How to Find, Choose, & Use

Pea Sprouts
& Tips

Pisum sativum var. saccharatum

Pea sprouts (young, tender pea microgreens) in a large bowl

Pea sprouts - young, tender pea microgreens grown from a seed.

Peat tips (tender new-growth leaves, stems, & tendrils from pea plants) on a metal background with snow pea pods

Pea tips (and snow pea pods) - tender new-growth leaves, stems, & tendrils from pea plants.

The Basics

How-To Find/Choose/Prep

Cooking & Culinary Info

Nutrition & Science

What Are They?
Pea Tips are the tender young leaves & stems from the ends of snow pea branches.
Pea Sprouts are a sprout or microgreen composed of the whole young plant (including stalk and leaves) grown from newly sprouted peas.
Seasonality
Available YEAR-ROUND (especially the sprouts), but best in cool seasons (particular late winter/early spring).
Flavour Profile
Green/Sweet/Bitter; generally mild with a slight mustard-green flavour
Other Names
English: Pea shoots, pea greens, pea leaves, pea tendrils
Chinese: 豌豆芽 - wāndòu yá (sprouts), 豌豆苗 - wāndòu miáo (sprouts or tips) (Mandarin)

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Pea Tip & Pea Shoot FAQs

Are pea tips and pea sprouts the same?

No, but they can be used in similar ways. Pea tips are the tender young leaves and stems growing at the ends of the branches of more mature pea plants. Pea shoots are sprouts or microgreens (i.e. very young plants in their entirety) grown from pea seeds and harvested when a 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long.

Are pea sprouts and pea shoots the same?

It depends on how 'pea shoot' is being use. The term is a bit of a confusing, and seems to be applied a little haphazardly to both foods discussed here. Fortunately it's easy to tell which one you're really dealing with based on appearance. If you're looking at a young, tender green plant with a straight stem and two small leaves, it's a pea sprout. If it's a small leafy bundle on a relatively thick stem that's been clipped off a larger plant, it's a pea tip. Both get called pea shoots, though I think the term is used a little more often to describe pea sprouts.

Can you eat pea flowers?

Yes - any flowers that might show up in your pea tips are edible. They make a nice addition to salads, etc. If you're harvesting your own pea tips and flowers, it's very important to note that the leaves, pods, and flowers of the true pea (Pisum sativum), and NOT the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus). Sweet peas are NOT edible!

How-To

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Find
Asian grocery stores are your best bet for both, though pea sprouts are often found at well-stocked grocery stores and health stores.
Choose
Pea Tips: smaller and thinner = sweeter and more tender. This is one of those vegetables where more is not always best; larger tips and stems are very fibrous and do not cook up as well. Avoid overly wilted or droopy leaves and soggy looking stems.
Pea Shoots: simply ensure that they look fresh and vibrant, without signs of wilting or yellowing.
Prep
Difficulty: Low - Gently wash the greens and remove any damaged/wilted leaves. You may want to remove any particularly thick or tough stems or long tendrils from pea tips, but sprouts should require little or no picking over.
Use
Pea tips and pea shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. Pea tips are more commonly cooked, while the sprouts are more commonly eaten raw.
Store
Short Term: Refrigerate (unwashed, 2-4 days in a breathable plastic bag in the crisper)
Long Term: Not generally recommended, though pea tips can be blanched in boiling water for ~ 1 minute, drained and rinsed with cold water, then frozen.

Find (Seasonality) - Pea tips are generally picked from pea plants around the same time that the pods are starting to develop, and as such can be found in around the same season. Seasonality varies by climate of course, but this is usually in January-March in the Northern Hemisphere. Pea sprouts, like many microgreens, are increasingly grown in indoor hydroponic operations, and as such are generally available year-round.

Choose - Pea sprouts should be pretty fool-proof to choose - simply look for fresh stalks free of wilting or damage. Pea tips are generally easy to choose as well, but watch out for particularly large stalks and an excess of long curly tendrils. These are signs that the tips were picked when overly mature, and are likely to be tougher. You can still use these older pea tips, but you'll need to pinch off the long tendrils and thick stems, meaning that your overall prep time will increase considerably.

Preparation - Pea sprouts should require nothing more than a bit of washing before use. Pea tips are generally equally simple to prepare, but they may need thicker/chewier stems and tendrils removed if they've been harvested on the larger and older side.

Cooking - Both pea sprouts and tips are lovely both raw and cooked. Tender young greens are wonderful in salads.

Pea tips are more commonly cooked than sprouts, as they're a bit more robust. They benefit from quick cooking methods like stir-frying. Simply wilting the greens in or on hot dishes (e.g. soups and hotpots) is a good option too. Sprouts can be cooked too, though they need even less time than the tips. In general you want to avoid over-cooking both types of greens, as they'll become mushy and unpleasant.

Culinary Info

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Flavour Profile
Mild/Sweet/Green - Pea-like, with a green, grassy flavour a pleasant sweetness. Sprouts are a bit milder and sweeter than tips, with a less-pronounced 'green' flavour.
Substitutions
Pea sprouts and pea tips are relatively interchangeable with one another, but not many other foods can substitute for them because of their distinct pea-like flavour. Cooked spinach is fairly similar to cooked pea tips from a texture standpoint, but lacks the unique pea-like flavour.
Cuisines
Most commonly found in East Asian (and especially Chinese) cooking, pea tips and sprouts are nonetheless a welcome and easy addition to a wide variety of cuisines.
Flavour Pairings
The sweet, distinct, and mild flavour of pea tips and sprouts is generally best when allowed to stand alone or with relatively minimal accompaniment. Garlic, ginger, sesame, and honey all make excellent accompaniments, though they're all best used in moderation.
Varieties
There isn't much variation in commercial pea tips or sprouts, but it's worth noting that pea tips can be harvested from any variety of garden pea (but NOT sweet peas). Most consider pea tips from snow pea plants to be superior, but it's worth making use of any pea tips you can grow yourself, regardless of the variety.

Less is more with pea tips and sprouts. There are even those who argue that these delicate and distinctive greens should only be prepared on their own. Classic Chinese green accompaniments are excellent partners, though these should be used relatively sparingly. Garlic and ginger are good, and white pepper is popular. The sharp flavour of soy sauce and Chinese sauces like oyster sauce, while popular with lightly cooked greens, are often a bit too strong for the mild and sweet flavour of pea tips and sprouts. That being said, if used carefully, and with balancing sweetness, even a bolder sauce can work very well with pea tips.

When used raw, pea tips and sprouts make excellent salad greens. Pair these with nuts, roasted root vegetables, bitter greens, fruits, and light vinaigrettes.

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Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Snow Pea Tips - 100 g (3.5 oz)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 18 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Sodium 0.02mg0%
Carbohydrates 0.2g0%
Fiber 2g8%
Protein 0.2g0%

Vitamin A 2550IU51%
Vitamin C 94.9mg115%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Exceptionally high in Vitamins A and C and very low in carbohydrates.
Top-To-Tail
Young pods and mature peas are, of course, also eaten. Click here to learn more about using snow pea pods. Pea flowers are also edible, but make sure you’re eating true pea (Pisum sativum) and not sweet pea (see Top-to-Tail note below for more information)
GMO Status
There are no GM or gene-edited snow peas in the human food supply.
Health & Science
– Exceptionally healthy and and nutrient-dense
– Peas and their relatives are extremely commonly used a variety of agricultural settings for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. Bacterial associations with pea plant roots draw nitrogen from the air and convert it to a source that can be used by plants. This valuable ability can ‘recharge’ the nitrogen content of soil, thereby reducing the demand for fertilizers
Organic vs. Conventional
Both organic and conventionally grown pea sprouts are fairly common, though organic pea tips are harder to come by. Conventionally grown snow and snap pea pods have been flagged by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) for having fairly high pesticide residues.

Young pods (and the peas within them), leaves, shoots, and microgreens are all widely eaten. The more mature parts of the plant are not inedible, but are much tougher and more bitter.

Pea flowers are also edible, and make a beautiful addition to salads and other dishes. But note that you must be sure you are eating true pea (Pisum sativum) flowers, and not sweet pea flowers. The popular flowering ornamental sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is NOT the same plant, and is in fact toxic. No part of it should be eaten!

Pea Tip & Shoot Recipes

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Universal Chinese Greens Part 2 - How to Braise

How to Blanch and Dress Chinese Greens

Universal Chinese Greens Part 3 - How to Blanch and Dress

How to Find, Choose, & Use

Pea Sprouts
& Tips

The Basics

What Are They?

Seasonality

Flavour Profile

Other Names