Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas
You have to try Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas; these are loaded with flavor from soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha!
PIN the Sugar Snap Peas to try them later!
Sugar Snap Peas are an ingredient I like enough to make them one of my Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks, and for this week’s Friday Favorites feature I’m reminding you about this recipe for Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas. This is a recipe I came up with years ago when I decided it might be fun to experiment with snap peas as the starring ingredient in a stir-fried vegetable side dish.
Not that I hadn’t stir-fried sugar snap peas before, but I had never cooked them sliced diagonally to reveal the tiny peas inside! And I have no idea where I got the idea of slicing the peas lengthwise for a stir-fry, but I loved this method! The pods cooked more quickly, and a few tiny peas spilled out, adding visual interest and a lot of sweet pea flavor to the finished dish.
If you get those big bags of sugar snap peas at Costco and have a hard time using them, this might become your new favorite side dish.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- sugar snap peas
- soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link)
- sesame oil (affiliate link)
- Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link)
- fresh ginger root
- garlic cloves
- Peanut Oil (affiliate link)
- Black Sesame Seeds (affiliate link) or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Can you make Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas without a wok?
The large surface area and curved sides of a wok make it the ideal pan for stir-fry cooking. But if you have a large non-stick frying pan, that will work just fine for this dish.
What gives the spicy flavor in the Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas?
p style=”text-align: justify;”>The stir-fry sauce for these stir-fried sugar snap peas has soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha Sauce bumping up the flavor! And of course you can use more or less Sriracha Sauce to make them as spicy or mild as you prefer.
Are Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas low in carbs?
p style=”text-align: justify;”>For a vegetable with “sugar” in the name, sugar snap peas are very low in carbs. This side dish recipe only has about 5 net carbs per serving.
Basic Rules for Stir-Fry Cooking
Many years ago I took a class in Chinese cooking and learned these basic rules for stir-frying. Use these techniques to make the Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas, and they’re sure to turn out perfectly!
- Preheat the wok (or pan) before you add the oil.
- Season the oil (add slices of fresh garlic cloves and ginger root and stir-fry very briefly, just until they become fragrant.)
- Remember the importance of symmetry of cut (all pieces should be the same size for stir-fry cooking.)
- Have all ingredients cut and sauces mixed before you start to cook.
- Use very high heat and cook fast.
How to make Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- The only part of making this that’s a tiny bit labor intensive is pulling off the strings and then slicing the sugar snap peas lengthwise.
- Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha Sauce to make the finishing sauce.
- Cut slices of fresh ginger root and slice garlic cloves for “seasoning the oil.” Don’t skip this step.
- Preheat the wok or heavy frying pan for about a minute, then add oil.
- When the oil is very hot (shimmering), add garlic and ginger slices and stir-fry just until they become fragrant, less than a minute.
- Remove garlic and ginger pieces before they start to brown. (VERY important!)
- Add the sugar snap peas to the seasoned oil and stir-fry about 2 minutes, or until the peas are bright green and just starting to be cooked.
- Then add the sauce mixture and cook about 1-2 minutes more, stirring the entire time.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with Black Sesame Seeds or sesame seeds if desired.
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
To make Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas part of a low-carb meal, serve with Grilled Fusion Chicken, Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken, Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Breasts, or Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken.
More Ways to Use Sugar Snap Peas:
- Napa Cabbage Asian Slaw
- Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas
- Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp
- Sugar Snap Pea Salad
- Asian Chopped Salad
Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas
These Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas make a delicious side dish for any kind of Asian main dish!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sugar snap peas
- 2 T soy sauce (see notes)
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce (more or less to taste)
- 3 slices fresh ginger root
- 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 T peanut oil
- 1 tsp. black sesame seeds or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the strings from the each sugar snap pea by snapping the stem end and pulling the string down the side, then slice each one on the diagonal. (The sugar snap peas actually have a string on each side, but on most of them I only removed the string from one side.)
- Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha Sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cut slices of fresh ginger root and slice garlic cloves for "seasoning the oil." Don't skip this step.
- Put the wok or heavy frying pan on the burner and preheat at least one minute. (It should feel very hot if you hold your hand above the wok.)
- When wok is hot, add the oil and let it heat until the oil is shimmering (about 15-30 seconds, depending on how hot your stove gets.)
- Add the sliced ginger root and garlic and stir-fry just long enough so that they become fragrant and season the oil, then remove. (Be careful not to brown the ginger and garlic or they will have a bitter taste.)
- Add the sliced sugar snap peas and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the peas turn bright green and are just starting to cook, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce just starts to coat the peas, about 2 minutes more. (There will be some sauce in the bottom of the wok, but not much.)
- Serve hot, sprinkled with Black Sesame Seeds or sesame seeds if desired.
- I had some of this left over and was pleasantly surprised at how great it tasted cold when I ate it for lunch the next day.
Notes
You can use low-sodium soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link) if you prefer.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 93Total Fat 4.8gSaturated Fat .8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3.7gCholesterol 0mgSodium 478mgCarbohydrates 8.7gFiber 3.3gSugar 4.8gProtein 4.4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Stir-fried sugar snap peas like this are a great side dish for any type of low-carb or Keto eating plan, or for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. Despite the word sugar in the name, Sugar Snap Peas aren’t high in carbs, and they also have some fiber, so enjoy!
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stir-Fry Recipes to find more like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2011, and I have made these so many times since then. The recipe was updated and featured for Friday Favorites in 2022, and last updated with more information in 2024.
55 Comments on “Spicy Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas”
Look delicious
My printer out of ink
Gonna make
I manually write recipes
On index cards
For my recipe box
Any suggestions as what would be easier
I print the recipes when I am making something and I know many people cook from a tablet or a mobile phone (and my site does have a setting so the devices doesn’t go to sleep to make that easier) but other than that I don’t have any other ideas, sorry!
Great, thank you!
I think next time I will use half the soy sauce, it overpowered the sesame oil a bit too much for me…but was still amazing and I licked my bowl clean 🙂
I used the leftover sauce in the pan for fried rice the next day.
Yes, everyone has different preferences for things like that but glad you still enjoyed!
Made these Spicy Sugar Snap Peas last night for my husband and I. I will have to say they were so tasty. Perfect blend of spices, the slight crunch of the vegetable was perfect. It is a keeper and will be making these again and again. Thanks.
SO happy you enjoyed it, thanks!
This Vegan recipe just seems perfect! Specially now that we have entered September and the nights are becoming cool again.
Thanks Ruth, glad you like it!
Tia, glad you are enjoying the recipes. And for something like this, I would not worry a bit about portion control. Eat as much as you'd like!
I made these last night with the sriracha beef wraps. Delicious! We just started SBD on Saturday and have already made four of your recipes. My husband is excited to have such delicious food on the diet, but he said that portion control is going to be tough given how good everything is. Thanks for this wonderful resource! (and for the delicious leftover sugar snap peas I get to enjoy at lunch!)
So glad you liked it!
Oh my …. these were delicious! I will be making these over and over!
I love this!! We eat snap peas with this recipe weekly. Can't go a week without it. So delicious, and any leftovers are great reheated the next day. BUT we hardly ever have leftover. Try this. You won't be disappointed. Thanks Kalyn.
Can't wait for fresh sugar snap peas to appear in our farmer's market – love this combination of flavors!
Thanks Marla; must be ESP because I just linked to one of your Tilapia recipes about 5 minutes ago!
Great recipe Kalyn! Linking back to this recipe in an upcoming snap peas post 🙂
Terri, so glad you liked it (and I am on phase one right now too!)
This was really nice. My only complaint was that I didn't have any leftovers! Will definitely make again. Love your recipes, Kalyn, especially since I'm back on Phase 1 again of SBD due to my weight creeping back up. Thanks!
Teresa, thank you! So glad you're enjoying the recipes and that they're working for you.
This recipe is sooooo good! I love the sauce so much, I used it on cabbage and it was just as yummy. This website is my best find of the year. My husband and I went on the South Beach Diet beginning in January. I googled SBD recipes and happened across your website. It has made dieting so easy! My husband thinks I'm a gourmet cook and I've lost 13 pounds. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes and insights. I'm a fan!
Gungho Gourmet, no worries, no offense taken.
My apologies – I did not mean to offend you if I did – I was merely commenting on a great recipe and offering suggestions in terms of the garlic and ginger – I truly was not criticizing, just offering a suggestion.
Jackie, great! Hope you enjoy it.
This is a great idea, Kalyn! I very much enjoy a similar dish with good old green beans, yet I hadn't ever considered trying sugar snap peas! This is going on my "to make" list!
Andi, I think you could use crushed red peppers. I would put them right in the sauce and don't get carried away and put too many unless you really like it spicy!
Yum! My roommate and I were just discussing how much we love snap peas!
I'm still new to this cooking thing and I was wondering if the Sriracha is absolutely necessary? I was wondering if adding crushed red peppers would work.
Andi
Yum, yum, yum! This recipe looks so great. We're featuring side dishes this week over at the M&T Spotlight and I'd love for you to submit this. Just go to our website and click on the "spotlight" tab!
I love sugar snap peas- especially in asian cuisine and these look amazing!
Shirley, as I said, I am sold on slicing the peas now that I've done it!
Well, it's lunch time, I haven't eaten yet, and I'm wishing I could just reach right through my screen to sample those sugar snap peas, Kalyn! Those look phenomenal. I must try this recipe! Like others are saying, I've never purposely split mine, but they look so appealing this way. 🙂
Thanks, Kalyn!
Shirley
I must say, I loved the peas sliced like this!
I like the idea of adding sriracha to a stir fry to spice things up. I think your way of cutting the snap peas diagonally will work for me – not only is it prettier with the beans exposed, I actually find it a chore to pull the strings and trim the edges. Thanks for your mention too 🙂
Jeanette, it's only slightly spicy with the amount of Sriracha I used, pretty kid friendly. Hope they like it.
Great recipe, my kids love sugar snap peas and all these flavorings. I'll have to give this a try!
I haven't tried growing sugar snap peas, but it sounds like a fun thing to grow!
These look so yummy! I'm trying to grow snap peas in my hoop house, otherwise, I'll truck over to Costco too. I love their green beans to make dilly beans with . . .
Brenda, Costco is where I get them too!
Cotco by my house sells big bags of these snap peas and I always have the other ingredients on hand so I am sure I'll be making these soon!
Thanks Barbara. Here we also get a type of flatter pea that are called "snow peas" and they have much smaller peas. I bet that's what you have. Aren't they good in stir-fries?
Lovely dish. Sugar snap peas are a favourite of mine. The one sold here don't have such large peas though as the US ones. I often slice them ribbon like and stir fry them.
Debbie, I love them too. How great to get such a treat in the CSA box. Hope you get to try this.
yum, I'll be using this recipe this spring/summer when my CSA delivers some yummy snap peas. Well, that is, if I have any left after I gobble them raw! I love snap peas!
Paula, hope you like it!
I am also fond of snap peas but need other ways to fix whatever I don't eat raw straight out of the fridge. Can't wait to try this.
Karina, they definitely didn't last long around here! Just bought a new bag of sugar snap peas so I can make them again.
These sugar snap peas look so fresh and inviting. I could eat the entire lot of 'em. Gorgeous!
Thanks Scott, that is so sweet of you!
You always amaze me with your originality! Another great recipe, Kalyn.
Lydia, the Sriracha really added a lot to this.
Gungho Gourmet, feel free to mince the garlic and ginger if you make this, however I prefer not to have bits of garlic and ginger throughout the dish so I like the flavor you get from seasoning the oil. (And comments are moderated and don't show up until I post them. When you post it after I'm in bed, it doesn't get moderated until the next morning. No need to post it four times with comments such as "fix your site.")
Kellypea, thanks! Wish I could remember where I saw that. I can picture it in my mind, but not where it was.
Joanne and Nancy, I loved it!
TW, I agree that these babies should be the star on their own.
I'm a fan of snap peas as well, but haven't found a lot of interesting recipes (until now) for preparing them as a side dish. I usually resort to throwing them into a stir fry, but I love this recipe, as they are the "hero" of the dish.
I love sugar snap peas and this recipe sounds simple to make and delicious!
Man, I KNEW there was a reason I should have picked up some sugar snaps yesterday at Whole Foods! These look so good! I love the sound of the sesame soy sauce.
I could dig into this right now. Snap peas are a favorite of mine, too, but like you, I've never prepared them by splitting them. Love all the flavors you've put into this dish.
Your recipe sounds very tasty – however, I would like to make a tiny suggestion concerning the garlic and ginger – they should be undertones in what is basically a musical dish dish – meaning, mince them carefully, rather than slicing, and add them at the same time as you have suggested. I find slicing to be okay, when you add to oil, and then pull out… however, when you want the hint of ginger or garlic, take the time to mince – the flavor wiill still be there, but will not overwhelm the dish!
Those peas look gorgeous, especially with the black sesame seed garnish. Anything that has Sriracha in it is something I want to try. It's amazing how just a small amount of Sriracha can perk up a sauce.