Grilled Asparagus with Cotija Cheese

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Grilled Asparagus drizzled with a touch of olive oil and seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper is simple cooking at its finest.

In this recipe, we garnish it with a carefree sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese for an impressive healthy side dish!

grilled asparagus served with cotija cheese

Few dishes announce the arrival of spring quite like fresh asparagus. A truly unique vegetable that, when prepared correctly with a tender snap and hint of bitterness, creates a healthy side dish for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

While asparagus is available all year round, the wonderful fresh flavor of these vibrant green spears shines brightest in the springtime. Cooking vegetables when they are in season makes for the best-tasting dishes and is easier on grocery budgets too.

Grilled with a touch of olive oil and finished with a simple garnish, this is our go-to recipe as it takes only a few minutes to cook fresh asparagus while grilled meats finish up.

Special Equipment:
When grilling asparagus use either a gas grill as we have done here or a charcoal grill, which will only heighten the smokiness in this simple vegetable dish.

How long to grill asparagus?

Grill fresh asparagus for 6-8 minutes. Cooked like this, these beautiful spears will have a crisp, yet tender bite.

fresh spring asparagus on a marble countertop

How to Buy and Store Asparagus

When shopping for fresh asparagus, look for grocery displays where the spears are upright, standing in shallow water or ice. This care will extend the time you can store it at home.

Inspect the heads of the spears for plump, tight leaves, and firm stems that give a faint squeak when you gently squeeze the bunch. Resist buying asparagus where the stems or tips look dry or wrinkled.

Thin or thick doesn’t matter as much as supple and fresh, though our preference is a diameter of about 1/4-inch. Thicker asparagus can be peeled to improve texture, if needed.

Yeah, my fridge isn’t this clean either but I do store asparagus like this.

The ideal way to keep asparagus spears as fresh as possible at home is to trim the fibrous ends to create a fresh cut about 1/2-inch or so from the bottom (like you do for a Christmas tree). Stand the spears up in an inch of water and store them in the refrigerator. This will keep the asparagus from drying out.

Any container that will hold the asparagus upright will work; we often use a large coffee cup or immersion blender cup. This method will keep the asparagus fresh for up to a week, perhaps longer if it was kept this way in the store.

trimming the ends of asparagus on a cutting board

How To Trim Fresh Asparagus for Grilling

When trimming asparagus you want to get rid of any woody parts at the base of the stem so the spears turn out pleasingly tender.

Cut off the bottom of the asparagus spears at the point where the color changes from white to green—roughly 1-2 inches from the base. This method results in spears of an even length.
Snap the end off of each spear by holding it in your hands near the base and give the stem a gentle bend. The spear will naturally snap at the stiffer part of the stem.
For ultimate tenderness, use a vegetable peeler to take off the outer layer at the bottom of thicker asparagus spears.

Don’t throw those trimmed ends away! Diana at Eating Richly has a Creamy Asparagus Ends Soup to make the most of those trimmings so there’s no waste.

collage of three steps for grilling asparagus

Grilled Asparagus Recipe STEP BY STEP

Heat a grill to 400F.
Prepare the asparagus spears by trimming any fibrous ends (see above).
Arrange the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer, drizzle with olive oil and roll the asparagus in the oil ensuring an even coating. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the asparagus on the grill over direct heat and cook for 6-8 minutes, checking and turning (rolling) the spears halfway through. The asparagus is cooked when it is brown in places, crisp on the outside, and tender inside.
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with cheese.

If you prefer asparagus really soft in the center or the spears are thicker than 1/4-inch in diameter, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

fresh asparagus prepped and ready for grilling — Asparagus seasoned and ready for the grill.

a pan of cooked asparagus — Asparagus seasoned and ready for the grill.

Recipe Variations and Serving Suggestions

Substitute feta, goat cheese, grated Parmesan, or blue cheese for the cotija cheese.
Substitute avocado oil for the olive oil.
As a simple starter, wrap fresh asparagus with a slice of prosciutto and grill as indicated, but extend the cooking time by 2-3 minutes until prosciutto is crisp.
Dip the grilled spears in Ranch or blue cheese dressing to serve as an appetizer.
Serve with a side of rich and creamy hollandaise sauce.
Top with a lightly poached or soft boiled egg and allow the soft yolk to dress the asparagus.
Dress with aged balsamic vinegar and a fine grating of Parmesan cheese.
Serve alongside pan-seared, roasted, or grilled meats like Grilled Lamb Loin Chops, Osso Buco, Steak and Scallops, or Buttermilk Chicken.
Use up any leftovers in Cream of Asparagus Soup.

Beef ribs served with a side of grilled asparagus and mashed cauliflower — Osso Buco Style Short Ribs over Mashed Cauliflower with Grilled Asparagus

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