How to Eat Sugar Snap Peas

Co-authored by Michael Caffrey and Kyle Hall

Last Updated: August 27, 2024 References

Sugar snap peas are delicious and easy to prepare. You can eat them raw or cooked, and they go great with a variety of different recipes. Raw sugar snap peas are a convenient snack you can take on the go, while cooked sugar snap peas have a rich flavor that goes well with other dishes. Whichever way you choose to cook sugar snap peas, leave them in their pods so you get their crunchy, sweet flavor.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Eating Raw Sugar Snap Peas

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Not all sugar snap peas have stems at the end, but if yours do, make sure you cut the stem off before eating them. Place the sugar snap peas on a cutting board and use a knife to carefully cut off the tip of the pea pod that the stem is attached to. ^{[1]
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Unlike with garden peas, the pods on sugar snap peas can be eaten. Don’t worry about removing the round peas inside. The pods on sugar snap peas are crunchy and sweet. ^{[2]
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Raw sugar snap peas can add crunch to your salads and make them more nutritious. Cut the pods into smaller segments with a knife so they’re easier to mix in with your salad, or you can leave them whole.
Dip them into hummus, guacamole, and other kinds of dip. Sugar snap peas are a healthier alternative to foods like chips and bread that are usually paired with dips.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Sautéing Sugar Snap Peas

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1
Heat 1 tablespoon (14.8 mL) of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Any kind of olive oil will work. Make sure you use a pan that’s large enough to hold all the sugar snap peas you’ll be sautéing. ^{[3]
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- If you’d prefer to cook the sugar snap peas in a different way, jump to our sections on blanching or roasting snap peas .
Use a large spoon to carefully scoop the sugar snap peas into the pan so hot oil doesn’t splash up on you. Stir the sugar snap peas with the spoon to coat them in olive oil. ^{[4]
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Use the spoon to stir in the salt and pepper so the sugar snap peas are evenly coated. ^{[5]
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Use the spoon to turn them over in the pan and stir them so they’re evenly cooked. You’ll know the sugar snap peas are finished sautéing when they’re tender and crispy. ^{[6]
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Pour them from the pan into a large bowl and sprinkle sea salt over them for some extra flavor. Put a serving spoon in the bowl and you’re finished! ^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Blanching Sugar Snap Peas

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Place the pot of water on a burner and turn the burner to the highest setting. Use a pot that’s large enough to hold all the sugar snap peas you want to blanch. ^{[8]
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Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Use about 1-2 ice cube trays worth of ice. After you put the ice in the bowl, fill it up almost to the brim with water. Set the bowl of ice water aside. ^{[9]
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- Do this step while you’re waiting for the pot of water to boil to save yourself time.
Boiling the sugar snap peas will make them less tough, and it will help preserve their color and flavor. Leave the pot uncovered as you boil the sugar snap peas. ^{[10]
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Don’t remove them from the boiling water early or they won’t blanch properly. After 5 minutes, the sugar snap peas should be crisp and tender.
Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the sugar snap peas so the boiling water drains out of it. Once all the sugar snap peas are in the bowl of ice water, turn off the stove top. ^{[11]
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Take the sugar snap peas out of the bowl and place them on a dry paper towel. Grab a second paper towel and pat the sugar snap peas until they're dry. ^{[12]
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7
Use the blanched sugar snap peas in a recipe or store them for later. Add the sugar snap peas to a salad or stir-fry. They’ll be more tender now that they’re blanched. If you don’t want to use them now, put them in a sealed plastic bag and place them in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Store the sugar snap peas in the fridge for up to 5 days. ^{[13]
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- Blanched sugar snap peas can stay good in the freezer for up to a year. ^{[14]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Roasting Sugar Snap Peas

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Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). While the oven's preheating, spread out the sugar snap peas in an even layer on a baking sheet. Make sure none of the sugar snap peas are overlapping or on top of each other. If you can’t fit all the sugar snap peas on one baking sheet, use a second baking sheet. ^{[15]
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Dip the basting brush in a bowl of olive oil so it’s fully saturated. Brush over the surface of the sugar snap peas until they’re all coated with oil. ^{[16]
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Sprinkle salt and pepper over the sugar snap peas. You can also add other seasonings like thyme and garlic powder. Try to evenly coat the sugar snap peas with the seasonings as you're sprinkling them on. ^{[17]
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After 10 minutes, open the oven door and look at the sugar snap peas. If they’re slightly brown on the edges, they’re finished. If not, leave them in for a few more minutes.
Use a spatula to remove the sugar snap peas from the baking sheet and transfer them to a plate. Serve the roasted sugar snap peas as a side or add them to a roasted vegetable medley.

Community Q&A

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Question

Would sugar snap peas be an appropriate veggie to add to my fondue options?

Community Answer

I've never had good luck with whole snap peas. The stringy part to pull the pod open and the outside "flesh" seems really chewy to me. But if you like them whole, I say go for it!

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What can you do with hard snap peas?

Community Answer

You can eat them whole, put them in a stir-fry, mix them into a salad, steam or blanch them, or pickle them.

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Can you eat a sugar snap pea (not the pod, just the pea) after it starts to put out roots?

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Yes, there are no roots though, the pea has sprouted, and that sprout is just as good as the pea and more nutritious.

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How to Eat Sugar Snap Peas

Steps

Eating Raw Sugar Snap Peas

Sautéing Sugar Snap Peas

Blanching Sugar Snap Peas

Roasting Sugar Snap Peas

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