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    Sugar snap peas stir fry with garlic & sesame

    Published: Jan 14, 2022 · Modified: Apr 20, 2022 by Cadry Nelson
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Sugar snap peas stir fry with garlic and sesame. Close up stir fry on plate.

    Sugar snap peas stir fry has a delicious garlicky bite and plenty of crunch. It is tossed in a sauce of tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. It’s an easy side dish that’s ready in just 10 minutes! Vegan and gluten free.

    Sugar snap peas on plate, topped with sesame seeds.

    When my husband and I first got married, we lived close to P.F. Chang’s, a Chinese food restaurant chain.

    At that time they had several veggie side dishes that ranged from $3 to $5. They had a simple stir-fried spinach, spicy green beans, seasoned asparagus, cucumber salad, and a sugar snap peas stir fry with garlic.

    We’d split one entrée and then get a whole bunch side dishes. It would be a monstrous feast with so many plants. Yet our check would be something like $18.

    It was maybe too good of a deal. They don’t offer most of those sides or prices anymore.

    And it’s moot for me anyway, because these days my closest PF Chang’s is a couple hours away.

    No worries, though. Because a sugar snap peas stir fry, loosely inspired by what I used to get at PF Chang’s, is super easy to make at home and every bit as inexpensive.

    Plus, this side dish is ready in just 10 minutes.

    How to prepare sugar snap peas

    Sugar snap peas on the shelf at Trader Joe's.

    Sugar snap peas are incredibly simple to use.

    You don’t have to shell them. You can eat the whole pod. I often enjoy them raw on their own, in salads, or as a dipper with hummus.

    They have a wonderfully crisp texture that pops in the mouth and natural sweetness.

    I buy the kind of sugar snap peas that are already prepped & stringless. Just give them a rinse, and they’re ready.

    (I get mine at Trader Joe’s, but they’re available at lots of grocery stores.)

    If you get sugar snap peas at the farmers market, or if you buy the kind that aren’t stringless, you may want to take the extra step of removing the stems and “string.”

    Just snap off the stem & pull back the string like a zipper pull. (Here’s a YouTube video showing the simple process.)

    You don’t have to cook sugar snap peas for long. They’re best when they still have some crunch, and are bright green in color. (Overcooked sugar snap peas become kind of a dull green.)

    How to make stir fried sugar snap peas

    Labeled ingredients for sugar snap peas stir fry.

    Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe.

    Collage of how to make stir fry: mix seasoning, saute garlic and ginger, add sugar snap peas, add liquid seasoning mix.

    1. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients:

    • Tamari
    • Rice vinegar
    • Toasted sesame oil
    • Maple syrup

    2. Bring a large skillet to a medium heat with oil. Add minced garlic. If you like, you can also add freshly grated ginger. Sauté a couple minutes, until fragrant.

    3. Add sugar snap peas and combine. Sauté a few minutes more to warm the sugar snap peas.

    4. Add the sauce, making sure everything gets coated. Cook another minute or two. Add salt and more tamari to taste. (I usually like to add 2 or 3 more dashes of tamari.)

    Finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

    Sesame seeds and yellow napkin behind plate of stir fried sugar snap peas.

    Make it your own

    You can easily make this stir fry your own by tweaking the ingredients.

    • Use agave syrup instead of maple syrup, or omit sweetener completely
    • Add more or less garlic
    • Add or omit the freshly grated ginger
    • Increase the tamari, rice vinegar, or sesame oil
    • Add sriracha or chili pepper flakes for heat

    Overhead sugar snap peas stir fry with garlic and ginger.

    What to serve with it

    Serve this colorful side dish with any of the following recipes:

    • Vegan fried rice with Brussels sprouts
    • Kimchi fried rice
    • Pineapple fried rice
    • Spring roll tortilla wrap with peanut sauce
    • Potsticker soup
    • Bulgogi tofu bowls
    • Cold peanut noodles
    • Vegan bánh mì

    How to store and reheat

    Any leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for three or four days.

    Reheat in a skillet with a little oil or in the microwave until warmed. Refresh the seasonings with a dash of tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, if necessary. Remember, a little sesame oil goes a long way.

    You can also enjoy the leftovers cold like a salad.

    Close-up sugar snap peas on plate, garnished with sesame seeds.

    Stir fried sugar snap peas on plate by yellow napkin.

    Sugar snap peas stir fry with garlic & sesame

    Stir fried sugar snap peas are an easy side dish, ready in 10 minutes. This recipe was inspired by an old favorite at PF Chang's, a Chinese food restaurant chain. It has a delicious garlicky flavor with a dash of sesame oil & sesame seeds.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Asian, Vegan
    Keyword: easy vegetable dish, vegetable stir fry
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 44kcal
    Author: Cadry Nelson

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon tamari plus more to taste
    • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
    • ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • ¼ teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup
    • ½ teaspoon organic canola oil or your preferred oil
    • 2 cloves garlic or more to taste, minced
    • ½ teaspoon grated ginger Optional
    • 10 ounces sugar snap peas
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, combine tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Set aside.
    • Bring a large skillet to a medium heat with organic canola oil (or your preferred oil). Add minced garlic and optional grated ginger, if using. Saute a couple minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
    • Add sugar snap peas to the skillet. Use a spatula to fully incorporate it with the garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes more, until the sugar snap peas are fully warmed.
    • Add the tamari/rice vinegar mixture to the skillet. Fully combine it with the sugar snap peas, making sure everything gets coated. Cook another minute or two longer.
    • Taste and add salt & more tamari, to taste. (I usually like to add 2 or 3 more dashes of tamari.)
    • Finish the dish by sprinkling it with sesame seeds.

    Notes

    The sugar snap peas I buy are stringless and prepped. So you can just rinse them with water in a colander, and then they are ready to use. If the kind you buy have stems and/or strings, you may want to snap off the stems, and pull back to remove the strings.
    Garlic cloves vary in sizes. So add more or less garlic, depending on the size of the cloves & your affinity for garlic.
    If you're a fan of ginger, grated ginger adds a nice bit of zing. However, ginger tends to stick out in a dish. So if you'd prefer to focus on the garlic, just leave out the ginger.
    To grate ginger, peel a part of a ginger root using a vegetable peeler or spoon. Then grate with a Microplane zester or ginger grater.
    To keep this dish gluten free, be sure to use gluten free tamari.
    Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
    Reheat in a skillet on the stove with a little bit of oil, or use the microwave. If necessary, refresh with more tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. (Remember, a little sesame oil goes a long way.) The dish is also nice cold, like a salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 44kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 771IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!
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    Comments

    1. David

      January 14, 2022 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      These sugar snap peas are so crisp and delicious!! I miss living near a P.F. Chang’s, but these are so easy to make that it is irrelevant now. Yay!!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 14, 2022 at 10:06 pm

        So glad you’re a fan!

        Reply
    2. Susan

      January 14, 2022 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      I love a quick and easy green side dish!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 14, 2022 at 10:05 pm

        Thanks, Susan! Me too!

        Reply
    3. Shellie

      January 14, 2022 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious recipe, Cadry. Thanks. The only change I made was to eliminate the oil. My husband is requesting I double it next time. I agree. 🙂

      Reply
      • Shellie

        January 14, 2022 at 9:56 pm

        5 stars
        Double the recipe not the oil. 🙂

        Reply
        • Cadry Nelson

          January 14, 2022 at 10:04 pm

          Haha! I knew what you meant. Too funny!

          Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 14, 2022 at 10:05 pm

        I’m so glad that you and your husband enjoyed it. Thanks for the great feedback!

        Reply
    4. Shell

      January 18, 2022 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      I love this quick, healthy side dish. So easy to make and my family loves it!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 19, 2022 at 8:39 am

        That’s great to hear, Shell!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m a longtime vegan. (14 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

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