Sugar snap peas in soyaki sauce are plump, crisp, glossy, savory, slightly sweet, and whip up in ten minutes! If you have a bag of fresh sugar snap peas sitting in your refrigerator, this is the Asian veggie recipe to make that makes you want to eat the entire plate.
I grabbed a bag of sugar snap peas from Trader Joe’s (I’m always cooking up Trader Joe’s recipes with stuff from there) and loved how easy they were to turn into something that tasted like a restaurant side dish.
Mine were already washed, so there was practically no prep.
I simply made sure the peas were completely dry, heated a skillet until very hot, and let them blister in a little avocado oil.
Then comes the good part which is a soyaki sauce made with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a little cornstarch slurry to give it that beautiful glossy coating.
The finished snap peas are super bright green, plump, juicy, crisp, and coated in a shiny savory glaze.
No brown here! I really dislike overcooked veggies and snap peas will be brown and soft if not done right.
This is the kind of vegetable side dish you can make on a busy weeknight and somehow end up eating straight from the pan.
Let’s go!
Why You’ll Love These Asian Snap Peas
- Ready in about 10 minutes
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Naturally colorful and vibrant
- Sweet, savory, garlicky, and gingery
- Crisp instead of mushy
- Delicious with rice, noodles, chicken, salmon, tofu, or steak
- Makes an easy vegetable side dish for almost any Asian-inspired dinner
- Often, sugar snap peas are available perfectly washed, trimmed, and clean for even faster prep!
What Are Soyaki Sugar Snap Peas?
Sugar snap peas are one of those vegetables that are delicious both raw and cooked. Unlike garden peas, you eat the entire pod, and unlike snow peas, sugar snap peas have a noticeably plumper pod with larger, sweeter peas inside.
They are crisp! The plumpy part is the best too… has a great texture, sound, and less chewy than other pea pods.
They have a naturally sweet flavor and an especially satisfying crunch, which makes them perfect for high-heat stir-frying.
The trick is not to overcook them. This quick stir-fry keeps them vibrant green and tender-crisp.
Pour in soyaki sauce, which is like a next level teriyaki sauce, and hello… veggies come to life! You can share these and definitely get some oohs and ahhs.
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh sugar snap peas
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or another neutral high-heat cooking oil
For the Soyaki Sauce
I have the complete soyaki sauce recipe here if you will be using fresh ginger and garlic, otherwise, the below is a quick and easy (no chop) version.
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
The cornstarch and water create a quick slurry that gives the sauce a light, glossy consistency. Rather than pooling at the bottom of the skillet, it coats the snap peas beautifully.
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Large Skillet
- Measuring spoons
- whisk
- tongs
How to Make Soyaki Snap Peas
- Prep the snap peas: If prewashed, pat very dry. Trim any tough stems or strings, BUT leave the pods mostly closed at the ends.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, water, and cornstarch.
- Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add avocado oil.
- Stir-fry the peas: Add snap peas and cook for 3 minutes, leaving them be so they can blister. Toss only occasionally.
- Add the sauce: Stir the sauce once more and pour it over the peas, and toss for 2 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds or chili flakes if desired.
My Best Tips
- Dry the snap peas. This is one of the biggest secrets to getting those lightly blistered edges.
- Heat the skillet first. Don’t put the peas into a cold pan.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. If you’re doubling the recipe, use a very large skillet or cook in batches.
- Keep the cooking time short. You want crisp-tender snap peas, not soft ones.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry right before using it. Cornstarch settles quickly.
- Add the sauce near the end. This gives the snap peas time to blister before the glaze goes into the pan or else you’ll steam the pea pods and the glaze will dry out.
- Serve immediately. That’s when the pods are at their brightest, glossiest, and crunchiest.
What to Serve With Asian Snap Peas
These soy-glazed sugar snap peas are incredibly versatile. Serve them alongside:
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Fried rice
- Teriyaki chicken
- Japanese karaage chicken
- Miso chicken
- Salmon Bites
- Salt Pep Shrimp
- Beef stir-fry
They’re especially good when you need a quick vegetable recipe to balance a saucy main dish.
Easy Variations
Make Them Spicy
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, chili crisp, or a drizzle of sriracha to the sauce.
Add Fresh Garlic
For a stronger garlic flavor, add 1–2 minced garlic cloves to the hot skillet during the last minute of cooking the snap peas.
Add More Vegetables
Turn this into a larger vegetable stir-fry by adding sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, or baby corn.
Add Protein
Add cooked chicken, shrimp, thinly sliced beef, tofu, or crispy tempeh and serve over rice for a complete meal.
Make It Extra Sesame-y
Finish with another small drizzle of toasted sesame oil and plenty of sesame seeds.
FAQs
Can I use snow peas instead of sugar snap peas?
Yes. Snow peas can be cooked using the same basic stir-fry technique, although they are flatter and generally less plump and sweet than sugar snap peas.
Do I need to boil snap peas before stir-frying?
No. Fresh sugar snap peas can go directly into a hot skillet or wok. A short stir-fry is enough to cook them while preserving their crisp texture.
How long should you stir-fry snap peas?
Usually about 3 to 5 minutes total, depending on the heat and how crisp you like them. For this recipe, the peas cook briefly before the sauce is added and then finish cooking in the glaze.
Can you eat sugar snap peas raw?
Yes. The entire pod is edible, including the peas inside. Fresh sugar snap peas are naturally sweet and crunchy and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Why are my snap peas soggy?
The most common reasons are excess moisture, a crowded pan, or cooking them too long. Pat them completely dry, use a hot skillet, and cook them quickly. Make then towards the end of all your sides because the longer they sit, the more they become wilted.
Can I make these ahead?
No. They’re best immediately after cooking because that’s when the snap peas have their best crunch. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container and quickly reheat them in a hot skillet. I wouldn’t make these ahead of time if I was serving guests.
This is one of those recipes that makes you wonder why you don’t cook snap peas this way more often.
A bag of fresh sugar snap peas, a hot skillet, a little avocado oil, and a quick soyaki glaze are all you need to turn a simple vegetable into something that looks and tastes special.
The finished peas are fat, juicy, bright green, lightly blistered, and perfectly seasoned with a glossy sesame-soy coating that makes them yummy for any tummy!
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh sugar snap peas
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or neutral high-heat cooking oil
Soyaki Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep the snap peas: If prewashed, pat very dry. Trim any tough stems or strings, BUT leave the pods mostly closed at the ends.12 oz fresh sugar snap peas
- Make the sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, water, and cornstarch.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, 3 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add avocado oil.Then, stir-fry the peas: Add snap peas and cook for 3 minutes, leaving them be so they can blister. Toss only occasionally.1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Add the sauce: Stir the sauce once more and pour it over the peas, and toss for 2 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.Remove from heat, garnish, and enjoy!
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