These stir-fried sugar snap peas are a quick side dish with fresh garlic, ginger, and a little soy sauce or coconut aminos. Cook in a hot skillet until bright green, with a few browned spots. Finish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of lemon.
Overview: Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas
- What it is: Sugar snap peas stir-fried in a hot skillet with fresh garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, finished with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of lemon.
- Cook time: About 3 minutes in a hot skillet.
- Texture: Bright green with a few browned spots and a little crunch.
- Flavor: Fresh garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a squeeze of lemon.
- Easy swap: Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
- Serve with: Seared ahi tuna and jasmine rice.
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My Favorite Way to Cook Sugar Snap Peas
I love sugar snap peas. I eat them raw a lot. They're sweet and crunchy right out of the bag.
A couple of minutes in a hot skillet brings out that sweetness, and I add the garlic and ginger at the end. A few drops of toasted sesame oil and they're ready for the table.
Ingredients
- Sugar snap peas: Trim the stems and pull off any tough strings.
- Cooking oil: Use olive oil or a neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Aromatics: Use fresh garlic cloves and fresh ginger.
- Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos instead.
- Toasted sesame oil: Add a few drops after taking the skillet off the heat.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a pinch for a little heat, or leave them out.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Sprinkle them over the peas, or use furikake, a Japanese seasoning blend with seaweed.
- Lemon: Half for juice and half cut into wedges.
- Salt: Add to taste after tossing the peas with the sauce.
How to Stir-Fry Sugar Snap Peas
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook, stirring often, until they're bright green and starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the soy sauce or coconut aminos and squeeze half a lemon over the peas. Stir in the garlic and ginger and toss. Cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and toss the peas with a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Taste and add salt if needed.
Step 3: Transfer the peas to a serving plate. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or furikake and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like. Serve with lemon wedges.
Chef's Tips
- Dry the peas well. Pat them dry after rinsing so they brown in the skillet.
- Give them room. Use a large skillet and spread the peas out. If they're piled up, cook them in two batches.
- Add the garlic and ginger near the end. They only need about a minute and can burn if you add them too early.
- Keep a little crunch. The peas are ready when they're bright green with a few browned spots and still snap when you bite into one.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the sugar snap peas hot with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or furikake and lemon wedges on the side.
I like to serve these snap peas with seared yellowfin tuna with sesame sauce and a bowl of jasmine rice.
They're also good alongside sautéed shrimp with coconut aminos.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover snap peas in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They'll have the most crunch the day you make them.
To reheat, toss the peas in a skillet over medium-high heat until they reach 165°F (74°C). Finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon.
More Simple Vegetable Recipes
If you have green beans in the fridge, try our garlic Parmesan green beans for another easy vegetable side.
Stur Fry Sugar Snap Peas FAQ
Yes, if they have tough strings. Snap off the stem end and pull it down along the pod seam. If no string comes away, just trim the stem and toss the peas into the skillet.
Pat the peas dry and start with a hot skillet. Give them room to brown, then take them off the heat while they're still bright green and have a little crunch. If your skillet is crowded, cook them in two batches.
Add them near the end, once the peas are bright green and starting to brown in spots. About a minute is enough to bring out their flavor without burning the garlic.
Yes. Snow peas are flatter and thinner, so they'll cook faster. Start checking them after a minute or two in the hot skillet.
Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Microplane grater
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- toasted sesame oil, a few drops
- red pepper flakes to taste
- toasted sesame seeds to taste, or furikake
- 1 lemon half for juice, half cut into wedges
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook, stirring often, until they're bright green and starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce or coconut aminos and squeeze half a lemon over the peas. Stir in the garlic and ginger and toss. Cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and toss the peas with a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Transfer the peas to a serving plate. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or furikake and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Dry the peas well after rinsing so they brown in the skillet.
- Use a large skillet and spread the peas out. If they're piled up, cook them in two batches.
- Add the garlic and ginger near the end. They only need about a minute and can burn if you add them too early.
- The peas are ready when they're bright green with a few browned spots and still snap when you bite into one.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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