Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Tahini Sauce
May 20, 2022, Updated Sep 22, 2025
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Grilled asparagus with lemon tahini sauce is a quick and flavorful side that’s ready in just 15 minutes. The smoky asparagus pairs perfectly with the creamy, tangy sauce for a dish that’s delicious and satisfying.
When the weather is warm enough, you can always find me on the back porch grilling something. From grilled zucchini and beef shish kabob to shrimp kabob and stuffed mushrooms, we love that smoky flavor of the grill! Today’s grilled asparagus recipe is a quick 15-minute side dish that everyone loves.
Asparagus is a humble vegetable with a subtle flavor, but when prepared properly, it’s delicious and has the perfect texture—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. With just a few simple ingredients, you can elevate it into a vibrant asparagus salad or a tasty side dish.
Table of Contents
Tips For Grilling Asparagus
- Choose fresh: Fresh asparagus is firm and the tips are brightly closed. The color of asparagus is not constant, however fresh asparagus always looks bright and rich in color and not faded.
- Trim the ends: The woody end of the asparagus snaps naturally. Be sure to remove that part for best flavor and texture.
- Don’t overcook: The key to tasty asparagus is to grill it just enough for it to be cooked. Overcooking it might result in chewy and stringy texture.
How to Make Grilled Asparagus
Preheat the grill (gas or charcoal) to medium-high and place a grill basket on the grates. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure all asparagus is coated with olive oil.
While the grill is heating, make the lemon tahini sauce by mixing tahini, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, salt, minced garlic and just a bit of water to thin it out.
Place the asparagus on the grill basket. Close the lid and grill for 5 minutes, then flip the asparagus and grill for another 5 minutes until they are cooked but crisp. Plate the grilled asparagus and top with lemon tahini sauce.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this as a side dish with our summer barbecue dishes such as grilled wings, grilled steak, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp skewers, or salmon kabob. It’s such an easy side dish to make and goes well with almost any protein.
You can also serve this side dish with a variety of condiments including toum (Lebanese garlic sauce and balsamic glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the asparagus has turned soggy and not crisp, it could be for a couple of reasons. First, the asparagus wasn’t fresh to begin with and second, it’s been overcooked. Keep an eye on it while grilling and remove it as soon as it’s cooked which usually takes about 10 minutes.
You don’t need to blanch fresh asparagus before grilling since it cooks very fast on the grill.
It depends on the variety of asparagus, the type of grill and its heat. However, it generally takes about 10 minutes to grill asparagus on medium-high heat, flipping once.
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Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Lemon Tahini Sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp water
Garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium/medium-high.
- Trim the woody ends of the asparagus, it naturally breaks or you can use a knife. place them on a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Using your hands, coat the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Make the lemon tahini sauce by mixing the tahini with yogurt, lemon zest and juice, salt and garlic. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time if you need to thin out the sauce.
- Place the asparagus on the grill. I used a grilling pan with holes for better handling. Close the lid and let it grill for 5 minutes. Give it a good stir and grill for another 5 minutes until they are crisp and cooked. Transfer them to a serving platter.
- Drizzle the lemon tahini sauce over the asparagus, top with Aleppo pepper and sesame seeds if desired and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Serving suggestions: Serve with grilled spatchcock chicken, Greek grilled chicken, grilled steak or beef shish kabobs.
- It’s best to serve and eat grilled asparagus fresh out of the grill for the best texture and flavor. However, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, place them on a pan over medium heat, stir a few times so they heat evenly. You can use them in salads or with eggs for breakfast.
- Make sure to use fresh asparagus that’s bright in color and feels firm. Canned asparagus will not work for this recipe.
- For a dairy-free version, use plain dairy-free yogurt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you just say 16 minutes? Sign me up! We love asparagus here and am definitely going to try this one asap! Thanks so much for sharing!
This is the perfect use of asparagus. I am excited to try it again this week.
This asparagus has such outstanding flavor, between the tahini and the grilling it is superb! Thank you!