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Nothing quite compares to the simplicity of this sugar snap pea recipe. Lightly steamed and quickly sautéed with garlic and butter, the sugar snap peas become crisp-tender and their natural sweetness is enhanced, leaving you with a veggie side dish that even picky eaters tend to enjoy.
Whether served alongside Instant Pot mac and cheese or chicken tenders for a kid-friendly meal or chicken piccata for a sophisticated, yet simple, meal, you are going to find yourself making these sautéed sugar snap peas on repeat.
Kristen's Keys for Preparing Sugar Snap Peas
There are a few tips I have when it comes to making sugar snap peas. Knowing these right from the get-go will help you have perfect results.
- Look for sugar snap peas that are plump, uniform in color, and firm. While you can find them year round in the produce section of most grocery stores, they are at their peak in late spring through early summer.
- Remove the strings from the pods. Skipping this step can leave the sugar snap peas tough and stringy.
- Don't overcook. The cooking process is fast for a reason. Sugar snap peas are best served crisp-tender and vibrant green. Cooking past this point, results in a soggy texture that is anything but appetizing.
How to Cook Fresh Sugar Snap Peas
What makes this recipe stand out is the quick two-step method. The brief steam softens the pods just enough, while the quick sauté adds flavor without turning them mushy. The result is a fresh, buttery vegetable side dish that wins over everyone.
Step One: Prepare Sugar Snap Peas
Before cooking the sugar snap peas, you want to give them a good rinse. Then, snap off the stem end, and pull it downward along the seam to remove the string along the top (or concave) part of the pod. For really tender results, repeat on the other side, which I personally recommend.
Use the photos below to help guide you.
Step Two: Steam Sugar Snap Peas
Place the prepared pods in a large skillet that can be covered with a lid. Add a bit of water, a good pinch of salt, and place the lid on the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. This will lightly steam the sugar snap peas, helping them to become tender.
Once the water is simmering, remove the lid, and let sugar snap peas cook, stirring often until the water evaporates. This will just take a minute or two.
Step Three: Saute with Butter and Garlic
Add in the butter and garlic, and saute for 1 minute, just to toast the garlic and allow the butter to melt.
Once the butter has fully melted, immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the sugar snap peas to a serving platter to stop the cooking process.
Seasoning Options for Sugar Snap Peas
While you can't beat the simplicity or flavor of buttered sugar snap peas with a touch of garlic, there are endless ways you can flavor these pan-seared sugar snap peas.
- Swap butter for olive oil. Perfect if you are dairy-free or don't care for the rich, sweet undertones butter lends to a dish.
- Finish with lemon. After removing the sugar snap peas from the heat, add the juice and zest of a small lemon for a bright, fresh finish.
- Hate garlic? This recipe for sugar snap peas is delicious with or without the garlic. Or you could opt to use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for less garlic forward dish.
- Add fresh herbs. Add fresh mint, fresh thyme, or fresh chives right before serving for a bright, fresh finish.
- Finish with parmesan. Grating fresh parmesan cheese over the sugar snap peas right before serving is never a bad idea!
- Add an Asian flair. After steaming the pea pods, remove the lid and add in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon each of minced garlic and ginger, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Briefly toast then remove from the heat and top with toasted sesame seeds.
More Easy Vegetable Side Dishes
Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic and Butter
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh sugar snap peas
- 2 tablepsoons water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more/less to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced ~1 teaspoon
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry sugar snap peas if needed. Cut off the stem end and remove the string that runs along the top and bottom of each sugar snap pea and discard.
- Place the prepared pods in a large skillet that has a lid. Add 2 tablespoons of water and ½ teaspoon salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. ~2-3 minutes
- As soon as the water begins to sizzle, remove the lid, stir the sugar snap peas and let the water evaporate. This will only take a minute or so.
- Add in the butter and minced garlic. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the water has evaporated. ~1-2 minutes.
- Immediately remove from the skillet and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Swap butter for olive oil.
- Finish with the zest and juice of a lemon.
- Omit the garlic or use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for less garlic forward dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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