These fermented sugar snap peas are healthy snacking at its best. They’re a great addition to your home preservation plans, too, as fermentation extends the shelf life of fresh produce.
Originally published in May 2015; this post has been updated.
New to fermenting foods? Be sure to read this compilation of frequently asked questions before you get started!
Fermented Peas
Just about any veggie is fair game for fermentation, and peas are no exception! You can use this method with peas that have edible pods, either sugar snap peas or snow peas. The result is a spicy, crunchy, tangy snack with a pickled flavor that’s perfect for adding to a charcuterie board, tossing into salads, or snacking on straight out of the jar.
When your garden is overflowing with snap peas, be sure to make up several jars – you’ll love them.
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Ingredients
Peas — Either sugar snap peas or snow peas – both with tender, edible pods – are suitable for this recipe. You can use the commonly available green peas or specialty purple varieties. These are both easy garden crops perfectly suited to cool weather. Find out how to grow your own peas here.
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Salt — Use sea salt, NOT table salt. Table salt often has anti-caking agents that can interfere with the fermentation.
Herbs and Spices — These are optional, but can give the lacto fermented peas endlessly varying flavors. I used herbs that were available fresh from my garden—cilantro and basil—but you can alter the flavor to suit your taste. The red pepper flakes are what give the peas a little heat. Leave those out if you prefer a mild ferment.
Making Them
These fermented snap peas require you to submerge the fresh veggies in a salt brine. It’s important that the veggies remain completely covered with liquid. If they’re exposed to oxygen, they can mold. And then you would think that fermenting doesn’t work, and that’s totally not true! You just have to do it right.
To make the brine, dissolve salt in water. Set aside.
Place herbs and spices in the bottom of each jar. Fill the jars with peas, packing tightly and allowing about an inch and a half or so of headspace. Pour brine over the peas, making sure they are fully submerged.
Use a weight to hold the peas under the brine.
Storage
Once the peas are fermented to your liking, transfer them to the refrigerator. They’ll keep in the fridge for months. Alternatively, you can keep them in a cool cellar space if you have one.
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Fermented Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 - 3 cups fresh sugar snap peas
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- fresh herbs, dill, basil, cilantro, rosemary, garlic optional
Instructions
Make the brine:
- Stir sea salt into water until dissolved.2 cups distilled water, 1 tablespoon sea salt
Pack your jars:
- Place a sprig or two of your chosen herb in the bottom of two pint-sized, wide rim mason jars along with red pepper flakes. Pack snap peas into jar tightly. To do this, I find it’s easier to hold the jars almost horizontally, stacking the peas in one direction until the jar is full. Use smaller peas to fill any gaps. Leave 1.5″ space at top.2 - 3 cups fresh sugar snap peas, fresh herbs, dill, basil, cilantro, rosemary, garlic, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pour brine over peas until they are submerged.
- Place a fermentation weight on top of peas to prevent floating, then cap jars. Allow to ferment at room temperature for several days or a week.
- Once fermented to your liking, store peas in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Water: Municipal tap water contains chlorine, which can inhibit fermentation. Be sure to use spring or distilled water instead.
- Salt: Salt with iodine or anti-caking agents can inhibit fermentation.
- The amount of time required for fermentation will vary based on air temperature and your desired level of tanginess.
Nutrition
Thanks so much for these super easy methods of fermentation with far less salt than other recipes. I just put 4 quarts of fermented cauliflower and a quart of fermented broccoli into my new mini “fermentation fridge.” I love not heat processing stored veggies and having more nutritious variety than frozen veggies. I’ll pass your website on to my friends.
Hi! I have everything but the fermentools seal and airlock thing, can I do without? I’m not familiar with fermenting but have been trying to get myself to do it…and now I have peas galore!
You can do it without, of course. Just be sure that the peas are *completely submerged with a weight of some sort. Screw a lid on to prevent fruit flies, but you’ll need to loosen the lid 1-2x a day to release gasses that build up.
I wasn’t sure about these at first, but they’re growing on me.
Kris,
Thanks for this recipe! I’ve added it to the Farm Fresh Feasts Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me who love to eat from the farm share.
I appreciate your help in making this index better!
I’m going try this with green beans. It looks wonderful!
Excellent! I’ve been wondering about Fermentools! Glad to hear it all works as it should! Um…and pickled snap peas sound divine! As soon as I have a few peas coming in, I’ll have to give this a try 🙂