Sugar Snap Pea Salad

By Melissa Clark

Updated October 16, 2023

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(161)
Comments
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In this unusual summer salad, funky, creamy Camembert and crisp, juicy sugar snap peas unite make a texturally complex and very flavorful dish. You can use any washed rind cheese here as long as it’s ripe enough to be spread on a plate. If you can’t find a gooey-centered cheese, you can substitute a creamy goat cheese instead. Pea shoots make an ideal garnish, echoing the flavor of the sugar snaps, but if you can’t get them, use any baby green or micro green in its place. If you want to work ahead, you can blanch the peas and mix up the dressing several hours ahead. But don’t combine the salad ingredients until just before serving. In this dish, freshness is key.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 appetizer servings

  • Salt and black pepper

  • ½ pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

  • 1 teaspoon minced green garlic or ½ teaspoon minced regular garlic

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

  • 4 ounces pea shoots, ends trimmed, or use baby arugula or microgreens

  • 10 ounces ripe, runny Camembert (or another washed- rind cheese such as Époisses or vacherin)

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chervil or chives

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

7 grams carbs; 51 milligrams cholesterol; 308 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 608 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Have ready a bowl of well-salted ice water. Drop peas into boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute; use a slotted spoon to transfer peas to ice water to cool completely. Drain well and pat dry with a towel.

  2. Step 2

    In a small bowl, whisk together garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in oil. Add pea shoots or arugula and toss to coat.

  3. Step 3

    Scoop out runny cheese from inside rind and spoon onto four small plates, smoothing the cheese to cover most of the plate. Scatter snap peas on top of cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. Mound greens over peas. Sprinkle with chervil or chives and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
161 user ratings
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Comments

Aerobic Grandma

Very good salad that the man likes, largely make-ahead ergo good for entertaining. Don't leave peas in ice bath too long or you'll never get them dry. Delicious even when I forgot to drizzle peas with oil. Second time used chevre instead of Camembert. Also good.

LindaL

The Camembert didn't really do it for me in this salad, although normally I love funky cheese. Next time I would try goat or feta cheese.

Hannah

The camembert that was grocery delivered was bad. Subbed with plain icelandic skyr yogurt. Great! Lemon was a bit too intense with the yogurt, doubled the oil to tone it down.

SH

Lovely salad made into a full meal by adding protein. Not a fan of Camembert but we had fresh-made feta. I prepared and set aside a little extra dressing and mixed in a dollop of skyr and the crumbled feta for the bottom of the plate. Served the salad with lightly toasted crusty bread topped with small curd cottage cheese sprinkled with chives and parsley. Served it with thinly sliced radishes strewn over the salad. Appreciate all the tips on cooking the peas. Thanks!

SJ

Salt the water in the ice bath, don’t leave the peas in the ice too long or they won’t dry. Can sub arugula or micro greens for pea shoots, any creamy, tasty cheese for cam. Can top with scallops, quinoa, etc.

JC

Looking forward to finding the snap peas and pea shoots in season again. Although simple, this salad is superb!

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