Everything you need to know about legumes

Aneeqah Emeran — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:11:28 +0000

Get the low-down on these beautiful legumes, their intricate differences as well as some tasty ways to enjoy them.

1. Sugar snap peas

With a rounded, thick casing, sugar snap peas can be eaten whole – whether that’s raw or cooked. They can also be sliced open to reveal pearls of smaller round peas, making them a beautiful addition to a salad. These peas are juicy and crunchy with a bright sweetness.

2. Snow peas or mangetout

Compared to sugar snaps, these have thin and flat casings that contain immature, flat peas. The whole pea can be eaten raw or cooked. With a peppery taste, these do well fried off with oil, garlic and lemon.

3. Edamame beans

These are immature soybeans harvested before fully hardening. Edamame beans can be enjoyed in poke bowls, salads, mashed or simply snacked on. They can be bought while still inside a furry casing, or shelled. To get a taste of its warm, savoury nuttiness, the casing needs to be removed before eating.

@thrivingonplants

Crispy Roasted Edamame For episode 3 of High Protein Vegan, we’re making a super simple yet delicious snack with 24g protein for the whole serve Ingredients: 200g frozen shelled edamame * (see notes) 1 tsp oil (I use avocado or olive) Sea salt & black pepper, to taste Seasonings of choice (I used garlic powder and onion powder) Method: 1. Preheat your airfryer to 200°C. 2. Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well to coat. 3. Pour into your airfryer tray or basket and airfry for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. You can also bake in the oven instead, it will take longer and I’d recommend stirring halfway for even cooking. 4. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy! Note: I don’t bother to thaw out the edamame, I just airfry it for longer. You can thaw or microwave beforehand and pat dry if you want them to be EXTRA crispy! #vegan #plantbased #easyrecipe #recipeidea #recipeideas #veganrecipes #healthyrecipe #highproteinvegan #highproteinrecipes #snackidea #edamame #highproteinsnacks

♬ original sound – Cherie

Also read: Know your beans

4. Green beans or string beans

Long, thin beans which are more commonly found and are more affordable than the previous three due to easier growing conditions, labour used to harvest them and year-round availability. Healthy and full of fibre, they are light and fresh with a subtly sweet flavour. Boil or steam until tender, then toss in a pan with sautéed onions.

Also read: Healthy chicken à la king with green beans

5. English or garden peas

These peas have been shelled before being packaged. Garden peas are sold fresh but often found in abundance in the frozen section. Add to pies, stews, pastas and salads. These provide pops of lovely sweetness and earthy flavour.

6. Mung bean sprouts

Enjoyed raw on veggie bowls or cooked along with stir fries, mung bean sprouts are versatile and provide a much-enjoyed crunch on any dish. These have a light, savoury flavour that keeps its freshness even when cooked.

Words: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg

Photography: Donna Lewis

Also read: Crispy chicken schnitzel with mushy peas

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Mung bean sprouts - MyKitchen