Farro Salad with Grilled Asparagus, or toss it into any green salad or grain salad.
- With eggs. Stuff grilled asparagus into an omelette or add it to a frittata.
- Over polenta. Add roasted chickpeas and drizzles of pesto to make it a meal.
- In pasta. I especially love to add chopped grilled asparagus to my easy pesto pasta recipe.
How do you like to serve grilled asparagus? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store Grilled Asparagus
Got leftover asparagus? Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Enjoy it at room temperature or reheat in the microwave for a quick side dish, or try one of the serving suggestions above.
More Favorite Grilling Recipes
If you loved learning how to grill asparagus, try one of these easy grilling recipes next:
- Perfect Grilled Zucchini
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Grilled Eggplant
- Mixed Grilled Vegetables
- Or any of these 31 Best Grill Recipes!
Grilled Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Place the asparagus on a large plate or tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Place on the hot grill grates and grill for 6 to 8 minutes, or until charred but still bright green, flipping or rolling once.
- Squeeze with lemon juice, season to taste, and serve.
When I grill or roast asparagus, for the last 4 minutes it gets a sprinkle of minced garlic. Add the garlic any sooner and it will burn.
By the way, if your garlic is cut into 1.5 inch pieces, and you roast it like I said and toss it in a skillet with some cream and Parmigiano, then toss in cooked penne and a big handful of chopped roasted pistachios, you will think you died and went to heaven.
A simple, healthful, and always popular side dish, grilled asparagus is full of flavor and freshness! This is one of those savory dishes that I love to balance with something sweet. Check out my baking tutorials at http://www.cakeflix.com if you’re looking for dessert ideas to go with your meals!
I made the Asparragus and they came out delicious.
Thank you
Thanks for the recipe, It’s amazing.
Jeannie,
Instead of cutting fresh asparagus, bend and snap it piece by piece to find best place where stem is soft for eating.
Malinda