Crunchy Sugar Snap Pea Salad With Creamy Peanut Ginger Dressing

This vibrant, crunchy salad was recently voted a favorite among home cooks who shared their best fresh salad recipes online. Featuring a colorful combination of vegetables and a creamy peanut, lime, and ginger dressing, it's a refreshing dish that's easy to prepare and full of flavor.

One of the standout ingredients is sugar snap peas, a vegetable that is often confused with snow peas. Although the two look similar and can both be enjoyed in salads, they are not quite the same. Unlike regular garden peas, which are typically removed from their tough, fibrous pods before eating, sugar snap peas are entirely edible. Both the peas and their pods can be enjoyed raw or cooked, making them especially convenient for fresh salads.

What's the Difference Between Sugar Snap Peas and Snow Peas?

Sugar snap peas have thick, plump pods with a naturally sweet flavor and a satisfying crunch. Snow peas, on the other hand, have flatter, thinner pods containing smaller peas. Both varieties work well in salads, but sugar snap peas provide a sweeter, crispier bite.

For a slightly softer texture, sugar snap peas can be blanched in boiling water for approximately one minute, then immediately transferred to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and dry them thoroughly before adding them to the salad. The goal is to soften them slightly while preserving their crispness.

If you're using frozen peas instead of fresh, follow the cooking instructions on the package.

Colorful Sugar Snap Pea Salad With Peanut, Lime, and Ginger Dressing

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 250 g (about 9 oz) fresh sugar snap peas

• 2 medium cucumbers, sliced into half-moons

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 large carrot, julienned or coarsely grated

• 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

• 2 green onions, sliced

• A handful of chopped fresh cilantro, to taste

• ⅓ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

For the peanut, lime, and ginger dressing:

• 2 tablespoons smooth, unsweetened peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

• ½ small garlic clove, crushed

• 2–4 tablespoons water, as needed

• A pinch of chili flakes, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the sugar snap peas. Wash the peas, trim the ends, and remove any tough strings if necessary. Slice diagonally into halves or thirds. If blanching, allow them to cool completely and dry thoroughly before proceeding.

2. Combine the vegetables. Place the sugar snap peas, cucumbers, red bell pepper, carrot, red cabbage, and green onions in a large mixing bowl.

3. Make the dressing. In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, grated ginger, and crushed garlic. Gradually add 2–4 tablespoons of water until the dressing is smooth, creamy, and thin enough to drizzle easily from a spoon. Taste and adjust the acidity, sweetness, or spiciness as desired.

4. Dress and serve. Just before serving, gradually pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts, then serve immediately.

The combination of crisp vegetables, sweet sugar snap peas, and a rich, tangy peanut dressing makes this salad a delicious addition to a weekday meal, Shabbat lunch, or festive gathering.