Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas Recipe (One Pot)

Crispy yet tender, quick and easy sugar snap peas recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot or pan over stovetop in 20 minutes. Sauteed with lots of garlic and lemon!

These are the perfect snack or side dish to serve with your weeknight dinners, similar to these Sauteed Green Beans (One Pot).

They pair with almost anything! Crunchy, fresh, and flavorful they are the perfect choice that adults and kids will both enjoy.

How to cook sugar snap peas?

The 2 best ways of cooking snap peas are sauteeing and baking/ roasting.

• Saute them on stovetop (similar to stir fry):

1. Prep pan- Heat butter and oil in a large pan.
2. Add peas and garlic- Saute for a few minutes.
3. Continue cooking- Until peas are just starting to brown. They should still be crispy but slightly tender.
4. Add seasonings- This includes salt, pepper, lemon juice. Toss everything together and enjoy!

• Bake or roast them in in oven (Roasted sugar snap peas):

1. Prep peas- Spread them in a single layer on a baking tray, lined with foil paper.
2. Add oil- Toss them in 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Bake- At 425 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Season it- This includes salt, pepper, lemon juice. Toss everything together and dig in!

Some people prefer to steam them but I don't recommend it. That makes them too soft and causes them to lose their crisp texture.

What to serve with garlic snap peas recipe?

These are best served as a side dish with main dishes such as ham, turkey, steak, or chicken. It is also the perfect side for casseroles, meatloaf, or roasts. Try them with one of my family's favorites:

• Slow Cooker Ham
• Roast Turkey Breast (One Pan)
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites (One Pan)
• Lemon Pepper Chicken (One Pan)
• Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe

How to prepare sugar snap peas?

1. Rinse them in water and pat dry.
2. Trim the edges with kitchen scissors or a knife.
3. Remove the string that runs down the side by pulling with our fingers.

Honestly, it saves time, and is much more convenient, to just buy prepared ones. You can find them already trimmed and with the strings removed at most grocery stores.

Sugar Snap peas vs. Snow peas

There is no real difference in nutritional value between the two of them. However, based on my research, Snow peas (also called Chinese pea pods) are flatter with small immature peas inside the pod and the other ones are sweeter, with rounded pods and mature peas inside.

Variations

Add seasonings- I just added salt and pepper but you can take it up a notch and add Italian seasoning, Greek seasoning, Asian spice blend, or curry powder.

Add to stir-fry- Add these to your favorite stir-fry recipe

Make it Asian- For an Asian flavor toss with 1 tablespoon of low- sodium soy sauce. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Add to salads- Use them as a topping for a green salad.

Make it spicy- Add crushed chili peppers for a little heat, or toss with a small amount of sriracha.

Add cheese- Garnish with freshly grated shredded Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese at the end.

Add other veggies- Such as ½ cup diced onions, or 1 cup frozen vegetables or even 1 cup sliced mushrooms.

Add crunch- Sprinkle roughly chopped toasted nuts such as pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans at the end, prior to serving.

Tips and Techniques

Do you boil sugar snap peas? Do you need to blanch them? You do not need to blanch them or boil them in this recipe. Since they are being sauteed, blanching or boiling won't help with anything and is unnecessary. If you choose to boil them, make sure not to boil for too long because that will make them very soft and loose their crisp texture.

Is it ok to eat raw sugar snap peas? Yes! Serve them with this Veggie Dip (One Bowl). They make a fantastic snack or appetizer.

How to reheat leftovers? Reheat in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Make ahead instructions- Make this dish a day in advance and then reheat on stovetop, prior to serving.

Watch the heat closely- You do not want them to overcook and lose their "snap" or crisp texture and you also don't want them to burn. There is nothing worse than burnt, bitter garlic.

Choose fresh ingredients- Pick peas that are bright green, firm, and show no signs of browning or drying out.

Use unsalted butter- This prevents the dish from becoming too salty.

Use both, butter and oil- This provides the best flavor.

Don't cover the peas- This will cause them to steam and they will no longer be crispy.

Use nonstick pot or pan- because this prevents the veggies from burning or sticking.

More One Pot Side Dishes

• Green Beans With Bacon (One Pot)
• Honey Glazed Carrots (One Pot)
• Boiling Corn On The Cobb (One Pot)
• Fried Cabbage With Bacon (One Pot)
• Colcannon (One Pot)

Recipe

Happy cooking everyone!