Spring is just around the corner, and you know what that means: BRIGHT, CRISPY VEGETABLES. And snap peas are the first thing I begin to crave. They are sweet yet crisp, light yet filling, and they get me to eat raw vegetables without it feeling like a chore. If anything, it feels like a treat, and I hope this Lemon Honey Snap Pea Toast will prove it to you.
The beauty of this toast is that it can be anything but a toast as well. I personally like piling my salads on top of bread because it feels like cutting into one big crouton, but this could also be served on top of brown rice (um…yum), or alongside a big dinner as a side, or even with salmon as and easy weeknight meal. It’s a versatile salad, and the cheese you use in it is just as versatile. It works amazingly with a pecorino, but a ricotta salata, goat cheese, feta, or any crumbly cheese you have on hand is equally good. It just needs a bit of cheese to balance out all the green, and then it’s absolute salad (or toast!) heaven.
Why the ingredients are so important for this lemon honey snap pea toast
When a recipe is this simple, the ingredients matter. If you buy flavorful and delicious ingredients, then you really don’t need much of them to make a recipe sing. For this Lemon Honey Snap Pea toast, I vote you focus on the following: the quality of your olive oil, and the type of cheese.
My favorite kinds of olive oil to use on this toast are the peppery, herbaceous kind. Think: Brightland’s Alive olive oil, or ZOE, which I’ve loved for a long time. You just want an olive oil that’s dark in color and has a rich taste, but not a heavy one. Think peppery, and this salad will thank you for it!
When it comes to cheeses, you can really use what you prefer, but make sure it is salty enough to hold up to the sweetness of the snap peas. Aside from pecorino, I like to use:
- Ricotta salata
- Feta (stored in brine)
- Goat’s cheese
- Manchego
FAQ
Yes! Simply store the dressed snap-pea salad in an air-tight container in the fridge. But, I do suggest storing the herbs separately in the fridge, then adding them to the pre-made snap pea salad when it’s time to eat. This will prevent the herbs from getting soggy from the dressing in the salad.
If you don’t eat honey, I would opt for using a bit of maple syrup instead. However, since maple syrup has a more caramel-y flavor, start by adding half the called measurement, then add more to taste. If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, try light agave syrup.
In short, yes! The herbs in this recipe add so much to it. Without the herbs, the flavors of this salad would be a bit plain and uninteresting. But, if you’re looking to replace the herbs, I would go for a flavorful and somewhat peppery green like mustard greens or arugula. Endive could work well here, too.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few salads that will brighten everything up:
And that’s everything for this Lemon Honey Snap Pea Toast!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Lemon Honey Snap Pea Toast
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon for zest and juice
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups whole snap peas about 12 ounces
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves loosely packed
- 2 ounces pecorino romano or any salty, crumbly cheese of choice see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large slices of sourdough bread toasted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, zest in a teaspoon of lemon zest. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, grate in the garlic cloves, add the honey, vinegar, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- On a sharp diagonal, slice the snap peas into thin pieces. Add these directly to the bowl.
- Roughly tear up the basil and the mint, this will activate their aroma and flavor. Add this to the bowl as well. Give a few big tosses to mix everything.
- Either grate or crumble in the cheese. Sprinkle the salad with the flaky salt and do a few more big mixes.
- Drizzle the two toasts with a high-quality, peppery extra-virgin olive oil. Pile the salads on top (it will be quite tall!) and drizzle with more olive oil. Finish with a few cracks of black pepper if desired, and eat with a fork-and-knife.
Notes
- Ricotta salata
- Feta (stored in brine)
- Goat’s cheese
- Manchego
Delicious and fresh! We used manchego and paired it with smoothies for a celebration of the start of spring. No notes. Love all your recipes and excited for your cookbook!
So so glad you enjoyed! And ahhhh I can’t wait either! We announce on Tuesday!
I really loved this, perfect for a light but filling early spring dinner! I used parsley instead of mint, worked great as well.
So so glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review <3
Incredible!! Made for a quick weeknight dinner and was so light, yet satisfying. I left out the herbs and still loved it
So glad you liked it! It’s one of my favorites as well <3