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Broiled asparagus is a fast, easy and delicious way to cook this green vegetable! Throw it in the broiler and cook until charred and tender.
Here’s a genius way to cook this green vegetable to charred and tender without even preheating your oven. Yes, it’s our new favorite way to make it: Broiled Asparagus! Just throw it in the broiler with a few lemon wheels, and it comes out just like roasted asparagus…but even better. Once spring comes along, these beautiful green spears are everywhere. Now that we’ve tried it, we think this is the best way to cook them. Throw them alongside pistachio crusted salmon for a lovely dinner, or baked eggs for a special brunch. Here’s how to make this easy asparagus recipe!
How to make broiled asparagus: basic method
You don’t even need a recipe for broiled asparagus. Once you’ve tried it once, memorize the principles and make it over and over! All you need to know is the basic cook time and seasoning. Here’s how to broil asparagus:
- Trim the ends of the asparagus. More on how to cut asparagus is below.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. This makes for easy cleanup.
- Add the asparagus, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Quantities are in the recipe below.
- Add 4 lemon wheels right to the tray. This infuses lemon flavor as the asparagus cooks.
- Broil 3 minutes, stir, then 2 to 3 minutes more. Cook until the thickest parts of the asparagus are tender when pierced with a fork. Easy as that!
How to trim asparagus…the right way
Have you been snapping off the ends of your asparagus? Not only does it take longer to trim that way: it removes some of the edible part of the vegetable! This tasty veggie requires trimming before you cook it to remove the tough ends. Here’s the quickest way to cut asparagus:
- Line up the asparagus facing the same way. Grab a large chef’s knife.
- Cut off right where the green part turns to white. You can do about half a 1 pound bunch at once. It takes literally 1 minute!
Ways to serve easy broiled asparagus
We love asparagus for its flavor, but almost even more so for its looks! (Is that superficial?) Asparagus makes a plate of anything look better. Here are our top ways to serve it:
- Salmon: Add to a plate with Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Pecan Crusted Salmon, Miso Salmon, Blackened Salmon or Quick Broiled Salmon.
- Scallops: Try with Pan Seared Scallops or Scallop Pasta.
- Pasta: Add to a plate of Cherry Tomato Pasta or Vegetarian Lasagna.
- Risotto: Accessorize your Creamy Mushroom Risotto.
- Stuffed Mushrooms or Peppers: Add to Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Stuffed Green Peppers or Classic Stuffed Peppers.
More ways to cook asparagus
We’ve tried all the ways to cook asparagus…and this is one of our favorite methods! If you’re looking for more, here are our top easy ways to prep this tasty spring vegetable:
- Oven: Try tasty Baked Asparagus or Roasted Asparagus with Lemon.
- Stovetop: Opt for Sauteed Asparagus or Steamed Asparagus. You can also make Boiled Asparagus (fast and easy), or Blanched Asparagus (saves well).
- Grill: Pull out the grill for smoky Grilled Asparagus.
Asparagus nutrition
Lastly…want another reason to eat asparagus? It’s ridiculously good for you. Here are a few of the top health benefits of this veggie:
- It’s a great source of fiber: 1 cup of cooked asparagus has 4 grams of fiber. (Source)
- It’s relatively high in protein for a green vegetable: 1 cup also has 4 grams protein. (Source) That’s a similar level to broccoli and potatoes.
- It can aid in eye and hair health and it has potential anti-aging properties! Who knew. (Source)
This broiled asparagus recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Broiled Asparagus (Fast & Easy!)
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Broiled asparagus is a fast, easy and delicious way to cook this green vegetable! Throw it in the broiler and cook until charred and tender.
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional; omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat a broiler to high.
- Cut off the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. Add the asparagus stalks to a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, and add the kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Thinly slice 4 lemon wheels from the lemon, then add them right on the baking sheet.
- Broil 3 minutes. Remove the tray and stir. Then broil 2 to 3 minutes more, until the spears are tender when pierced by a fork at the thickest part. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese (optional) and serve.
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Broiled
- Cuisine: Vegetables
- Diet: Vegetarian
When broiling the asparagus, how far should the tray be from the broiler? I’m using a standard sized oven. Thank you.
We like ours right at the top, about 4 or 5 inches.
Hey Sonja and Alex, thx for the easy, yummy, and quick to find recipe. I have a request. If you are finding popularity please consider encouraging your customers to not be wasteful. It took me only 2 minutes to clean my pot, threw the asparagus cuts in the compost, and the lemon peels in the woods. Don’t know if you have or want kids but while I cook for mine I like to consider the earth and society I am leaving them. If you are reaching folks and i hope you are, please use your influence for good.
These were excellent! And an instant hit with my family too. They came out crispy yet tender. I will definitely make them again!
Easy Grilled Asparagus was perfect. I have had problems cooking it correctly, always overdone. Thank You
Very nice, simple way to cook asparagus. Definitely want to use the highest broiler setting to get that char.
“Remove the tray”
What tray?
The baking sheet.