Simple Grilled Asparagus with Lemon
by Katie Webster
April 12, 2024 Jump To Recipe
Try Grilled Asparagus this season. It’s so easy to get the perfect crisp-tender texture and takes only 15 minutes! It’s the perfect simple vegetable side dish to add to your grilling menu!
I originally published this recipe on April 23, 2021. I have updated some of the text and photos to share it with you again today.
Table of contents
This Easy Grilled Asparagus with lemon is the perfect way to use asparagus this spring! Asparagus cooked on the grill takes 15 minutes and is deliciously smoky with a little bit of char!
- It is low in calories, naturally low-carb and high in fiber!
- It goes great with roasted meat, marinated chicken or as a side dish to accompany a simple weeknight dinner.
- It is often on sale and quite budget-friendly in springtime! April is peak asparagus season in the US.
Love grilled veggies? Same!! Try our Grilled Carrots, Grilled Broccoli (in foil), this Easy Grilled Zucchini, these Grilled Mushroom Kebabs and our Grilled Onions.
Grilled Asparagus Ingredients
The ingredients and ratio for this grilled asparagus recipe are almost identical for this recipe as for my roasted asparagus recipe.
- Asparagus: At the farmers’ market or grocery store look for medium-thick to thick spears of asparagus for grilling. Thin spears tend to burn easily. Look for bunches that are free from wrinkles or yellowed spears. The best way to tell if the asparagus is fresh is to look at the bottom of the stalks, if they are fresh and not dried out and starting to turn white, you can tell they were freshly harvested.
- Oil: I recommend organic canola oil, avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil. If you have a preference to another high-heat oil, use that instead.
- Seasoning: You’ll need ground black pepper to taste and a half teaspoon of coarse kosher salt, but feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Lemon Juice: This is optional, but I love the way that the tart lemon balances any bitterness. Bitter is canceled by sour (which is the predominant taste of lemon.) Juice from half of a lemon is plenty!
Preheat Grill
To make this recipe as fast as possible, start preheating your grill before you prep the asparagus. If you have a vegetable grill basket (that’s an affiliate link), this is the recipe to use it! Add it to the grill as you preheat.
Gas Grill: If you have a gas grill turn all of the burners on to high to preheat them. Keep the grill lid closed while you preheat the grill to allow it to get very hot. Once it is hot, use your grill brush to remove any burnt-on debris from previous meals.
Charcoal Grill: Preheat your charcoal completely before grilling. I like to use a blend of mostly hardwood charcoal plus a few briquettes. Using a stick or tongs rake out the coals to cover the bottom of the kettle so that there are no hot spots. Make sure that your grill rack is hot and clean before adding on the asparagus.
Stovetop Grill pan: If you do not have an outdoor grill you can definitely make this on your stovetop grill pan. This is the style I recommend. (Affiliate link.) You will have to cook the asparagus in batches. Use high heat, and if the pan is smoking excessively, simply adjust the heat down as needed.
How To Grill Asparagus
Step 1: Prep Asparagus
While you preheat the grill prep the asparagus. Snap the ends off the asparagus. This will remove any pithy or woody textured parts of the stalks that is unpleasantly fibrous.
Step 2: Oil and Season the Asparagus
Toss the asparagus with the oil, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Grill the Asparagus
Place the asparagus directly on the grill grates, crosswise so they don’t fall through the grates, or on the grill basket in a single layer. Let them grill for about 1 minute for thinner spears or up to 3 for thicker spears. The bottom side will brown nicely and the tips will start to darken. The tips may look a little dried or charred. Turn over by rolling with tongs and let cook on a second side until tender, 1 to 3 minutes. It should be fork tender and bend lightly when done.
How To Serve Grilled Asparagus:
Once the asparagus is grilled, use cooking tongs to pull it off the grill. Arrange on a serving platter and squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. To taste, drizzle with a high-quality extra virgin olive oil and add cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt to make the flavors pop.
Variations To Try
Instead of a squeeze of lemon, here are other ways how to season grilled asparagus:
- Drizzle it with balsamic vinegar after it comes off the grill. It is a little sweeter and still has the acidity to cut the bitterness of the asparagus.
- Top with orange zest and Asian Sesame Dressing.
- Drizzle with hollandaise sauce.
- Any of my vinaigrettes from my salad dressing collection would be good. Try yogurt dill dressing!
- Top with shaved Parmesan cheese, Manchego or crumbled goat cheese.
- Add on chopped fresh herbs such as tarragon, dill or chives.
FAQs About This Recipe
Grilling asparagus in a foil packet defeats the purpose of grilling and I don’t recommend it. The foil traps the steam as the asparagus cooks and will inhibit any browning. The asparagus will be overcooked by the time it browns.
It is likely that it is overcooked. Try cooking it for a shorter time next time. Also double check that you are snapping off enough of the tough end of the stalk.
Grilling is a single-sided heat source, so you can approximate heat from a grill by using the broiler and essentially “grilling” the asparagus from the top down.
Make sure to use a broiler pan though so that the asparagus doesn’t steam too much. You want the moisture to be kept away so that it browns before the asparagus softens too much.
Broiling times vary widely depending on your oven, so keep an eye on it. Test if it is tender frequently!
Store leftover grilled asparagus in an air-tight container for up to three days.
We do not recommend reheating leftover grilled asparagus as it becomes overcooked and mushy. Instead, enjoy it chilled with a little vinaigrette or on a salad or in a buddha bowl.
Yes! Indoor stovetop grill pans are not as hot as gas or charcoal grills so it is important to look for crisp tender texture to guide when your asparagus is done, not so much the timing! It may take 5 or 6 minutes per side on your stove. That is normal. You also may not get noticeable char marks and smoky flavor the way you would on an outdoor grill.
What Goes With Grilled Asparagus?
If you are wondering what to serve with this grilled asparagus, I am happy to suggest the following meals:
- Add to a power bowl like these quinoa and lentil bowls.
- This Fish Casserole is wonderful with asparagus.
- Try it with this Crispy Skin Chicken and Lemon Quinoa.
- The flavors of this Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa would be yummy with it too!
- Our Grilled Greek Boneless Chicken Thighs are another recipe to toss on the grill with this asparagus.
- Add chopped leftover grilled asparagus to your scrambled eggs for healthy breakfasts.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Simple Grilled Asparagus Recipe with Lemon
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Easy Grilled Asparagus with lemon is the perfect way to use asparagus this spring! Asparagus cooked on the grill takes 15 minutes and is deliciously smoky with a little bit of char!
Ingredients
2 pounds asparagus, woody ends snapped off
1 tablespoon organic canola oil or avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 lemon, optional
Instructions
- Preheat grill to high heat. If using grill pan add to the grill grates to preheat.
- Toss the asparagus with the oil, salt and pepper to coat.
- Lay the asparagus spears on the grill grate (crosswise) or on the grill pan. Grill until browned on the bottom, 1 to 3 minutes. Turn over by rolling with tongs and let cook on a second side until tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter and squeeze lemon over it, if using.
Notes
Grilling Tips
Make sure to completely preheat the grill and the vegetable grilling basket if using.
Spread the asparagus out in a single layer across the grill grates, or on the grill pan or grill basket. They should be in an even layer, with space around them so that the heat can come between each spear.
Let them grill for about 1 minute for thinner spears or up to 3 for thick asparagus stalks. (Charcoal grills will be hotter than gas grills.) The bottoms will brown nicely and the tips will start to darken, and may look a little dried or charred.
Flip them, with grilling tongs, or roll them on the grill grate so that that the other side can cook.
As you turn them, take note of the texture and “bendiness” of the spears. If they are already pliable, they will not need much time at all on the second side. If they are still stiff, you can grill them for about as long as the first side. Look for browning, but don’t let the tops burn.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: SIde Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 batch about 4 spears
- Calories: 52 calories
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
More Asparagus Recipes
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
Oh yes please! I can’t wait until asparagus are back in season here.
I could not agree more! Asparagus is so good when it’s fresh picked! Thanks for the comment and rating!
This recipe turned out perfectly! My asparagus was nice and crispy on the outside, and cooked to be just tender on the inside. Yum!
These were amazing. Perfectly cooked asparagus!
Thanks Dannii! I’m so glad it worked out well and you enjoyed the recipe!
This came out absolutely perfectly and will certainly be my go-to from here on out!
Yay! Thanks so much for the comment and rating Kristen- and I’m so happy that you loved it!
Simple and delicious, my kind of recipe! This grilled asparagus worked out wonderfully.
I agree- sometimes simple is the most delicious! Thanks for the comment and rating!!