Nothing beats the taste of fresh asparagus stalks, quickly grilled with just a touch of olive oil and salt. Make this tonight for a quick, healthy side dish.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
mmm Asparagus. You can steam it, boil it, or roast it, but I don’t think anything beats the taste of simply grilled asparagus.
The smoky taste, the traces of char. Tender but still with some crunch. Grilled asparagus really is that good! I could eat (and have) it like fries.
The best thing about grilling asparagus? It is so easy. All you need is thick spears of asparagus, olive oil, salt and a hot grill. It only takes a few minutes to get some char.
More ways to enjoy asparagus
- Roasted Asparagus
- Cooked asparagus with lemon and parmesan
- Baked asparagus with parmesan
How to buy and store the best asparagus
You can buy the best and freshest asparagus seasonally from a local farmer (or grow it in your own vegetable garden). To ensure you’re buying fresh asparagus — in season or out of season — follow these tips.
- Check the tips. They should be firm and springy. When they are soft, move on to another bundle.
- Check the stems, they should be tight. If they’re soft and rubbery, they’re not fresh.
- Check the ends. If they’re woody, it’s not the best, but it’s okay. You will remove the ends. Wrinkled or split ends indicate that the asparagus is past its prime.
To store asparagus, first remove the rubber band if there is one around the stems. Remove all packaging. Then treat the asparagus like flowers. Snip about half an inch from the bottom of each stem and chill in a container of water. This keeps the stems fresh for 2 to 3 days.
For an easier method, remove the rubber band or wrapping and wrap a damp paper towel around the asparagus stalks. Place in a plastic bag and store in the crisper of your fridge.
What to grill with asparagus
If you have the grill hot, you might as well fire it up!
- Grilled salmon with mango cucumber salsa
- Grilled flank steak with mushrooms
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Grilled salmon with peach salsa
- Grilled Sweet Potatoes
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Grilled asparagus
Thick asparagus is best for grilling; Get the thickest spears you can. Thin spears dry out before they get a good char.
ingredients
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1 lb tight asparagus spears
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1 to 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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Kosher salt
method
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Preheat grill:
Set the grill to high, direct heat.
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Prepare and season asparagus:
Prepare the asparagus by breaking or trimming any tough bottom ends (you can save them for storage or discard them).
Place the asparagus in a pan (to catch the spears while you put them on and remove them from the grill).
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
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Grill asparagus:
Brush the grill grates lightly with olive oil. Place the asparagus spears on the grill with the thickest ends facing the hottest part of the grill.
(Alternatively, you can use a griddle and heat on high.)
Grill the asparagus spears until lightly charred and just tender, 2-4 minutes, turning often to brown on all sides.
Remove from the grill and serve.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 85 | calories |
| 7g | Fat |
| 5g | carbohydrates |
| 3g | protein |
