These homemade snap pea crisps are super simple to make in a dehydrator. They’re seasoned with spices and nutritional yeast for a tasty healthy snack that rivals the store bought kind.
I originally shared these snap pea crisps in 2017. I was going through a dehydrator phase making things like eggplant chips, buffalo sauce beef jerky and lamb jerky and creating a bunch of homemade snacks at a fraction of the price you’d pay for these convenience items at a store. It was a fun ride.
I sort of forgot about the recipe for a few years until now when my garden is so out of control (because I totally over planted it) and I’ve got bowlfuls of snap peas that I can’t use up fast enough.
Seemed as good a time as any to resurface this recipe and give it a bit of an update.
Snap peas are a great addition to stir fry meals, but if you want something more snack-like and fun that you can easily make in either a dehydrator, air fryer or oven, give this copycat Harvest snaps recipe a try.
What Are Snap Peas?
Snap peas, also known as sugar snap peas, are a nutrient-rich legume that combines the best of both peas and beans. They have a crisp, edible pod and a sweet flavor. You can snack on them raw and whole (unlike traditional garden peas which need to be shelled) or cook them.
Check out this guide to peas for more on this delicious spring vegetable and its differences from other pea varieties.
What You’ll Need
Equipment:
- Dehydrator – but we’ll also cover how to make these in the air fryer or oven
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula or spoon
Ingredients
You can season these crisps however you like, but the spice blend below is my easy go-to favorite. Cayenne is optional for some heat and if you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can substitute it for grated parmesan cheese or just leave it out.
- Snap peas
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Nutritional yeast
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper – optional for a bit of spicy flavor
How To Make Snap Pea Crisps
Here are three simple ways to make homemade snap pea crisps depending on which appliance you want to use.
Dehydrator
The recipe card below has all the details about making these crisps in the dehydrator. This is the longest process but I find the crisps come out best when I have the time to do this method. If you don’t have a dehydrator, it’s not that expensive of an appliance and may be worth investing in for easy snacks like this.
Toss the snap peas with the olive oil and spices until each is well coated with the mixture. Spread the seasoned peas out onto the racks of the dehydrator in a single layer.
Dehydrate at 135°F for about 8 hours until the snap peas are crispy. Once the dehydrator is turned off, let the snap peas stand for 30 minutes before packing for storage.
Oven
Season the snap peas in the same manner as the dehydrator method then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Place a rack in the center of your oven and set the oven to 170°F (or the lowest temperature your oven will go). Bake with the oven door ajar about an inch. You can do this by sticking something like a wooden spoon between the oven door so it stays open.
The snap peas should take about 4 hours until they’re crispy.
Air Fryer
Making snap pea crisps in the air fryer is similar to making air fryer okra, they come out more like “fries” than crisps. While the snap peas will definitely still be crispy, this method is more akin to roasting than it is dehydrating so they won’t be as “airy” in texture.
However, it’s still a delicious and much quicker method for making snap pea crisps.
Season the snap peas just like the other two methods and arrange them in a single layer in either the basket or trays of your air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes until crispy. If you have a basket model air fryer, I suggest shaking the basket halfway through. For oven model air fryers, rotate the trays so the top rack doesn’t burn.
How To Store Snap Pea Crisps
I’ve found the best way to keep these crispy after cooking or dehydrating is in a paper bag on the counter. Chances are a batch will be eaten quickly after you make them and there won’t be many leftovers! As with most “crispy” things, they’re best eaten and enjoyed the day they’re made.
Best Ways To Eat Them
Obviously, you can just dig in and snack on these straight up like you would popcorn, seasoned pretzels or zucchini chips, but they also make the perfect dipping vessel for hummus, guacamole or a creamy garlic white bean dip.
More Veggie Chip Ideas To Try
Salt and vinegar beet chips are a really fun way to get that crave-worthy salt and vinegar flavor but from a healthier veggie chip rather than a seed oil laden potato chip. You can also make carrot chips in the oven in either a sweet or savory spice blend, or thinly slice jicama and bake it into chips with fresh herbs and citrus zest.
Homemade Snap Pea Crisps
Ingredients
- 1 – 1.5 pounds snap peas
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- pinch cayenne, optional
Instructions
- Lay snap peas out on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Drizzle with olive oil then season with remaining spices.
- Toss lightly until the snap peas are evenly coated with the olive oil and seasonings.
- Place the snap peas in a dehydrator (see note below for the dehydrator I use) making sure to not crowd the racks.
- Dehydrate at 135°F for about 8 hours or until dried and crispy (I started checking around the 6 hour mark but wanted them nice and crisp which was around 8 hours for me).
- Let stand for at least 30 minutes after dehydrator is turned off before packaging for storage.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Can you provide a non-dehydrator option? I’d love to make these but don’t have one and not planning on getting one.
I haven’t tried them in the oven, I’ve only used the dehydrator so I can’t attest to the results of anything in the oven. You could try it on the lowest temperature your oven goes (mine is 175) and check around 4-5 hours. You’ll probably have to flip them a few times to crisp up evenly.
Why have I never thought to dehydrate veggies at home?! You’re a genius!
What a great snack idea!! LOVE!
I bet these are so much healthier – and yummier – than the bagged kind!