These 5-ingredient Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas are a quick 15-minute side dish perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday meals like Easter and Mother's Day. They’re bursting with fresh spring flavor and can easily be customized with different seasonings.
In this article you'll learn:
- Sautéed sugar snap peas cook in just 2 to 3 minutes, creating a bright green, crisp-tender vegetable side dish.
- Butter, garlic, and scallions add simple, savory flavor, with optional red pepper flakes or lemon for variation.
- Cooking briefly over medium-high heat keeps peas from turning too soft, preserving their natural sweetness and crunch.
- Sugar snap peas pair easily with chicken, steak, pork, seafood, or holiday meals, making them a versatile side dish.
- Fresh or trimmed snap peas work best, and removing the string improves texture as needed.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
I love cooking with fresh, seasonal produce, especially when it comes to creating vibrant side dishes. It’s amazing how simple recipes like Honey Glazed Carrots or Roasted Broccoli with Sumac and Dried Fruit can become the highlight of a meal!
A go-to spring side dish
One of my go-to veggies in spring are fresh sugar snap peas. I always ate them raw growing up! They are still one of my favorite veggies to snack on, but now I also love them cooked.
You may not know how to cook snap peas, but believe me when I say it is easy. As a recipe developer I've added them to stir fry, rice bowls, and used them in simple veggie side dishes like this one!
They only take a few minutes to cook and can be seasoned in a variety of ways for really sensational flavor. My favorite way to enjoy them is when just heated through, barely soft, and lightly sautéed for maximum flavor.
I'm excited to show you how simple they are to make! Here are a few more reasons this sugar snap pea recipe will be your go-to as well:
- Great texture and flavor: Sugar snap peas have bright, crisp-tender texture, and they're made with simple pantry ingredients you likely have on hand.
- Quick: These tender yet crisp peas only take 15 minutes to prep and finish. Easy-peasy!
- Pairs well: This dish can be paired with almost any main dish and is perfect for busy weeknights, spring dinners, and holiday menus.
Jump to:
The ingredients are simple
Gather up a few ingredients, and you'll be on your way to tasty sautéed snap peas! See recipe card for full ingredient amounts.
- Sugar snap peas: Look for blemish-free peas that have bright green color. To save time, you can also purchase ready-to-eat peas that have been trimmed and washed.
- Salted butter: Substitute olive oil or coconut oil to make the peas vegan-friendly.
- Kosher salt
- Minced garlic: Only 1 small clove is needed to yield ¼ teaspoon minced.
- Scallions: You'll use both the green and white parts.
- Red pepper flakes: If you like your veggies with a little heat, use some red pepper flakes to give them a kick.
For more seasoning ideas, check the variations below.
How to make sautéed sugar snap peas
If you're ready to get started, follow these step-by-step instructions for perfect peas. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Prep scallions by thinly slicing the white and green parts. Cut extra for garnish if desired.
- Step 2: Mince garlic using a knife or microplane grater. If using another aromatic like ginger, grate that too.
- Step 3: Trim tough stem ends from washed sugar snap peas.
- Step 4: Melt butter in a nonstick skillet, then add peas and salt. Toss to coat evenly.
- Step 5: Cover pan to let peas cook for a few minutes until just tender but not overcooked.
- Step 6: Remove lid, add garlic and scallions (or other desired aromatics and seasonings), and cook one more minute.
- Step 7: Transfer to a serving dish and season with red pepper flakes, or other desired seasonings.
- Step 8: Garnish with extra scallions, chopped herbs, nuts, sesame seeds, or other toppings.
Tara's top tips
Tips for removing the string: Trim the tip of the pea near the stem and then pull downward to remove the string from the straight side.
Make them pretty: For nice presentation, open a few of the peas to expose the insides before cooking. Use the open peas to garnish the dish like I did.
Don't overcook: To keep the sugar snap peas a bright green color, it's important not to overcook them. They're usually just barely soft after 2 to 3 minutes. Remove them from the heat and transfer them to a serving dish immediately to stop the cooking process.
Add aromatics last: For the best flavor, add the garlic and scallions during the last minute of cooking so their flavor just bursts rather than cooks away. Alternately, you can add the garlic and scallions with the melted butter at the beginning of the cooking process.
Variations
Sugar snap peas are incredibly versatile! You can easily mix'n'match them with different flavors. Here are some flavor combos I like:
- Lemon: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and a squeeze of juice if desired.
- Asian-inspired: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil while cooking. Top with toasted sesame seeds.
- Parmesan and bacon bits: Garnish peas with a sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan and crispy bacon bits.
- Fresh herbs: Chop parsley, basil, mint, chervil, tarragon, or cilantro and add as a generous garnish instead of scallions at the end of cooking.
- Spicy: Add a drizzle of chili crisp or a dash of cayenne in place of the red pepper flakes for even more spice!
What to serve with sautéed sugar snap peas
These peas are delicious with grilled and roasted chicken, steak, pork chops, and seafood like salmon and shrimp. They also make a nice addition to pasta dishes, salads, and rice bowls.
When it comes to hosting holidays like Easter, they're also fabulous with ham, turkey, and prime rib.
Try them with some of these recipes:
Equipment
For best results, sauté the peas in a single layer in a large non-stick skillet.
I like to keep a few sharp paring knives around for simple trimming tasks.
Keep simple serving platters handy for sides and main dishes.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Reheat in a nonstick skillet or microwave until just heated through. They won't be a crunchy when reheated, but they will still be delicious.
FAQ
Removing the string from sugar snap peas is optional. Check the peas before cooking them and remove the tough stem end and the fibrous center string from the top side if it pulls easily. Removing the string will make the sugar snap peas more pleasant to eat!
Overcooking the sugar snap peas will make them soggy. Make sure to remove them from the heat once they've just started to get tender. The term is "crisp-tender", and they are heated through but not overcooked.
You can use frozen sugar snap peas. They may be more tender once heated through, rather than crisp-tender, but they will work.
They should look bright green with minimal browning. The skins should be just starting to wrinkle, and the peas will be heated through. It should take 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high heat.
Standard garden peas have a thick pod that is not edible surrounding sweet internal peas; snow peas are much thinner, completely edible, and have underdeveloped seeds inside.
Sugar snap peas are actually a cross between green peas and snow peas. They have a thick, crunchy, edible shell with sweet, developed peas inside.
More easy side dishes
Keep the vegetable dishes on repeat! Try these simple, yet flavor-packed, recipes:
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📖 Full Recipe
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) sugar snap peas*
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)
- ⅓ cup sliced scallions (about 3 small scallions, plus more for garnish)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and trim the peas, trimming tough stem ends away and pulling out the tough center string if there is one.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add the peas and salt and toss to coat in the butter. Cover skillet and cook until peas are bright green and just crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and scallions and saute for another minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with more scallions if desired and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Leftover peas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and gently reheated to serve.
Notes
- Lemon: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and a squeeze of juice if desired.
- Asian-inspired: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil while cooking. Top with toasted sesame seeds.
- Parmesan and bacon bits: Garnish peas with a sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan and crispy bacon bits.
- Fresh herbs: Chop parsley, basil, mint, chervil, tarragon, or cilantro and add as a generous garnish instead of scallions at the end of cooking.
- Spicy: Add a drizzle of chili crisp or a dash of cayenne in place of the red pepper flakes for even more spice!
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
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