Remember to chop off the thick, woody ends of the asparagus (the bottom inch or so) before cooking.

Traeger grills use wood pellets for fuel and flavor. Consider using oak, hickory, fruitwoods, or mesquite to highlight the earthy taste of asparagus.

If your asparagus spears are thick enough, they shouldn’t fall through the grill grates. Smaller, thinner asparagus can be cooked on a grill tray to keep them in place.

Make sure there’s some space in between each spear so the heat and smoke can circulate freely and cook the asparagus evenly.

Grilling asparagus with the lid closed traps the heat and smoke, which helps the veggies cook evenly and take on an intensified smoky flavor profile.

Balsamic glaze – Drizzle the grilled asparagus with balsamic glaze instead of lemon juice for a hint of sweetness and acidity. 

Garlic herb butter – Brush a mixture of melted butter, minced garlic, and fresh herbs over the asparagus. To take it up a notch, use my Lemon Butter Dill Sauce instead.

Romesco Sauce – Grilled asparagus is so delicious with my easy romesco sauce!

Soy sesame – Drizzle with low-sodium soy sauce during grilling, then garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. 

Cheese – Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or crumbled goat’s cheese while the smoked asparagus is still warm. 

Bacon – Sprinkle crumbled crispy bacon or homemade bacon salt on top before serving. Or, wrap your asparagus spears in bacon before putting them on the smoker.

Toasted nuts – Garnish the plated veggies with toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans.