Fresh, vibrant, crunchy and delicious Sugar Snap Pea Salad with a fresh and zingy lemon, mustard, garlic vinaigrette. It makes a great warm-weather side or light meal.
Crunchy and sweet sugar snap peas make a great snack or side dish, but they're especially good in a crunchy and fresh Sugar Snap Pea Salad.
And to get those taste buds tingling here's what we've got going on in this delicious salad recipe:
- vibrantly green, sweet, raw and crunchy sugar snap peas
- large, soft, buttery white beans
- soft, mellow, wispy fronds of mildly anise-like fresh dill
- a fresh, zingy lemony, mustardy, garlicky dressing
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Inspiration for this salad came from Bon Appetite's Dilly Beans and Peas on Ricotta Toast, and although my recipe is just the salad part, it could easily be served with garlic-rubbed, vegan ricotta spread toast!
Ingredients
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
Here is what you'll be needing to make this sugar snap peas salad recipe:
You do need to use sugar snap peas for this recipe and that's because of their amazing crunch and sweet flavour. They are pretty easy to find in the produce section of most grocery stores and are usually prepackaged in a bag rather than loose.
If you are wondering what the difference between sugar snap peas, snow peas and garden peas is have a quick read of this article from Kitchn.
How to make Sugar Snap Pea Salad
STEP 1 - Whisk up the dressing ingredients or pop them all in a jar, put the lid on and give it a good ol' shake.
STEP 2 - Put the beans, sugar snap peas and dill together in a bowl, pour over the vinaigrette and toss everything together.
How to make the vinaigrette oil-free
To make the vinaigrette oil-free you can simply omit the oil, or you can replace it with aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) to get a similar "clingy" effect. If you use aquafaba you will likely need to add less salt though. Taste to check the seasoning and add a little as necessary once you've mixed it up.
Success Tips
- Use fresh lemon juice from a lemon and not from a bottle. The flavour just doesn't compare.
- Dried dill won't work in this recipe. Fresh dill is available from the produce department in most grocery stores.
- Leave the salad to sit for at least 15 minutes so that the flavours can meld together and unite perfectly.
How to serve
This fresh and crunchy vegan salad is great as a light meal with some crusty bread, pita bread or flatbread and it also works as a side with most meals. Try it with my baked tofu, a slice of vegan quiche, my vegan crab cakes and most grilled food. It's also amazing piled on top of garlicky ricotta spread toasts!
How to store
Leftover snap pea salad will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This makes it great for preparing in advance, meal prep, picnics, potlucks and packed lunches.
Variations
It's perfect as it is but you can make it your own with these variations:
- Use chickpeas instead of white beans
- Use lime instead of lemon
- Skip the oil and use aquafaba from a can of chickpeas to make it oil-free
- Switch the dill for parsley and maybe some snips of fresh chive? Chive flowers would look really beautiful against the green sugar snap peas
- Add some crumbles of vegan feta when serving
- Switch the sugar snap peas for frozen green peas. Simply remove from the freezer and cover with boiling water for one minute then drain and use in the salad. You won't have the lovely crunch but the sweet flavour with the lemony vinaigrette and dill will be wonderful.
Recipe FAQs
It is not necessary to blanch sugar snap peas for salad. They are easy to eat raw and their lovely crunch makes the salad so good to eat!
The fresh dill works really well in this salad so I recommend you use it if you can. However, fresh parsley would work well too.
Hungry For More?
If you are into this spring salad type situation, you'll probably like my Watermelon Mint Salad, Tomato Chickpea Salad and this Strawberry Spinach Salad. Both are super fresh, light and delicious with no cooking involved!
Recipe
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
Author:Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 medium lemon , juice only
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic , grated or minced finely
- 4 tablespoons (60 mls) extra virgin olive oil , see recipe notes for oil-free option
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
For the salad
- 1¾ cups (1 x 398 ml or 15 oz) can white beans , such as cannelini, great northern, lima or gigante beans
- 15 oz (425 g) sugar snap peas
- 1 big handful fresh dill , chopped (thick stems removed)
INSTRUCTIONS
- To a small bowl or jar, add the lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, pepper and salt. Whisk to combine or pop a lid on the jar and give it a good shake.
- Drain and rinse the beans and add to a large bowl.
- Wash and chop the sugar snap peas into bite sized pieces (I cut mine in half or into 3 pieces if they were quite big) and add them to the bowl with the beans.
- Chop the dill into small pieces and add to the beans and peas.
- Pour over the vinaigrette and toss to combine. If you have time, leave it to sit for about 15 minutes before serving so the flavours can blend.
NOTES
Success Tips
- Use fresh lemon juice from a lemon and not from a bottle. The flavour just doesn't compare.
- Dried dill won't work in this recipe. Fresh dill is available from the produce department in most grocery stores.
- Leave the salad to sit for at least 15 minutes so that the flavours can meld together and unite perfectly.
To make oil-free To make the vinaigrette oil-free you can simply omit the oil, or you can replace it with aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) to get a similar "clingy" effect. If you use aquafaba you will likely need to add less salt. Taste to check the seasoning and add a little as necessary.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on July 30th, 2019. The post has been updated with new information and now I am republishing it for you. The recipe itself remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Kim Arsenault says
Loved this salad - so light and crunchy and very delicious. Loved the dill sprigs in the salad. Lovely recipe
Donna says
Is it possible to just omit the oil from the dressing? I looked in the recipe notes section for the oil-free option but didn't see it. Thanks!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm sorry Donna. I obviously forgot to add that little bit to the notes. I just amended them. Here's what I added to save you going back "To make the vinaigrette oil-free you can simply omit the oil, or you can replace it with aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) to get a similar "clingy" effect. If you use aquafaba you will likely need to add less salt. Taste to check seasoning and add a little if necessary. "
Donna says
Brilliant, thanks! Also, massive thanks for the section on English-style recipes. I'm an expat from Gloucestershire to the US and I miss so many comfort foods from home. Mum and dad bring me Red Cross Parcels when they visit, but I really want to be able to make some unprocessed versions of the things I crave when I'm homesick. It was your recipe for Yorkshires that brought me to your blog just recently. Can't wait to try them!! Any plans for a Salad Cream recipe?
Melanie McDonald says
OMG Heinz salad cream!!! I loved it. I wonder if I can recreate it? I'm not even sure I remember what it tastes like now. We can buy it here but it has egg powder in it so I can't eat it to remember. I was planning a mayonnaise type recipe so I might have a try then.
And I totally get you as a Brit living in Canada. It's hard. Marmite and Branston Pickle are the things I miss most.
My cookbook (Vegan Comfort Cooking) actually has quite a lot of English style recipes in it. Victoria sponge, hot pot, rice pud, Bakewell tart, Full English Frittata, stew and dumplings, more too but I don't have it in front of me and can't remember. You might enjoy it!
Donna says
Definitely going to check out your book! Excited to hopefully find things I can feed my parents next time they visit, as they don't always care for American cuisine. There's a recipe I have saved for a wfpb salad cream-esque dressing (using silken tofu), but I haven't tried it and I don't have a source. I keep meaning to give it a go and see if it gives me the taste I'm looking for. M&D brought me a big jar of Branston last year when I was still eating cheese, but now I don't know what to put it on :D
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you! Field Roast Chao Cheese slices (the yellow coloured one) and Branston sandwiches are really good. It's good with veggie pate in a sandwich too.
Donna says
Question - I see lots of places I could order your book. Are there any particular vendors that are better to support for authors like yourself, vs just grabbing it from Amazon or B&N? Thanks!
Melanie McDonald says
I haven't been told it makes a difference, so just order from wherever is most convenient. I believe it's currently on sale on Amazon.com. The U.S Costco has it for a really great price at the moment too.
Donna says
Thanks so much! FWIW, I tried the recipe I have bookmarked for salad cream and wasn't thrilled with it - kind of bland and not at all salad cream-like in a side-by-side test (all in the name of not wasting an open bottle that was lurking in the fridge). I added a lot more seasonings (mustard/ACV) and threw in some kala namak and a few days later it's not bad as a standalone dressing when I'm not doing a comparison. If you end up developing a recipe, I would say it needs just that little bit of eggy flavour from the kala namak and more vinegar/sweetness than expected!
Rita Washick says
Very good, Mel! Easy to make. I served my salad on a bed of butter lettuce. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Rita!