Sauteed Snow Peas

These easy Stir Fried Snow Peas come together in less than 10 minutes making them the perfect side dish for so many different meals. We love pairing them with Sesame Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, or Teriyaki Chicken.

We've had lots of sunshine here lately, and I've been a very happy camper! But, I know slightly cooler days are ahead of us and for some reason, I always think about snow peas in the fall. Maybe because of the word "snow"? Probably.

Also, I use them a lot in stir fries and other warm, comforting foods, so I guess that's why I equate these veggies with warm, fall dishes.

When I'm not adding snow peas to Asian dishes, you'll find me cooking them up all by themselves. Add a little bit of green onion, coconut oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce and they're good to go! They barely need to be cooked either — they're good to go in less than 5 minutes!

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Another great thing about this recipe is that you can add in other veggies too if you wish, they'll be delicious in the sauce alongside the snow peas.

What is the difference between a Snow Pea and a Sugar Snap Pea?

While both of these veggies are members of the legume family and grow in a similar manner (they string themselves up a stalk or pole), they are pretty different.

First of all, snow peas are thinner and flatter than a sugar snap pea. Snap peas are plumper and are often eaten raw. They are sweeter than snow peas and pretty crunchy when you bite into them, hence the "snap" of a sugar snap pea.

Snow peas are not as sweet, tasting more mild in flavor when eaten raw. (I think their true flavor comes out when cooked, and I prefer them cooked over raw.) Also, the actual "peas" are very tiny in snow pea pods, whereas they are much bigger in snap peas.

How do you make Sauteed Snow Peas?

First, heat the coconut oil over high heat in a skillet or wok. When it's hot you can add the snow peas and green onions into the pan.

Cook the snow peas and green onions down for about 3-4 minutes or until they are tender-crisp but still retain their bright green color.

Finally, add to the vegetables the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. Allow the sauce to cook for just a minute longer, stirring as you go.

Take them off the heat and serve and enjoy!

Other Ideas for Eating Snow Peas

While sauteing snow peas is one of my favorite ways to eat them, there are many other ways you can enjoy them, like:

• Serve them as part of a veggie platter. If you find them too chewy, you can pull the string off that runs down the length of the pod.
• Dip them in hummus or another veggie dip.
• I can't say it enough, but adding snow peas to stir-fries is really such a good idea.
• Dice them and add them to salads for a bit of crunch.
• Drizzle them in honey (yum!)
• Roast them and eat them with salmon.
• Add them to a spaghetti and sundried tomato dish with olive oil and garlic instead of a red sauce.

Main Dish Ideas

These snow peas can be served with so many different types of main dishes, but since they have an Asian twist I love to pair them with an Asian inspired meal. Here are some favorites:

• This Grilled Hoisin Pork Tenderloin can be made on the grill, in a grill pan, or in the oven and pairs so well with the sweetness in these snow peas.
• Mongolian Beef is the perfect healthy swap for takeout and serving them with these crispy snow peas and some steamed rice makes it truly feel like a restaurant meal.
• When I don't have a lot of time, I toss this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken into the crockpot in the morning and then make these snow peas right before its time to eat.
• For a vegetarian meal, try this Baked Tofu with Orange Ginger Sauce.
• Another takeout inspired dish that pairs great with Sauteed Snow Peas is this easy Bang Bang Chicken recipe.

Why are they called snow peas?

I had to look this up because I don't know the answer myself, but it turns out that snow peas apparently can look white in certain light. I've never witnessed this!

But another (more likely) reason is because snow peas can grow early in the season, even through frost and snow.

Is it okay to eat snow peas raw?

Yes! There is no reason you can't eat these raw. I like to rinse mine first to get rid of any dirt (especially if you've hand-picked them out of a bin at the grocery store), and then pat them dry. Add them to a crudite platter or just put them in a bowl and snack on them in front of the TV instead of munching on potato chips!

More Sauteed Vegetable Recipes

• Best Sauteed Carrots
• Sauteed Zucchini with Garlic
• Garlic Sugar Snap Peas
• 10 Minute Garlic Green Beans