Asparagus is often a premium side dish at high-end restaurants. Surprisingly, it's also one of the easiest vegetables to make at home. You can roast, steam, or even simmer asparagus, but during patio season, it's hard to beat cooking asparagus on the grill. From there, you can simply serve it hot off the grill, dress it up with a few easy embellishments, cool it for a summery salad, or even stir it into a soup. Or fry up some eggs, and grilled asparagus can even become an entrée. Keep reading to learn exactly how to grill asparagus.
How to Prep Asparagus for Grilling
Before you get started, thoroughly wash and trim the asparagus. The ends of the asparagus can be woody, making them unpleasant to chew. The easiest way to remove is by holding the asparagus toward the bottom and gently bending it. The woody end should easily snap off, leaving you with the tender asparagus. If you're in a bit of a hurry, go ahead and use a knife to trim the bottom third of the stems. From there, cook according to one of the methods below.
Test Kitchen Tip: Any time you cook asparagus, try to use spears that are uniform in diameter to ensure all are done at the same time.
How Long to Grill Asparagus
You can grill asparagus at a range of temperatures and times. Here are the times our BHG Test Kitchen recommend if grilling the asparagus directly on the grill rack:
- 3 to 5 minutes on high heat
- 4 to 6 minutes on medium high heat
- 5 to 7 on medium heat
If cooking the asparagus wrapped in foil or in a grilling basket, cook the asparagus over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes.
Cooking asparagus on the grill is just so easy! Now that you've learned how to make asparagus on the grill, why not learn how to grill other vegetables popping up at the market or in your garden? And when it's not good grilling weather, there are plenty of other cooking methods for asparagus that don't require alfresco cooking.
Ingredients
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1 pound asparagus
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1/4 tsp salt
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1 tsp, ground pepper
Directions
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Generously brush the stalks with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
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If grilling asparagus on a charcoal grill, place the spears directly on the grill rack over medium coals, perpendicular to the wires on the rack. If grilling asparagus on a gas grill preheat the grill. Reduce heat to medium and place asparagus directly over the heat, perpendicular to the wires on the rack.
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Grill the asparagus, uncovered, 4 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender, rolling asparagus occasionally to ensure even cooking.
How to Grill Asparagus in Foil
Grilling asparagus in foil makes cleanup easy. Here's how to grill asparagus on the grill in foil:
- Wash and trim the asparagus. Pat dry.
- Place asparagus spears on a sheet of heavy-duty foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and, if desired, other spices or herbs (dill and/or mint are excellent).
- Fold foil around asparagus to enclose.
- Place on the grill and cook until crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes total, flipping after 5 minutes. Long-handled grilling tongs are especially handy for flipping the packs. Note: Open the packets very carefully, as they will release hot steam.
How to Grill Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon
Enhance the smoky flavor of grilled asparagus by wrapping it in bacon. Follow these steps for bacon-wrapped asparagus grilled to perfection:
- Wash and trim 12 ounces of fresh asparagus.
- On a plate, arrange 12 bacon slices between four sheets of paper towels. Microwave 1½ to 2 minutes or until partially cooked but not brown; cool.
- Divide asparagus into six portions. Wrap two slices of bacon around each portion and secure with toothpicks.
- Grill asparagus bundles, covered, on a greased rack over medium 8 to 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp and asparagus is crisp-tender, turning frequently to avoid burning.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 56 | Calories |
| 4g | Fat |
| 5g | Carbs |
| 3g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 4 | |
| Calories 56.4 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 3.6g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 0.5g | 3% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 161.4mg | 7% |
| Total Carbohydrate 5.1g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.4g | 9% |
| Total Sugars 1.5g | |
| Protein 2.8g | 6% |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin C 8.7mg | 10% |
| Calcium 29.1mg | 2% |
| Iron 1.1mg | 6% |
| Potassium 262.7mg | 6% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0g | |
| Vitamin D 0IU | |
| Alanine 0.1g | |
| Arginine 0.1g | |
| Ash 1.1g | |
| Aspartic acid 0.6g | |
| Caffeine 0mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 0.1mcg | |
| Choline, total 29.7mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.2mg | |
| Cystine 0g | |
| Energy 238.3kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 25.1mcg | |
| Folate, total 169.1mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 0.3g | |
| Glycine 0.1g | |
| Histidine 0.1g | |
| Isoleucine 0.1g | |
| Leucine 0.2g | |
| Lysine 0.1g | |
| Methionine 0g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 17mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.3mg | |
| Niacin 1.2mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 62.3mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.3mg | |
| Phenylalanine 0.1g | |
| Phytosterols 8.1mg | |
| Proline 0.1g | |
| Retinol 0mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 6.9mcg | |
| Serine 0.1g | |
| Starch 0g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 0.1g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 2.2mg | |
| Tryptophan 0g | |
| Tyrosine 0.1g | |
| Valine 0.1g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 1144.3IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 56.9mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 60.5mcg | |
| Water 105.1g | |
| Zinc, Zn 0.7mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.