Should asparagus be soaked before grilling?

You don't need to soak asparagus spears before grilling. However, you will want to coat the spears in oil to help prevent sticking. If you are grilling with any cedar planks or wood skewers, you should definitely soak those in water before grilling to prevent them from catching fire.

Should asparagus be blanched before grilling?

You certainly can blanch ( briefly boil then shock in an ice bath ) asparagus before grilling. But it's another step, and not entirely necessary. Furthermore, the best part about grilling asparagus is the sweet, charred flavor imparted by the dry, high heat. If the asparagus is still wet or excessively moist when the stalks hit the grates, this caramelization won't occur.

Do you clean asparagus before cooking?

Yes! Like many vegetables, asparagus grows in the dirt and residual soil often survives processing. A quick rinse in cold water is all you need to do. Be sure to pat the asparagus dry to remove all the moisture. Otherwise, with dry heat cooking methods like grilling or roasting, the water will steam the stalks. And prevent that golden, brown, and delicious crisp texture.

Orange-Balsamic Marinated Grilled Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
2 small tangerines, peeled, segmented
Avocado or coconut oil, for grilling
Salt and ground black pepper

Marinade

1 small shallot, minced
½ cup fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed orange juice
½ cup sherry or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of honey
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Balsamic Vinaigrette (Optional)

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (to cook shallots in, optional)
1 small shallot, minced, optional
1 teaspoon mustard, yellow or dijon
¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
½ cup of olive or avocado oil
½ teaspoon of flake salt (less if using iodized or table salt)

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Instructions

Before you begin, gather and clean all of your ingredients and collect your equipment. Then prepare the ingredients according to the ingredient list. If the shallots need to be minced, mince them. If the oranges need to be peeled and segmented, do it before you start cooking. Getting everything in place will make the process much smoother and simpler.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the balsamic vinaigrette, sauté the minced shallots over medium-low heat in a small pan. Stir occasionally and cook just a few minutes until the shallots soften and begin turning translucent.
Combine the cooked shallots in a small bowl with the dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly. This will emulsify, or bind and thicken, the dressing. Set it aside. The dressing can be made in advance and stored chilled. Whisk again (or shake the container) to recombine the dressing before serving.

Marinated & Grilled Asparagus

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade, then transfer to a shallow prep dish or large zipper food storage bag. Place trimmed asparagus in the marinade and store chilled for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
Preheat your gas grill on high, or prepare your coals to be as hot as possible (but no longer flaming excessively). You can also use a grill pan on the stove, aim for a medium-high to high heat.
Remove the asparagus from the marinade (if using). If you didn't marinade your bunch, coat the stalks with avocado or canola oil.
Season the spears with a couple of small finger pinches of salt.
Scrape the grill grates clean with a grill brush, and rub a high-heat oil onto the grates. You can also use a cooking spray oil.
Grill the asparagus until evenly charred and tender to the bite (taste one to know!). Flip the spears over once halfway through cooking with tongs, once the first side is deeply charred. Medium-thick stalks take about ten minutes to cook on a blazing hot grill.
Serve warm tossed with the mandarin segments and the balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle or grind a bit of black pepper, if you like. Or even just a squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil.

Notes

Reheating... For best results, reheat any grilled asparagus on a baking pan in the oven at 350° F.

On vinegar and orange juice... You can use any vinegar you have on hand. Apple cider, sherry, white wine, or red wine vinegar would all taste lovely. In the absence of orange juice, simply add a bit more vinegar to the marinade or even a little white wine.

Dietary Accommodations

This springtime side dish is naturally gluten-free and can be dairy-free and/or vegan if you sauté the shallots in a vegan "butter" or oil. The dish fits easily within many natural healing diets, including the GAPS diet protocol and paleo.

Keto or low-carb. Simply ditch the honey in the marinade for a completely sugar-free and low carbohydrate dish. Give a nice healthy drizzle of olive oil after grilling. Or instead of garnishing with the vinaigrette, serve the grilled asparagus with a hollandaise sauce, a keto lover's delight!

Nutrition Information

The calorie and nutrient counts below are for an average bunch of asparagus served with the mandarin segments and balsamic vinaigrette. Depending on how much dressing you use, the calories and fat will be significantly less.

Author: Christina
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Recipes
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3-4 grilled asparagus drizzled with the vinaigrette
Calories: 181
Sugar: 5.9 g
Sodium: 146.8 mg
Fat: 16.5 g
Carbohydrates: 7.9 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: marinated asparagus, grilled asparagus, balsamic vinaigrette, how to grill asparagus