Crisp tender Grilled Asparagus are tossed with lemon garlic butter and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This simple grilled asparagus recipe can be made outdoors on a charcoal, pallet or gas grill or in an indoor grill pan. This flavorful grilled asparagus recipe can be served as a side dish on a busy weekday or for special occasions like holidays and dinner celebrations.
We love asparagus recipes that can be served as a side dish throughout the year. This Crispy Parmesan Oven Roasted Asparagus recipe is always a winner!
Easy Grilled Asparagus Recipe
Grilling veggies is one of the best ways to add flavor to any vegetable. Grilling preserves the nutrients in the food and adds a delightfully smoky taste, a wonderfully charred look while keeping the vegetable’s natural crisp texture. Certainly a combination that is hard to resist!
Although I serve this recipe as a side dish, I could certainly eat a plate full of these mouthwatering lemony and buttery grilled asparagus as a main dish (and maybe, just maybe I’ve done that!).
This versatile recipe can be a starting point to build on other dishes. For example, I love to serve this grilled asparagus recipe over crostini or toasts. I simply spread some ricotta cheese or whipped feta over crispy bread slices, then I top them with the lemony buttery grilled asparagus and more Parmesan cheese. I serve it for brunch, lunch or as an appetizer before dinner.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe is made with common ingredients.
- Easy Method: I call this grill method “lazy grilling”. You don’t have to worry about grill zones, direct heat, off burners, smoking, timing, liquid boxes or wood types. Just put the asparagus on the grill, flip ’em once and you are done!
- Restaurant Quality: Between us, this asparagus side dish couldn’t be easier to make, but it tastes and looks as amazing as a dish made by professionals in a nice restaurant. The perfect recipe to make when you want to impress (think new boyfriend/girlfriend, in-laws, boss).
- Anytime You Crave It: You may think of grilled asparagus as a recipe you can only make during spring and summer, but this simple side dish can be made any time of the year. Good quality asparagus make their appearance during fall and winter too and during the cold months you can make them on the stove top on a grill pan.
Grilled Asparagus Recipe Ingredients
- Asparagus: I’ve had great success grilling thick or thin asparagus spears. Choose whatever is fresh in the market.
- Oil: I use olive oil. Don’t skip it.
- Salt and Pepper: I use sea salt or kosher salt.
Lemon Garlic Butter Ingredients
- Butter: Salted or unsalted. Use what you have at home.
- Lemon: Nothing compares to the taste of fresh lemon juice.
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic. In a pinch, granulated garlic powder can be used.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley. You can use other fresh herbs such as tarragon, dill and cilantro.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese is used to top the dish.
How To Pick Asparagus For Grilling
When choosing asparagus to cook on a grill, it can be helpful to choose thick asparagus spears if you will be placing them directly on the grill rack; however, if you place the asparagus perpendicular to the grill grate, you should not have any issues whether the asparagus are thick or thin.
Both thin and thick asparagus can be placed in a vegetable grill basket.
How To Cook Asparagus on the Grill
- Prepare the asparagus: A trim and a quick rinse under running water is a must. Don’t soak them! Then, pat them dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the grill: Heat up the grill to medium-high heat (about 375 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Season: Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. The oil is very important. Coating them with a layer of oil prevents them from drying out. Oil is a good conductor of heat also.
- Grill: With kitchen tongs, place the asparagus on the grill (perpendicular to the grill grates) or in a grill basket. Make sure the spears are in an even layer. Grill for 4 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally so they char evenly. Asparagus cook so fast that I never have a chance to close the lid. They are ready when they are charred and tender. Remove from the grill and onto a plate.
- Melt Butter: Meanwhile, melt the butter with the garlic. Add the lemon juice and the fresh parsley.
- Serve: Pour the garlic butter over the asparagus and top with Parmesan. Serve!
How To Make the Lemon Garlic Butter
Grilled asparagus only need some olive oil, salt and pepper to be ready and delicious! You can pull them off the grill and serve them and everyone will be happy.
Here, we are going one step further by creating a flavored butter to drizzle over the grilled asparagus. Get ready for the easiest recipe (that should not even be a recipe) in the entire blog!
- Melt the butter and minced garlic in the microwave (or in a saucepan over low heat). Stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley.
- Pour flavored butter over the grilled asparagus. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve!
Should Asparagus Be Soaked Before Grilling?
No. Never soak asparagus. Asparagus should be rinsed quickly under cold running water before cooking them (whether you are cooking them on the grill, grill pan or any other way).
Why Are My Asparagus Soggy?
Soggy or limp grilled asparagus is a sign of over cooking. Asparagus cook fast, especially thin ones which need about 4-6 minutes to become tender while staying crisp.
How To Cut Asparagus
To snap or to cut? Both methods work
- Snap it! With one hand, hold the spear about half way down, with the other hand grip the stem end near the base. Bend the stalk until it snaps.
- Pros: Satisfying. Easy. No knife required.
- Cons: Takes longer than cutting them as they need to be done individually. The spears never look perfectly even. More waste than when you use a knife.
- Clean Cut: Line up the asparagus spears on a cutting board. Cut off the bottom part where the stalk starts to look dry and woody.
- Pros: Quick. Easy. Even cut makes uniform looking spears.
- Cons: Definitely not as fun as snapping. You need to look for the right place to make the cut.
Storage, Heating and Freezing
- Storing: Store cooked asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- Heating: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the leftover asparagus on a baking sheet. Heat in the oven until warm through.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing grilled asparagus as they become mushy when thawed out.
Tips for Perfectly Grilled Asparagus
- Don’t skimp on the oil. Oil protects the spears from drying out and the delicate tips from burning.
- Grill asparagus over high heat (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit). Direct high heat caramelizes and chars the asparagus making them crisp and bringing out their natural flavor.
- Don’t pre-cook or blanch asparagus before grilling them.
- If you are not sure if your asparagus are cooked through, check for doneness by poking them with a fork. They should be tender, yet firm.
Lean How To Cook Asparagus (6 different ways!) and check out these easy side dish recipes!
Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or more to taste
- Lemon slices as garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus and quickly rinse them under cold running water. Pat them dry.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat (about 375 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Lay the asparagus in a pan or a serving platter and drizzle them with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- With kitchen tongs, place the asparagus on the grill (perpendicular to the grill grates) or in a grill basket. Make sure the spears are on an even layer. Grill for 4 to 8 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally so they char evenly.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter and minced garlic in the microwave (or in a saucepan over low heat). Stir in the lemon juice and the fresh parsley.
- Remove the asparagus from the grill and place them in a pan or serving plate. Pour the flavored butter over them and toss them gently. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Don’t skimp on the oil. Oil protects the spears from drying out and the delicate tips from burning.
- Grill asparagus over high heat (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit). Direct high heat caramelizes and chars the asparagus making them crisp and bringing out their natural flavor.
- Don’t pre-cook or blanch asparagus before grilling them.
- If you are not sure if your asparagus are cooked through, check for doneness by poking them with a fork. They should be tender, yet firm.
Nutrition
This post was first published in 2018. Content has been updated to give our readers better information. The recipe remains the same.
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