This post shows you how to cook sugar snap peas using three different cooking methods. Easy, delicious, and cooked through in under 10 minutes!
When you're focussed on the main dish, it can be easy to forget about a veggie side dish. I love having some quick side dish recipes in my back pocket, like sautéed green beans with garlic butter or these 3 broccolini recipes. Sugar snap peas make surprisingly delicious side dishes as well!
Sugar snap peas are usually served raw, but are so good cooked, as well. Cooking them lightly maintains the crunch factor, but enhances the flavors and sweetness.
The three recipes in this post make for a simple yet elegant side dish. I could totally see serving them as an Easter side dish, at a barbecue or a casual dinner party.
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Reasons you'll ♡ these recipes
- they are cooked through in under 10 minutes, using simple ingredients
- it gives you a whole new way to enjoy sugar snap peas
- they taste amazing!
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how to cook sugar snap peas! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Types of peas to use
Sugar snap peas work great in these recipes, as they have edible pods, and are full and 'juicy'. We used store bought Mann's sugar snap peas; if you grow them in your garden, they'd work great too!
- Snow peas- while their pods are edible, they don't work as well with these recipes as they are thinner
- English peas- pods cannot be consumed so should not be used
Grilling snap peas
1. Toss in oil- toss the snap peas in olive oil, or spray lightly with spray oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill- You can use an indoor grill (like this George Foreman grill) or a traditional outdoor grill. Preheat for 5-10 minutes before adding the peas.
- outdoor grill- use a grilling basket so they don't fall through the grates. Grill the snap peas over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
- indoor grill (with lid)- Grill the snap peas for 2-3 minutes total.
3. Serve- Snap peas are ready when they are bright green (as in the photo above). You do not want to overcook them as they become chewy. For this recipe, we tossed with fresh mint, a squeeze of lemon, and feta cheese!
Pan fried snap peas
1. Heat pan- Add oil to a nonstick pan (for this recipe, we use sesame oil) and heat over medium heat.
2. Cook peas- Add the peas to the pan, toss in the oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Cook until they are bright green, and be careful not to overcook.
3. Serve- For this recipe, we season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. You could certainly get creative here.
Variations:
- add garlic or ginger to the sesame oil
- try using this lemon herb seasoning blend (swap the sesame oil for olive oil)
- add chili powder and serve with a squeeze of lime
Roasting snap peas
1. Heat oven- Start by pre-heating your oven to 425°F.
2. Prep peas- toss the snap peas in olive oil, panko, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Arrange on a baking sheet.
3. Roast- Bake the snap peas for 8-10 minutes, until they are bright green.
Recipe tips
Do not overcook
When cooked correctly, snap peas will be bright green, retain some of their 'crunch', and be sweet. When overcooked, snap peas become wrinkly, chewy, and can have a bitter flavor. Be careful to remove your snap peas on time!
Don't plan for leftovers
I recommend enjoying these recipes soon after preparing them. The Garlic Sesame Snap Peas kept quite well, and we enjoyed snacking on them for several days after preparing. The Grilled Snap Peas recipe did not keep as well due to the lemon juice and mint. The Roasted Snap Peas with Parmesan also did not keep their crunchy texture after being refrigerated.
More ways to enjoy peas
- in a stir fry- how about a sweet chili shrimp stir fry?
- in a curry- snap peas are so tasty in a Thai curry. I only cook them briefly so they stay slightly crisp.
- in a salad- you can add them raw or blanche them quickly. They would go well with barley and a honey lemon vinaigrette...sprinkle with feta for the win!
- in a breakfast scramble- sautee with some bacon, onions and asparagus and top with a poached egg.
FAQ
YES! Sugar snap peas contain a number of nutrients including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, and B Vitamins. Not to mention they are a source of fiber and iron.
YES. I have frozen cooked snap peas many times, in a stir fry or curry. They lose a bit of their crunch after they freeze/thaw, but they still retain great flavor. Like most vegetables, it is recommended that you blanche raw snap peas before freezing them.
Yes! The skin is sweet and crunchy, and tastes delicious. You cannot eat the skin of english peas, as it is stringy and bitter.
More side dishes
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How to Cook Sugar Snap Peas (3 Ways!)
Ingredients
Skillet Sesame Snap Peas
- 8 oz sugar snap peas note 1
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- salt & pepper
- sesame seeds to sprinkle
Grilled Snap Peas with Feta & Mint
- 8 oz sugar snap peas
- spray oil
- salt & pepper
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese (crumbled)
- 2 teaspoons fresh mint (chopped)
Parmesan Roasted Snap Peas
- 8 oz sugar snap peas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Skillet Sesame Snap Peas
- Heat a skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Toss the snap peas with sesame oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Cook for 2 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. These peas are best when a bit of crunch is left.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds to taste, and serve immediately.
Grilled Snap Peas with Feta & Mint
- Heat an indoor grill for several minutes until hot. If you are using an outdoor grill, you may need a vegetable grilling plate so your peas don't fall between the grates.
- Spray the peas with a thin layer of oil and toss with salt & pepper.
- Add the peas to the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender. You may need to work in batches, depending on how large your grill is.
- Remove peas from heat, squeeze lemon juice over top and sprinkle with feta cheese and mint.
- Serve immediately.
Parmesan Roasted Snap Peas
- Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Toss the peas with olive oil, salt and pepper, then with the parmesan, panko breadcrumbs and lemon zest.
- Arrange on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Tips:
Video
Nutrition Information
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Andrea says
We LOVED the grilled snap peas! Such an easy side dish.
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to leave a review 🙂
Lori says
I feel like you read my mind and wrote this post just for me! I loooooove Mann's stringless snap peas and buy them every week. I usually eat them raw with dip or throw them in a stir-fry and I'm super excited to try some fresh ideas! So many new ways to enjoy my favorite veggie. Thank you!
Denise says
Ha ha!! I hope you enjoy these recipes, Lori! It's always fun to try some new ways to enjoy our favorite foods 🙂