Charcoal Chimney–Grilled Asparagus With Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

Channel the intense heat of a charcoal chimney starter for better grilled green vegetables.

By
Sasha Marx
Sasha Marx
Senior Culinary Editor
Sasha is a senior culinary editor at Serious Eats. He has over a decade of professional cooking experience, having worked his way up through a number of highly regarded and award-winning restaurant kitchens, followed by years spent in test kitchens for food publications.
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Updated March 11, 2021
charred asparagus with green goddess dressing
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Grilling asparagus over the intense high heat of a charcoal chimney starter allows you to cook vegetables in record time, preserving their natural crispness while also giving them plenty of char.
  • Creamy green goddess dressing, packed with fresh herbs, makes a perfect dipping sauce for grilled asparagus.

Green vegetables like asparagus often end up overcooked on the grill, either flaccid or charred to a crisp. Grilling the spears hard and fast by placing them directly over a charcoal chimney starter keeps them green and tender-crisp, while giving them just the right amount of char. They pair perfectly with Green Goddess Dressing for dipping.

Recipe Details

Charcoal Chimney–Grilled Asparagus With Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450g) asparagus, trimmed

  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Green Goddess Dressing

Directions

  1. Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, set a small wire rack on top of the chimney and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean (if necessary) and oil the wire rack.

    charcoal chimney

  2. Toss asparagus and oil in a large bowl until spears are evenly coated. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

  3. Working in batches, arrange asparagus on prepared wire rack, taking care not to overcrowd the rack and keeping the tips of the spears away from the direct heat of the coals. Cook until spears are charred on first side, 30 to 45 seconds for thin asparagus or 45 seconds to 1 minute for thicker ones. Flip asparagus and cook on second side until spears are charred and just tender, 30 to 45 seconds longer. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside.

    cooking asparagus on charcoal chimney

  4. Repeat grilling process with remaining asparagus. Serve immediately, passing green goddess dressing at the table.

Special Equipment

Chimney starter, grill, small wire rack

Make-Ahead and Storage

This dish is best enjoyed immediately.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
174Calories
16gFat
7gCarbs
3gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories174
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g20%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 384mg17%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 8mg41%
Calcium 35mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 253mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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