Sugar Snap Peas with Mint & Ricotta Salata
When sugar snap peas start showing up at the market, it’s a sure sign that spring is in full swing. These crisp, sweet pods are perfect for tossing into pastas, salads, or simply enjoying raw with a sprinkle of flaky salt. My Sugar Snap Peas with Mint & Ricotta Salata salad is a minimal-effort, high-reward kind of dish—bright, fresh, and full of texture. Thinly sliced snap peas provide a satisfying crunch, while ricotta salata adds a salty, creamy contrast. A squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil tie everything together, helping the peas shine. Serve it as a light appetizer, pile it onto toast, or pair it with grilled fish for a simple but filling meal.
Tips for making these peas in a snap
Can’t find ricotta salata? You could swap this salty cheese with shaved pecorino, shaved parmesan, crumbled feta, or dollops of fresh ricotta (but hit the dollops with a little extra flake salt).
You can definitely skip the blanching step if you’re in a pinch, or wanting to simplify, and just use raw snap peas here. Blanching the peas in the salt water gives them a little extra flavor while shocking in the ice bath creates a more vibrant color and makes them a little extra crunchy!
Sugar Snap Peas with Mint & Ricotta Salata
This sugar snap pea and ricotta salata salad is a bright, fresh dish that’s perfect for spring. Crisp snap peas are sliced, blanched and tossed with salty ricotta salata, fresh mint, lemon, and olive oil for a simple yet flavorful combo. Serve it as a side, a light appetizer, or piled onto toasted sourdough for an easy, light meal.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar snap peas
- 3 tablespoons shaved ricotta salata
- ¼ lemon
- 5 mint leaves
- Olive oil
- Fresh cracked pink peppercorns
- Flake salt
Instructions
- Slice 2 cups of sugar snap peas on a bias (diagonal cut) but keep them kind of chunkier in size. Slice 5 mint leaves and set aside.
- Fill a large pot with water and add a heavy handful of kosher salt. Bring it to a boil while you prepare an ice bath by combining ice and water in a large bowl. Place the ice bath near the stove.
- Place the sliced snap peas in a fine mesh sieve or strainer and submerge them in the boiling water for 30 seconds then immediately transfer them to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Strain and lay out on a dish towel to soak up any excess water.
- Once the peas are dry, spread them out on a serving plate.
- Shave about 3 tablespoons of ricotta salata over top of the peas. Arrange the sliced mint leaves around the plate.
- Squeeze a quarter of lemon over top of the peas and cheese then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with a few cranks of fresh cracked pink peppercorns and a pinch of flake salt. Enjoy it on its own or spooned over a toasty piece of sourdough.
