Grilled Asparagus Caesar.
I’m here to tell you that you need this grilled asparagus caesar salad in your life!
I swear. It’s not just any old asparagus.
Oh my gosh. This… is so delicious. So much tastier than it even looks. Truly!
This is the best thing I’ve eaten off the grill in a long time. And if you follow my week in the life posts, then you know we grill all year long! I still usually grill at least one dinner a week and we grill on the weekends too, even when it’s cold and snowy.
So it’s not like we’ve been without the grill!
But there is something about this asparagus. Maybe because it’s the first REAL taste of spring and summer off of the grill?
The recipe could not be more simple! Perfect for your easter or spring brunch.
It’s my yogurt caesar dressing – I know I just rambled on about it when I shared our go-to kale caesar.
Asparagus spears that are tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper then thrown on the grill. In a pinch you really could roast these but they just won’t have that smoky, charred flavor.
There’s lots of parmesan.
I like to use both shaved parmesan and then a finely grated parmesan to really hit all the spots.
And sourdough croutons! I like to grill the sourdough slices too, then chop or tear them into pieces. Of course, you could do breadcrumbs like I do in the kale salad. But having bigger croutons here makes the whole dish a little more substantial since there aren’t any greens.
The secret is seasoning everything as you go. Seasoning the asparagus, the bread, the dressing. It’s key!
Oh! And let me tell you about my asparagus caesar hack. Last week I grilled the asparagus and the bread. And then I drizzle the caesar on a slice of the bread, topped it with multiple asparagus spears and parmesan. Kind of like an asparagus caesar toast!
It was perfect too.
Really, it’s all of the flavors here that come together and make you crave warmer weather. Charred, smoky vegetables, creamy dressing, crunchy, golden sourdough. Nutty and savory parmesan.
Everything is super simple, but really delicious when combined. I love a recipe like that.
And yes, of course, make the dressing ahead of time! It’s my go-to caesar that I make in the blender. Store it in the fridge for a few days and use it for ALLLLLL the things.
Very certain this is going to be on repeat for the next six months.
Grilled Asparagus Caesar Salad
Grilled Asparagus Caesar
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus spears
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- garlic powder for sprinkling
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- ⅓ cup shaved parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
caesar dressing
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- As a note, make the dressing first! You can make this a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge too.
- Preheat your grill to a medium-high setting. Let the grates get hot for at least 10 minutes!
- Remove the woody stems from the asparagus spears. Toss them with 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Brush the sourdough slices with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle all over with kosher salt and even some garlic powder.
- Place the asparagus spears directly on the grill (in the opposite direction of how the grates run, so they don’t fall through the cracks!). Grill for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the spears are slightly charred. I also throw the sourdough on the grates at the same time. The bread needs about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until it’s toasty with grill marks.
- Remove the asparagus and bread from the grill. Slice or tear the sourdough into smaller crouton pieces.
- Place the asparagus on a plate and drizzle all over with the caesar dressing - use as much or as little as you’d like. Top with the shaved parmesan cheese. Top with the sourdough croutons. Top with the finely grated parmesan. Serve immediately!
caesar dressing
- To make the dressing, add the garlic, yogurt, parmesan, mustard, vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until pureed. With the processor still on, stream in the olive oil until a creamy dressing forms. (This will probably make more dressing than needed, but you can store it sealed in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days and stir well before using.)
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Might just do this with green beans too…
20 Comments on “Grilled Asparagus Caesar.”
will be making this soon with few subs i never had salad before will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
enjoy!
Is there a substitute for anchovy paste or could you just leave it out? Excited to try this!
you can leave it out!
I absolutely love Jessica’s caesar dressing recipe and I’ve made it several times without anchovy paste. The last time I made it I took to Google for a substitute and ended using Worcestershire sauce instead.
https://tastessence.com/substitutes-for-anchovy-paste
yes worcestershire is the best sub!! it does have anchovies tho, in case you’re looking to leave them out entirely.
This is remarkably similar to Caesar Grilled Asparagus on Closet Cooking.
nice!! i haven’t seen theirs but this is the caesar dressing that’s been on my blog since 2011. just added asparagus, croutons and parm!
Well, then, maybe that person copied yours! As they always say, there are no new recipes – just variations of what has already been done. I make a lot of your recipes and I intend to try this one as well.
Could you roast the asparagus instead of grill?
yes you can!
I made this but roasted the asparagus and it was great!
Made this tonight and added broccoli. Holy cow was it incredible. I cant wait to make again and the dressing was the best.
Super good. Roasted the asparagus. Loved how easy and simple it was to make. Left out anchovy paste just to make it vegetarian.
When I saw this recipe I was skeptical about adding anything to grilled asparagus, which is already perfectly delicious with just salt and pepper. Oh my goodness was I wrong! This may have been the most delicious asparagus I have ever eaten and I can’t wait to make it again!
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Made this last night on the grill, delicious! I only ended using about half of the dressing, but am very excited to use the other half next week when I make this again.
Made this, it’s phenomenal. The Caesar dressing recipe is the best homemade Caesar dressing I’ve ever made, creamy and tangy and so delicious. Thank you Jessica!
This was so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. Would love to try this with other veggies. The Caesar dressing recipe is an absolute keeper.👍🏻