These Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas are a nutritious and delicious way to round out your menu. Quickly cooked in butter and garlic, this easy side dish comes together in about 10 minutes!

I buy bagged sugar snap peas frequently to serve with party dips like my French Onion Dip from Scratch or Layered Greek Dip. They’re fabulously sweet and crunchy eaten raw but I decided I’d try cooking them to see how they’d work as a side dish. Well, my friends, YUM!
Those crunchy snap peas you can eat straight from the bag are delicious sautéed and served warm.
This method creates sugar snap peas with a crisp-tender bite, lightly coated in butter and garlic. I use the same method for this recipe that I use for my simply Sautéed Green Beans, and it works like a charm.
As far as I’m concerned, you can never have too many simple vegetable recipes like this one.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Sugar snap peas: I highly recommend purchasing a bag of stringless snap peas that come pre-washed and ready to eat. I really like the bagged snap peas from Whole Foods, but Safeway and most other major grocery stores carry them as well. While an 8-ounce bag may seem small, it typically contains about 40 snap peas, which is plenty to serve 3 to 4 people. If you buy sugar snap peas in bulk, they are likely not stringless, so you’ll need to follow the instructions below to remove the strings before proceeding with the recipe.
- Broth: The snap peas are softened in a little low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth before being sautéed. Using broth instead of water adds some nice flavor right off the bat.
- For the rest: You’ll need a little butter, a clove of garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Sugar snap peas are low in calories and loaded with a surprising amount of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Despite their natural sweetness, they’re loaded with fiber and can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a low-carb diet.
Removing Strings from Sugar Snap Peas
The strings along the seams of sugar snap peas bought in bulk can be chewy, so it’s best to remove them before cooking. If you’ve purchased bagged, stringless snap peas, you can skip this step.
- Pinch and Hold: Pinch one end of the snap pea between your fingers at the stem end.
- Snap and Pull: Snap off the stem end gently, and as you pull it away, the string should peel off along the seam of the pod.
- Repeat on the Other Side (if needed): Flip the pea and repeat for the other string if it’s present.
How to Make Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Place the broth in a 12-inch skillet and bring it to a boil. Add the snap peas and return it to a boil,then, reduce the heat and cook, covered for several minutes, or until just crisp tender. Be careful not to overcook them as they’ll soften further when sautéed in the next step. Drain the snap peas in a colander and discard the broth.
- Return the empty pan to low heat and add the butter.
- When melted add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add the well-drained snap peas, salt, and pepper, and toss with the butter and garlic mixture. Increase the heat and sauté until they’re cooked to the desired level of tenderness, about 2 minutes.
Storage Tips
Store leftover Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm them in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if needed to prevent them from drying out.
Serving Suggestions
These butter and garlic snap peas are super versatile but I think I love them most served with any Asian-inspired entree. They’re just perfect served alongside Soy Garlic Chicken with rice or Grilled Teriyaki Steak.
I would also serve them with Sirloin Steak or Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin. They pair very well with seafood recipes like my Sockeye Salmon, or Mahi Mahi with Lemon Butter Sauce.
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Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas, stringless preferred
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Remove the strings from the snap peas, if needed (see notes below for instructions) and if not pre-washed, rinse them in a colander with cool water. Drain well and set them aside.
- Place the broth in a 12-inch skillet or saute pan and bring it to a boil over HIGH heat. Add the snap peas and return it to a boil,then, reduce the heat to MEDIUM-LOW, cover and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until just crisp tender. Be careful not to overcook as the snap peas will soften further when sautéed in the next step.
- Drain the snap peas in a colander and discard the broth. Return the empty pan to LOW heat and add the butter. When melted add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the drained snap peas, salt, and pepper, and toss with the butter and garlic mixture. Increase the heat to MEDIUM-HIGH and sauté until cooked to the desired level of tenderness, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat, if needed, to prevent the butter from burning. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pinch and Hold: Pinch one end of the snap pea between your fingers at the stem end.
- Snap and Pull: Snap off the stem end gently, and as you pull it away, the string should peel off along the seam of the pod.
- Repeat on the Other Side (if needed): Flip the pea and repeat for the other string if it’s present.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.