When you want a dressed up side, Grilled Asparagus with Anchovy Breadcrumbs ticks all the boxes. Perfectly grilled and topped with a lemony, garlicky, crunchy crumb topping, your tastebuds will sing!
1bunch asparagus (about 1 lb), tough ends trimmed off
olive oil cooking spray, or olive oil to drizzle
Instructions
Place torn bread pieces into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to make coarse breadcrumbs. It's okay to have some larger chunks. You should end up with about 1½ cups of breadcrumbs.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies and stir until fillets melt into the oil, about 1 minute.
Add garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Add breadcrumbs and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and promote even browning. The crumbs will toast to a golden brown and get crispy.
Remove the skillet from the heat, and add the lemon zest and parsley, stir to combine. Set aside.
Lightly coat your asparagus spears with a few spritzes of cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, 7 to 9 minutes for thin asparagus / 10-12 minutes for thicker asparagus.
Arrange asparagus on a serving platter and sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.