Grilled Asparagus with Lemon (Printable Version)

Tender asparagus brushed with olive oil, grilled and seasoned with sea salt and lemon juice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed

→ Oil & Seasoning

02 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
03 - ½ tsp flaky sea salt
04 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

05 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400°F).
02 - Rinse asparagus and trim woody ends.
03 - Place asparagus on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
04 - Arrange asparagus in a single layer perpendicular to grill grates or in a grill basket. Grill 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning occasionally until tender and lightly charred.
05 - Transfer asparagus to a serving platter, squeeze fresh lemon juice over, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes sophisticated but requires almost no skill—just oil, heat, and salt.
  • The char creates this addictive slight bitterness that balances the natural sweetness of the asparagus.
  • You'll have it on the table in under 15 minutes, which means more time with people and less time standing alone at the stove.
02 -
  • Wet asparagus will steam instead of char, so dry them thoroughly after rinsing—this single step changed everything for me.
  • Don't crowd the grill; it's tempting to throw everything on at once, but they need direct heat contact to develop that caramelized crust.
03 -
  • If you don't have a grill, a screaming hot grill pan works just as well—I've made this indoors more than once and nobody knew the difference.
  • Let your spears come to room temperature before grilling; cold vegetables won't char properly because the heat gets used up warming them instead of browning them.
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