Snap peas are the little green rockets of flavor we all love, right?
Well, sometimes they just aren’t on our kitchen radar. Maybe they’re out of season, or your local store’s shelves are bare. No sweat!
There’s a whole squad of veggies ready to step up to the plate and bring their A-game to your meals.
Each of these snap pea substitutes packs its own unique punch, ready to make your dishes pop with freshness and zing.
Stick around, as we’re about to spill the beans on the top five picks that’ll keep your green game strong, even when snap peas are nowhere in sight.
The 5 Best Substitutes for Snap Peas
If you’re in the mood for a crunchy snack or side dish but don’t have any snap peas on hand, don’t worry – there are plenty of other options.
Here are five delicious substitutes that will satisfy your craving without having to buy snap peas:
1 – Green peas
Green peas have long raised eyebrows in home cooks – often confused with snap peas or field peas, they have a unique place in both culinary and agricultural history.
Revered by nutritionists for their high protein content, green peas have a mild flavor and can be used in nearly any savory dish.
Particularly popular during the spring months, these little green balls of goodness have a delightfully smooth texture that pairs excellently with crunchy items such as nuts and croutons.
If you find yourself unable to locate fresh snap peas, green peas make a great alternative.
Make sure to give them a quick blanch beforehand for the best results.
2 – Snow peas
Snow peas are an interesting vegetable found in any self-respecting grocery store and are often used to give dishes an extra crunch or flavor.
They have a considerably milder taste than other legume relatives, such as snap peas, but the texture is similar – crisp and crunchy.
So they make a great alternative when cooking recipes calling for snap peas.
They tend to be slightly more tender, however, so you may need to adjust the cooking time if substituting them.
But whatever you use them for, prepared right, snow peas add unique flavor and crunch that’s hard to beat.
3 – Garden peas
Garden peas, with their sweet and slightly nutty flavor, offer a mild crunch when enjoyed raw or a buttery texture when cooked.
This surprising vegetable is often incorrectly assumed to be the same as snap peas, but garden peas actually have thicker shells with small round seeds inside.
If you find yourself without snap peas for a recipe, garden peas can be substituted by removing the pods from the seed and cooking the green orbs separately in boiling water or steaming them.
As an added bonus, they require far less fuss than snap peas since they don’t need to be individually shelled like other frozen varieties.
4 – Yellow peas
It’s no wonder yellow split peas have been enjoyed for over 8,000 years – they’re quite a versatile food.
Rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber, they can be used to make creamy soups and stews.
Not to mention, they also add a unique flavor and texture to your dishes.
Yellow split peas are distinguishable by their nutty flavor and soft texture when cooked.
Substituting this memorable legume for snap peas is simple; just simmer them until tender and serve or toss them into salads half-cooked.
If you’ve never given yellow peas a try before, now is definitely the time.
5 – Edamame
Edamame beans have always been a source of perplexity for me.
After all, what are they exactly? A type of bean, an unusual snack, or closer to a vegetable? The truth is that edamame has elements of each.
They are immature soybeans that have a soft and creamy texture with a subtle sweetness.
Eating them fresh and cooked reveals their true flavor potential – not quite like beans but more than snap peas can offer.
If you’re looking for something to substitute snap peas in recipes, edamame is the ideal choice.
With its delightful taste and firm yet tender texture, it fashions a unique experience that could never be replicated by snap peas alone.
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