Lemon Grilled Asparagus with Feta is a vibrant, flavorful side dish that’s both refreshing and savory! Fresh asparagus spears are perfectly grilled with a zesty lemon dressing, creating a smoky char. Topped with crumbled feta cheese, this dish adds a creamy, tangy contrast to the bright, crisp asparagus.
This easy 5 minute grilled (or broiled) asparagus recipe has a short ingredient list and even shorter cook time, but it’s our kids’ favorite side dish!
Recipe Origins
Remember how I used to be picky? Well, immediately after we had our first daughter we moved to California. California is beautiful, amazing weather (we lived in San Diego) and they have awesome produce. Which is great, unless you’re me and you don’t really care for all of those weird vegetables. Remember, this is the old me, the new me will devour veggies faster than anything else. Anyway, we had dinner at my sister in law’s house and I was informed she was making a really easy grilled lemon pepper asparagus recipe…
Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuun! How in the heck was I going to get out of this one?! We were all going to be eating dinner together in the backyard for heaven’s sake!!!! Wait, there was a dog. I for sure could slip one to the dog. Nope, I already was feeling sneaky and knew I couldn’t pretend to eat something and feed it to the dog without feeling horribly guilty. I was going to have to suck it up. And suck it up I did, and it was good. It was real good. And so began my veggie journey. That day I learned that grilled asparagus is phenomenal and since then I’ve converted my mother who always said asparagus was like a nasty weed growing by an old ditch. And now she even loves it. Booyah, baby!
Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Asparagus
You only need 6 ingredients to make this easy vegetable side dish! The olive oil helps the asparagus get a nice char on it and it also helps the seasonings cling to the asparagus. Here is everything you need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon Zest and Juice
- Asparagus
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Feta Cheese
- TIP: If you aren’t a feta fan, parmesan cheese makes a great substitute!
The measurements and details for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Buy the Best Asparagus
Buying the best and freshest asparagus doesn’t need to be complicated. We have a few tips that will help you pick the best bundle of asparagus.
First, check the tips. They should be pretty firm to the touch and mushy at all.
Next, check the stalks. They should not be soft or rubbery at all.
Finally, check the ends. Even though we will be trimming the ends off, they are a good indicator of the freshness of the asparagus spears. You don’t want the ends to be woody, shriveled or split.
One more tip for buying asparagus, try to av