Cook Snap Peas
Snap peas are peas that are a cross between snow peas and garden peas. They are bright green and contain a pod that holds peas inside. They have a crispy texture and a slightly sweet taste. You can eat these vegetables raw or you can prepare them different ways. Two ways to cook snap peas are by sautéing or by steaming. However, to make sure they hold their crispy texture, it is important to cook them for a short time. If you want to master the different methods of cooking snap peas, see Step 1 below to get started.
Contents
Steps
Boiling Snap Peas
- Wash the snap peas in a colander with cold water. Take them out of the sink and place them inside a paper towel. Use a blotting motion to dry them.
- Inspect the snap peas. Remove any snap peas that have too many blemishes on them or cut off the blemishes and preserve the remaining snap pea.
- Place the snap peas on the cutting board. Chop off the ends of the snap peas on each side.
- Fill a 3-quart (2839 ml) pot with water. Place the water on the stove. Adjust the temperature on the stove so it begins to boil. Once you notice steam coming from the pot, place the snap peas inside a netted steamer. Place the netted steamer inside the pot so it is submerged in the boiling water.
- Cover the pot with the lid. Leave the snap peas on the stove and inside the pot to allow the hot water to boil and cook the peas.
- Wait 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove and place it on a cooling rack.
- Remove the netted steamer with the peas from inside the pot. Place the snap peas on a dish. Place a spoonful of butter onto the peas. Season the peas with a dash of salt and pepper.
Sautéing Snap Peas
- Prepare the snap peas by properly washing them and cleaning them. Place them in a medium sized bowl.
- Set a non-stick sauté pan onto the stove. Place a few spoonfuls of butter into the pan. Set the temperature on medium heat.
- Allow the pan to heat up. Once the butter begins to sizzle, place the snap peas in the pan.
- Add a dash of salt and a dash of pepper to the snap peas as they cook. Move the snap peas around using a non-stick utensil. Cook the peas for 1 to 2 minutes until they are done.
- Remove the pan from the stove. Place the pan on a cooling rack or potholder. Remove the peas from the pan and place them onto a plate.
Tips
- To give snap peas even more flavor when sautéing, you can add garlic and onions or mushrooms to create a vegetarian stir-fry.
- You can substitute olive oil instead of butter when sautéing snap peas or you can add it as well as the butter when cooking snap peas. The olive oil and butter mixture produces a richer flavor.
Things You'll Need
- Snap peas
- Colander
- Cold water
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- 3 quart (2839 ml) pot
- Netted steamer
- Salt
- Pepper
- Medium bowl
- Non-stick pan
- Butter
- Non-stick utensil
- Potholder or cooling rack
