Sugar snap peas are quickly sauteed in butter and garlic in this easy and delicious everyday recipe.
Sauteing is a lovely variation on eating them raw; this simple side dish is ready in ten minutes!
This is one of my favorite side dishes to make on a busy weeknight. It's fast and easy; cooking vegetables in butter and garlic is a delicious method for preparing them (as these sauteed mushrooms demonstrate).
To make this recipe as easy as can be and avoid washing and trimming the peas, I usually buy a bag of stringless, ready-to-eat peas. But even if you need to prep them, this is a quick and easy recipe.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Butter: It's delicious but has a relatively low smoke point. Lower the heat to medium if it seems to be browning too much.
- Sugar snap peas: I make life easy and get bags of trimmed and stringless peas.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Variations
- You can use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
- Sometimes I cook the peas in olive oil instead of butter, lowering the heat to medium if it gets too hot.
- Enjoy spicy food? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes with the other seasonings.
- I sometimes sprinkle the finished dish with bacon bits or grated parmesan.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card below for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
- Heat the butter in a large skillet. (Photo 1).
- Add the peas. (Photo 2).
- Cook them, stirring, for a minute or so, then add the seasonings. (Photos 3,4).
- Keep cooking until the peas are tender-crisp. They should be bright green and browned in only a few spots. (Photo 5).
- Remove them from the heat as soon as they are done and serve. (Photo 6).
Expert Tip
It's important not to overcook these peas. While this is true for many vegetables, it's especially true here. This is the kind of vegetable that tastes best when barely cooked.
The peas need no more than 2-3 minutes of cooking, so make sure to remove the pan from the heat as soon as the pods are tender-crisp; immediately remove the pods from the pan onto a plate so that they don't keep cooking in the pan's residual heat.
Recipe FAQs
These peas have a thick, edible pod. They are crunchy and slightly sweet when eaten raw. When cooked, they take on a more savory flavor profile.
It's important to cook them just until tender-crisp to preserve their beautiful green color and fresh taste.
No. They are excellent raw. They are crunchy, subtly sweet, and lovely on their own or dipped in ranch dressing, sour cream dip, tahini sauce, or Greek yogurt dip. I also like them as a vehicle for scooping up guacamole or salsa.
Having said that, their texture and flavor change dramatically when they're cooked. So cooking them is a lovely variation on eating them raw.
You don't have to. But you should remove the string that runs down the middle of the pods since it is difficult to chew and digest. You can buy bags of stringless pods, and I often do that.
Serving Suggestions
This side dish is incredibly versatile and can go with almost any main dish. I often pair it with one of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.
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Recipe Card
Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 oz sugar snap peas strings removed
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to foam.
- Add the snap peas and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the pods are tender-crisp, about 2 more minutes.
- Immediately remove from the heat and serve.
Video
Notes
- This is the kind of vegetable that tastes best when very minimally cooked. It truly needs no more than 2-3 minutes of cooking, so make sure to remove the pan from the heat as soon as the pods are tender-crisp and then remove the pods from the pan onto a plate so that they don't keep cooking in the pan's residual heat.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Melissa
Such a quick and easy recipe! The entire family loved it. I followed your advice and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. It was excellent! Next time, I'll try bacon bits.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad your family enjoyed this recipe, Melissa!