Photo: Belén Fleming of Belu Photography
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables to grill. I like how the stalks get crispy with a little char on the ends. It is tender but still has a little crunch and a smoky flavor. Grilling asparagus couldn’t be easier, and it is delicious with just a simple drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. To take it up a notch, I like to serve it with a lemony aquafaba sauce. (Aquafaba is the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas.) It has the consistency of egg whites, and I like to use it to make this
lemony sauce that reminds me of Hollandaise.
Grilled Asparagus with Lemony Aquafaba
Serves 4
- 1 pound of asparagus
- Olive oil
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
- Lemon half
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Rinse the asparagus and pat dry. Snap or cut off the woody ends of the asparagus spears. Lightly coat the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a paper towel or dishcloth, carefully rub a little olive oil on the grill grates. Place the asparagus on the grill perpendicular to the grill bars. Grill the asparagus for 3-6 minutes, depending on thickness. Use tongs to roll them to the other side halfway through grilling. Remove from the grill and season with salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice. Serve with Lemony Aquafaba, recipe below.
Lemony Aquafaba
- 1/4 cup aquafaba from a can of chickpeas
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup olive oil
Drain the can of chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of aquafaba. Place aquafaba, lemon juice, sea salt and cayenne pepper in a mini food processor. With the food processor running, slowly add olive oil until combined. Store in a glass jar or sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Emily Maxson is a Plymouth food blogger and author of Emily’s Fresh Kitchen Cookbook. For more recipes, visit emilysfreshkitchen.com, or follow her on Instagram @emilysfreshkitchen.
