About Peas


Far from those frozen mushy things your mom used to hide in your mashed potatoes, fresh peas from the garden can be one of the tastiest things you’ve ever put in your mouth. These frost-hardy, cool-season crops are often among the first crop to harvest in the spring, and luckily with the abnormally cool temperatures we’ve been having so far, we are still enjoying them this late in the season! If you ever plant too many pea seeds and need to thin out the seedlings, save them and throw them in a salad- these are what are called Pea shoots, or pea tendrils, and can add the fresh flavor of peas when chopped up (leaves, flowers, and all) and added to any dish. There are two main types of peas- those that can be eaten pod and all (sugar snap peas and snow peas), and those which must be taken out of the inedible pod before eating (shelling peas- most commonly called “English” or “Garden” peas).

What is the difference?

Snow Peas (also called Chinese Pea Pods) have thin edible pods through which you can usually see the shadow of the pea seeds inside. The peas inside the pod are much smaller than sugar snap, or garden peas, and therefore the pod is flatter too. Snow peas are commonly used in stir-fries.

Sugar Snap Peas are kind of like a mix between garden peas and snow peas. The edible pod is thicker and more plump, with larger pea seeds inside that give it a nice snappy texture and sweet taste. Like snow peas, snap peas have fewer nutrients and calories than garden peas.

Shelling Peas (also called “garden” or “English” peas) have an inedible pod that contains deliciously sweet, starchy peas inside. If you’ve never eaten one of these raw and fresh out of the garden, you’re missing out! Although garden peas are commonly steamed before adding to dishes, they are a wonderful snack just cracked straight out of the pod, try it sometime! Although they require a little more work than sugar snap or snow peas, it is worth it as they have more nutrients in return.

How do you know when it is ready to harvest? 

Pick peas in the morning, after the dew has dried, for the crispiest results. Also, keep your peas well picked to encourage more growth and higher yield. For the best shell peas, pick plump, bright green pods. Shelling peas are sweet and succulent for about 3-4 days after being picked, and then start to become mealy and starchy. For tasty snap peas and snow peas, pick crisp smaller pods, which are generally sweeter and more tender than the larger ones. It might take a few taste tests to figure out the size that gives you the best tasting peas.

How do you store them?

Keep fresh, unwashed peas in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator for no more than 2-3 days. Peas are high in sugar, which quickly turns to starch, and can reduce the sweetness of the peas in only a few days. Keeping them in an open bag will prevent them from getting soggy.

Shell peas can also be taken out of the pod and dried and stored in an airtight container. This is suggested especially if you missed their peak period, as you can still save them and use them in winter soups or stews. For instructions on how to dry peas, click here: http://www.ehow.com/how_5795907_make-dried-peas.html

How do you cook them?

Wash peas just before preparing. String sugar-snap peas by snapping off each end and pulling the string from each side of the pod. For shell peas, string and then pull each half of the pod apart to pop out the peas. Some varieties of sugar snap and snow peas do not have very fibrous strings, and can be left alone. Just take a bite out of one and see for yourself, if the string doesn’t bother you than just leave it in and save yourself the hassle.

All types of peas can be eaten raw in salads, steamed, or sautéed. If you want to extend the life of your harvest, you can also blanch them (boil in water for just a minute, then shock in ice cold water to retain it’s bright green color) and store them in the freezer for later use. With sugar snap peas, it is a good idea to eat the smaller peas raw (as they are the most tender and flavorful ones), and save the larger ones to cook.


For a fun dip, use garden peas instead of chick peas in this delicious hummus recipe.


Yield: 4 servings as an appetizer

2 cloves garlic
1 ½ cups fresh peas, shucked and steamed or frozen peas, thawed
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini paste *
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

While the food processor is running, drop in the cloves of garlic and process until finely minced.

Add the peas, lemon juice, tahini paste, olive oil, cayenne and salt. Process until smooth. Adjust the flavor with more salt or lemon juice if needed.

Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with additional cayenne pepper and serve with pita chips. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

* Tahini paste is a paste made of ground sesame seeds, and can be found at most grocery stores, as well as middle eastern and Mediterranean markets. *

Recipe courtesy of The Chopping Block