Grilled Lemon Asparagus

Tender grilled lemon asparagus is finished with a sprinkling of poppy seeds and macadamia nuts.

It’s asparagus season again! While you can find asparagus almost all year long these days, it’s not nearly as ubiquitous or as tasty as it is right now. Suffice it to say that I’ve been on the all-asparagus diet recently.

There’s been asparagus in my tacos, asparagus in my omelettes, asparagus in my salads,and asparagus in my noodles just to name a few; but one of the simplest and tastiest ways I prepare asparagus is to grill it.

Grilling asparagus dials up the flavor.  While I love the clean, fresh taste of steamed asparagus, the grill adds an extra layer of smoky, almost caramelized flavor thanks to the high heat of the flames.  The heat of the grill locks in the tenderness of all those sweet grassy flavors on the inside while maintaining that nice bite on the outside (because no one likes overcooked or soggy asparagus).

It’s also super quick and easy to do which is especially nice this time of year, when I’d rather be spending my time outside rather than standing over the stove anyways.

How to make grilled lemon asparagus:

The basic method is so simple it barely needs a recipe. 

Just give the spears a quick rub of olive oil and a pinch of salt before tossing them on the grill and you are good to go.  But if you want to take them from good to great, a little lemon zest, and a sprinkling of poppy seeds and chopped macadamia nuts punches up the flavor and adds interesting taste and texture.

What you end up with are asparagus spears that are juicy and sweet with a bit of snap, while the lemon adds zing and the seeds and nuts a bit of nutty crunch.  It’s an unexpected combination that proves that lemon and poppy seeds aren’t just for muffins or baked goods.

More asparagus recipes:

• Sautéed Asparagus with Lemon
• Asparagus with Gremolata
• Asparagus Artichoke Salad

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 Servings

Grilled Lemon Asparagus

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Tender grilled lemon asparagus is finished with a sprinkling of poppy seeds and macadamia nuts.

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Ingredients

For the grilled asparagus:

• 1 bunch asparagus, stalks trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

• 2 Tablespoons/56 g finely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 Tablespoon/10 g hemp seeds 
• The zest of half a lemon
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• ⅛th teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Heat a grill or grill pan. Toss asparagus with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Cook until tender but still firm (about 3 to 4 minutes.)
3. Combine chopped macadamia nuts, hemp seeds, lemon zest, mint and salt, set aside.
4. Transfer asparagus to a platter; sprinkle with poppy seeds and macadamia mixture and serve warm.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Frontier Co-op Poppy Seed Whole, Certified Organic, Kosher | 1 lb. Bulk Bag | Papaver somniferum L.
• 
  Nutiva Organic Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.