If you've been sleeping on eating sautéed sugar snap peas, it's time to wake up and smell the garlic.
These little green bundles of joy are sweet, crunchy, and take minimal effort to put together. This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, and with four simple ingredients.
Full stop, I used to haaaate these. I hated that they tasted like earth, they were hard to chew, and just undesirable. I love charred green beans, but I could not get into snap peas.
BUT, I learned how to prepare these sugar snap peas so that they come out tasting delicious. Now, this recipe is something I look forward to making every season.
Sauteed Snap Peas at a Glance
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level - Easy.
- ⏱️ Cook Time - This will run you just 20 minutes, perfect for making during the week or even as a snack before dinner.
- 😋 Taste - Salty, savory, sweet, crunchy, garlicky. Literally all the flavors your could ask for in one bite.
- 🍽️ Best Served With - You've got to make these sugar snap peas with juicy pan fried chicken cutlets or Italian baked turkey meatballs. These also pair nicely with my honey and lime shrimp skewers or grilled lamb chops.
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Trusted Tips & Key Reminders
- Add the snap peas to the olive oil first, then add in the garlic. I find that if I add garlic too early, it runs the risk of burning and overcooking. I like the garlic to be soft and fragrant, not overdone.
- Cover the pan when cooking the snap peas to give them a chance to soften a little and steam. This won't take away the snap though!
- Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and hit it with a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end. A great recipe is all about the balance of salt, fat, acid, and heat (which I've proudly learned from Chef Samin Nosrat).
The Main Ingredients
- Sugar Snap Peas - Sugar snap peas have a very distinct texture and flavor. The shell and the pea inside are both entirely edible, and when sautéed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, it's a match-made in culinary heaven.
- Olive Oil - Neutral oil like olive oil is great for this recipe. It gives a slight robust flavor to the snap peas, and helps make them just a tad softer.
- Garlic - I love using garlic in this recipe as it gives more flavor, and who doesn't love sautéed garlic and the aromas from it?
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- Swap the olive oil for avocado oil or canola oil if that's your preference.
- Throw in red pepper flakes or shallot for added flavor.
- To add even more umami, season with sesame seeds, soy or teriyaki sauce, and serve as an Asian-influenced snap pea side dish.
- Instead of using snap peas of that isn't your thing, you could do green beans like my garlicky green beans.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
How to make Sauteed Snap Peas
Step 1: Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat, then pour in the olive oil. Add the sugar snap peas to the pan, toss to coat. Sprinkle the salt and pepper and mix to combine. Let the snap peas cook for 5-7 minutes, with the option to cover for a few minutes to help with the steaming and searing.
Step 2: Finely slice garlic cloves and add to the pan with the sugar snap peas. Toss to evenly disperse the garlic around the pan. Continue to let cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and the snap peas have softened slightly. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and thyme.
Snap Peas FAQs
Add all leftover snap peas to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to three to four days.
You can season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, onion salt, dried herbs like basil and parsley, or some sesame seeds.
Yes you can make these in an air fryer but you'll have to omit the garlic. Using an air fryer for these snap peas will make them crunchy and crispy, versus creamy with a slight crunch.
Other favorite side dish veggies
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
Equipment
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups Sugar Snap Peas
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic finely sliced
- Salt and Pepper
- ½ whole Lemon garnish
Instructions
- Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat, then pour in the olive oil. Add the sugar snap peas to the pan, toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper and mix to combine. Let the snap peas cook for 5-7 minutes, with the option to cover for a few minutes to help with the steaming and searing.
- Finely slice garlic cloves and add to the pan with the sugar snap peas. Toss to evenly disperse the garlic around the pan.
- Continue to let cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and the snap peas have softened slightly.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and thyme.
Geraldine says
I can't tell you how many snap peas I grew in my garden this year, and so when I pinned this post I made these that night and they were so good. I made turkey meatballs with these and a side of mashed potatoes and we loved it.