By Ali Slagle
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(389)
- Notes
- Read community notes
For an especially bright snap pea salad, skip the oil and coat blanched snap peas with punchy mustard and lemon juice. Toasted walnuts and shavings of Parmesan add richness and crunch, while a shower of fresh mint adds freshness. This salad is great right when you make it but can also be made ahead and eaten cold from the fridge. How’s that for bright and breezy cooking?
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Ingredients
Yield:3 to 4 servings
- Salt and black pepper
- Ice, as needed
- ½pound sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 3 cups)
- 1teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1½ounces Parmesan or pecorino, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about ⅓ cup)
- ¼cup mint leaves (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
See AlsoEasy Baked Romanesco Broccoli Recipe with ParmesanIna Garten's Go-To Dinner RecipesPower of Suggestion {Recipe: Fried Cheese Curds}Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe1
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of salted ice water. Drop peas into the boiling water and cook until bright-green and crisp-tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain the peas, then transfer them to ice water to cool completely. Drain well, shaking the colander.
Step
2
Return the snap peas to the empty bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice, mustard and a generous grinding of pepper. Stir vigorously until the peas are evenly coated. Stir in the walnuts, Parmesan and mint, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step
3
Eat at room temperature or cold. The salad can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Add the mint just before serving.
Ratings
4
out of 5
389
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Cooking Notes
DJ
First time: made without mint as I was out, and with shaved Parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano, same excuse. Tasted the lemon-mustard dressing before mixing with blanched peas, added a bit of olive oil because it seemed a little too bright. Didn’t toast walnuts because I have a bad track record with burnt nuts. After combining and allowing to rest for a bit, thinking next time — more mint, less olive oil. Nonetheless this is a great combo and I look forward to adding to my summer rotation!
Anne
Simple and delicious. The lemon and mustard flavors did not overwhelm the snap pea sweetness and slightly bitter toasted walnut taste. The cheese was perfect as was the crunchy texture. I did not use mint, and I'm not sure that it would add anything. Altogether, a perfect salad of minimal ingredient fussiness.
Beanstock
Perfectly crisp, fresh and bright. The mint is actually essential to the flavor and brightness. I also added some fresh dill since I have it in the garden, and gave the salad a light sprinkle of toasted panko. I will make this as long as the season allows - a perfect late spring salad!
Pamela
Personally, I would add the dressing right before eating because if you let it sit in the refrigerator or elsewhere, the lemon juice will dull the bright green color of the snap peas. That would be a shame, as the intent here is bright flavor and bright color!
Jean
A bit less lemon juice. Liked the mustard in it. I added no oil at all. Will eat later. Will add some mint then and maybe some shredded basil also.
Suze
Wow! So simple; was surprised that no oil or salt could make for such a great dish. Used local snap peas from local farmers and served with rye sourdough (with butter.) Yum as will do again.
wendyonmaui
The peas I got had really tough skins, so I just used the peas, added shredded cabbage and cucumbers and followed the rest of the recipe. This would work well with green beans instead of peas.
YogiCook
It just didn't land well for crew. Nothing "wrong", just not that good. Maybe a splash of coconut aminos would amp up the umami? You would think the Parm would take care of that though.So the 3 or 5 is b/c taste. Easy to follow however :)
Andrea
This was really simple and tasty. I used both the mint and the walnuts. I would dry the snap peas next time after they come out of the strainer. They retained a little water, which made the dressing too loose in my opinion. Otherwise, great salad.
ni
Great recipe. Easy for weekday or weeknight side or main if you increase quantity.I didn’t have mint so as herb substitute I used Trader Joe’s chimichuri .
Hannah
Eh. Pungent mix of flavors which don't really seem to go well together. Not really worth the hassle in my opinion.
Anne
I made this for a dinner party and nothing was left! I always make the first iteration of a recipe exactly as written. In this case...the first iteration will be the forever one. Delicious and looks great, too.
MES
I used a bit of celery to supplement the sugar snaps, cooked the same way, just as sweet; more shortages meant adding pecans and sunflower seeds to the walnuts, also good. I have chocolate mint growing in my front yard. It may not be to everyone's taste, but the people I served this recipe to loved it.
Delicious
Simple to make but yet it is delicious! We added raw corn which added a nice pop of flavor. We substituted Italian dressing for the Dijon mustard and it worked great!
Me
Good for side with burgers
lucy
The Parmesan was just awful with this recipe. Smothered whatever fresh taste could have prevailed.
Laura
Really yummy! Thought I’d need to add olive oil but not needed. And pretty healthy too - what a win!
Sue Carlson
I wanted to have the salad made ahead of time so I made it early in the day and put it in the fridge, saving the mint until right before I served it. I thought the mustard/lemon sauce tasted better after the salad sat for awile, but I was really disappointed that the snap peas lost their beautiful bright green color after the salad sat in the fridge. I think the mint is necessary.
suzy
Wonderful dish! Made as recipe written. Doubled for a potluck and it disappeared quickly.
suzy
Very easy to make! Doubled recipe for a potluck, and it disappeared quickly! Used only half the lemon juice. The flavors we’re great together and a piece tender crisp! Will make it again!
Kate
Next time i will chop the walnuts a little finer...otherwise they have a hard time sticking to the salad and end up all alone at the bottom of the bowl. I used black walnuts, which add a little extra depth. thank you- excellent salad for a summer potluck!
Cary
Perfect use for spring peas. Keeps well in the fridge. I have made it a few times. Sometimes I skip the blanching and just slice. If you don’t mind the chewing, it makes this easy recipe even easier .
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