Boiled snow peas are meaty and flavorful. I love this vegetable simply boiled and dressed in a salad with a drizzle of good olive oil. It’s an incredibly easy recipe, below are the most traditional ways to cook them.
What are the properties of snow peas? Nutritionist Silvia Calì explains: “Flat beans or podded peas have a low-calorie content and are very rich in vitamin C, as well as other important vitamins like K, B1, and B6. They also contain many minerals such as iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and are considered figure-friendly as they stimulate the production of adiponectin, a hormone that promotes the use of fatty acids in muscle tissue. Although they belong to legumes, they have nutritional properties similar to vegetables because they are rich in water and fiber and low in calories and protein.“
SNOW PEAS season is mainly spring, but they can be found from the end of March to the beginning of October.
RECIPES with green beans and snow peas

- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Autumn
- Energy 259.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.14 (g) of which sugars 5.90 (g)
- Proteins 4.13 (g)
- Fat 0.30 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 3.84 (g)
- Sodium 5.90 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 135 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Boiled Snow Peas
- 1.3 lbs snow peas (or snap peas)
Below are the calories for a serving of boiled green snow peas:
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
Boiled Snow Peas
Prepare the flat beans
Remove the two ends (the tip and the stem) with a knife or your fingers, you can keep the tip as it softens during cooking.
Wash them well.
What is the BEST COOKING method?
I prefer steaming in a pressure cooker.
COOKING TIME
Steamed: 25 to 35 minutes
Steamed in a pressure cooker: 10 to 15 minutes
In boiling salted water: 25 to 35 minutes
If possible check the doneness with the tines of a fork.
Should snow peas be boiled in cold or hot water?
To disperse fewer properties, vegetables should always be boiled in already hot water. Instead, when steaming (with a steamer or pressure cooker), the vegetables should be placed in the appropriate basket with little cold water beneath.
How to keep snap peas green after cooking?
Once cooked, drain them and immediately immerse them in ice-cold water. The temperature shock will help maintain their beautiful green color when cooked.
How to season?
With a little salt, chopped garlic (and/or thinly sliced onion), vinegar (white, apple cider, or balsamic), and extra virgin olive oil.
For herbs, try adding leaves of your choice: basil, oregano, lavender, savory, thyme, or others.
How to cook snow peas?
RECIPES with FLAT BEANS
– flat beans in salad
– in a pan with tomato
– with boiled potatoes and raw cherry tomatoes
– grilled snow peas
– chickpea flour frittata with flat beans
– chickpea, green bean, and tomato salad
– chickpea, green bean, and tomato salad
Buying and storing snow peas
CHOOSE flat beans with a bright green color, firm, crunchy, without stains or mold.
STORE in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment (or on a lower shelf of the fridge), for a maximum of 3 days. Before enjoying them, let them sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
In the freezer, raw or blanched, they can be kept for 6 months.