Sugar Snap Peas With Yogurt, Feta and Dill

By Melissa Clark

Published June 17, 2020

Sugar Snap Peas With Yogurt, Feta and Dill
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(524)
Comments
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Much of the appeal of sugar snap peas comes from their juicy, sweet crunch, which means you’ll want to take care when blanching them. They turn from perfectly crisp-tender to soft in seconds. The key is to have a bowl of salted ice water next to the stove and a slotted spoon at the ready. The salt in the ice water seasons the peas, and the ice stops them from overcooking. In this savory salad, they’re tossed with a garlicky dressing for brightness, and a creamy feta-yogurt sauce for richness. Serve them with crusty bread as a summery appetizer, or as a side dish for grilled fish or meats.

Featured in: Crunchy, Creamy and Just Sweet Enough

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¼teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for water and to taste
  • ½pound sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 3 cups)
  • 1garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • 1½tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1cup thinly sliced fennel, or use radish or cucumber
  • ½packed cup roughly chopped fresh dill, or use a combination of dill and fennel fronds
  • 2scallions, thinly sliced
  • ⅓cup plain whole-milk yogurt (if using Greek, thin it down with milk or water until pourable)
  • ½cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
  • ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Torn soft herbs, such as mint, basil, parsley, tarragon, chives, cilantro or a combination, for serving
  • Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

257 calories; 18 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 382 milligrams sodium

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 and a slotted spoon next to the stove. Drop peas into boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Use the spoon to transfer peas to ice water to cool completely. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

  2. Step 2

    When cool enough to handle, put the peas on a cutting board and slice them in half, crosswise.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic and lemon juice. Stir in salt and pepper. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the halved peas, fennel, dill and scallions, and toss well. Taste and add more lemon juice, olive oil or salt if needed.

  4. Step 4

    In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, ¼ cup feta, lemon zest, and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste.

  5. Step 5

    Spread the yogurt on a serving platter, and spoon the peas on top. Scatter remaining ¼ cup feta on top, drizzle with more oil, and top with herbs. Serve as a side dish or scooped onto crusty bread as an appetizer.

Ratings

5 out of 5
524 user ratings
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Comments

Mary from Terry, MS

We picked the last of our snap peas two days ago. Our growing season is April and May after which it is too hot for them to produce. I harvested so many this year that I blanched them for exactly 1 1/2 minutes, plunged them in ice water, patted them dry, froze them in a single layer on baking sheets and then put all of them in a gallon freezer bag. Don't cut them in half if you're going to freeze them. I add the frozen peas to cooked dishes such as pot pies and stir-fries.

Becky Snowden

MICROWAVE sugar snap peas for very brief increments of time, until preferred texture is achieved, which is determined by tasting after each brief cooking interval. Use microwave increments of 1 minute, or 30 seconds, depending on quantity of pea pods. Add a sprinkling of cold water, followed by a thorough sprinkling of salt, before starting to microwave. Perfect done-ness is easily achieved: no plunging in ice water, no subsequent drying and no pot to clean. Delicious recipe made easier.

mattgem57

That was one of my favorite Springs salads ever. The combination of the yogurt and feta with the oil had a wonderful texture. We added cucumbers and many other herbs..very fresh and alive..thanks !

Michelle

This salad an absolutely delicious. Fresh, crisp, creamy. Love all the fresh herbs. Makes a perfect side dish to simple roasted salmon.

Kathy

I used both fennel and radish. It was refreshing and delicious.

Meg

This is an incredible celebration of Spring produce—snap peas, radishes, scallions, and dill. A 1/2 cup packed dill takes A LOT of dill!! It is kind of a fussy dish and it took me an hour from start to table. I ended up using the juice of an entire lemon, and could’ve used some more for the yogurt sauce. If you want to make ahead, I imagine you could forgo blanching the snap peas as they would soften in the lemon. I have access to dense, chewy bagels, so I served it with sesame ones. Delish!!

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