Have you ever planned out a weeks worth of delicious meals and then go to cook them and realize you forgot to consider what to serve with the main dish?! Don’t make the same mistake I did. Grilled Asparagus is the easiest thing to grill, makes a yummy side dish and they are done in under 15 minutes.
I personally like to keep my side dishes pretty simple when I am adding to a meal. A simple side salad, some bread or vegetables really help tie the meal together. Grilled asparagus is ready in 15 minutes and it’s my favorite way to eat them.
Grilled Asparagus
I don’t know if you realize just how easy it is to grill asparagus. It takes very little prep, only requires a little oil, some salt, pepper and a couple of minutes. It holds up better than a lot of other vegetables on the grill too.
Before you grill the asparagus get rid of the woody ends of the stalk that are tough. Asparagus have a natural break in them so this is easy to do-perfect job for little sous chefs in the kitchen. Simply bend the asparagus stalk and it will snap. So satisfying and quick. You can also just cut all the asparagus in one shot but that isn’t as fun!
When selecting asparagus to grill, grab the thick spears. The thicker spears will cook better on the grill and have less chance of being lost through the grates.
Ingredients:
- Asparagus: the star of the show
- Oil: just a little goes a long way to coat the asparagus so that it doesn't stick to the grill while cooking
- Salt and Pepper: you can add other seasonings like lemon pepper or stick to the basics, asparagus doesn't need much in my opinon
- Lemon for serving: this is optional but it add a nice bright flavor and it sure looks pretty on the serving plate
How to Grill Asparagus:
- Prep the asparagus by trimming the woody cut ends and then tossing it in oil and salt and pepper.
- Fire up the grill and let it heat up.
- Add the asparagus to the hot grill and cook until it's tender, turning over once in the middle.
- Remove from the grill and serve hot.
- This is a great side for when you are already grilling up your favorite protein and the grill is hot and ready.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Look for asparagus that is firm, straight and has a vibrant green color. If you see asparagus that is wrinkly, withered, or mushy then steer clear because they are getting old. The most fresh asparagus stalks won’t be limp but instead stand up straight.
Once they are trimmed, tossed in oil and seasoned it should take about 7-10 minutes. I wait until everything else for the meal is basically done before throwing any asparagus on the grill.
Asparagus will cook pretty quick so you need to watch them carefully. If you leave the spears on the grill too long then they will be soggy, mushy and not super appetizing. Watch them closely.
Forget about the foil. Preheat the grill to about 400° and once it is nice and hot place the asparagus spears perpendicular to the grill grates so they won’t fall through.
More great asparagus recipes:
- How to Cook Asparagus on the Stovetop when you don't want to fire up the grill
- Baked Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- How to Store Fresh Asparagus
If you’ve tried this grilled asparagus recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
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Easy Grilled Asparagus
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Delicious, easy, grilled asparagus!
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- salt and pepper
- lemon wedges for serving, optional
Instructions
- Prepare your asparagus by washing it, trimming the cut end, and tossing it with the oil of your choice.
- Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper to the oily asparagus.
- Preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grates (I do this with a cleaning brush and then I dip a paper towel in oil and rub it on the grates; this helps everything to not stick).
- Reduce the heat to medium to medium-high, and place your asparagus on the grill so that it is crossing the grates (not parallel to them, we don't want them to fall in).
- Allow the asparagus to cook 3-4 minutes and then roll or flip them over so that they can cook on the second side.
- Cook an additional 3-4 minute or until bright green and tender.
- Remove from the heat and place on a serving platter.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste and squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you'd like.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- Asparagus cooks fast, generally under 10 minutes depending on big your asparagus spears are and how hot your grill is. If you are working with other grilled goods (meat) plan on 10 minutes or less for the cook time so that everything comes off the grill hot at the same time.
- The lemon is optional but it's pretty and adds a nice brightness to the dish.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: side
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: grilled asparagus, how to grill asparagus, easy grill asparagus, grilled asparagus recipe
This is one of my most commonly used side dishes because it is incredibly easy, they taste delicious and they are done in a flash. Now you know how to cook asparagus on the grill; add this to your next meal ASAP!!
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