Wasabi Pea Snack Mix Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Cashew

by: Kendra Vaculin

March5,2015

4.7

3 Ratings

  • Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

This snack mix is for when you've realized that eating an entire store-bought container of wasabi peas every three days is not a sustainable practice AND/OR for when you feel like mixing all of the best snacks together in a bowl and dousing them with what the little girls I used to babysit called "Ketchup of Death" -- Sriracha, obviously. Knock this out. You will not regret it.

These homemade wasabi peas are a little different than what you're used to, but they pack the same bite and crunch. —Kendra Vaculin

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • For the wasabi peas:
  • 1 cupdried whole peas
  • 1 1/2 tablespoonswasabi paste (find this at your local Asian market, or use wasabi powder to make paste --- usually there are directions on the container)
  • 1 tablespoontahini
  • 1/2 teaspoonrice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoonground mustard
  • For the snack mix:
  • 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter
  • 1/8 cup(2 tablespoons) Sriracha
  • 1 tablespoonsoy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoonpowdered ginger
  • 1/2 cupcashews
  • 2 cupscrispy rice cereal squares (like Rice Chex)
  • 1 package dry ramen, broken into pieces (throw away the weird flavor packet)
  • 1/2 cupcheese crackers (like Cheez-Its, but not Cheese Nips because those are worse -- trust)
  • 1/2 cupcorn chips (like Fritos)
Directions
  1. In a bowl, cover peas with water and soak overnight.
  2. The next day, preheat oven to 200° F. Rinse peas and pour into a pot with fresh water and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking peas until they are just tender. Drain peas and allow to dry completely.
  3. Spread peas in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 250° F.
  4. Allow peas to cool slightly before pouring them into a bowl with wasabi paste, tahini, vinegar, and ground mustard. Mix to evenly coat.
  5. Spread peas in a single layer on (the same! you’re smart) parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Peas can be made a few days ahead if kept in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can buy wasabi peas and skip right to this next step.
  6. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Melt butter in a small bowl. Add Sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Whisk to combine.
  7. Mix cashews, cereal, corn chips, ramen pieces, and cheese crackers in a large bowl. Pour melted butter mixture over it and toss to coat.
  8. Dump onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until the mix is crunchy, about an hour, tossing occasionally. Allow to cool.
  9. Stir in 1/2 cup wasabi peas. Serve or store!

Tags:

  • American
  • Pea
  • Wasabi
  • Vinegar
  • Soy Sauce
  • Mustard
  • Cashew
  • Snack

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Megan Town

  • Leandra

  • Burf

  • meganvt01

  • saddicott

Recipe by: Kendra Vaculin

A fan of female driven comedies, a good beat, your hair today, and making foods for friends.

Popular on Food52

12 Reviews

Karin A. September 20, 2020

YUM!!! This snack mix is so much fun to eat...My friends who have tried it cannot stop eating it.

Jordan December 21, 2017

How long do these usually keep stored?

Italianshortie December 19, 2017

Cashews - raw, unsalted or roasted, salted?

Megan T. December 19, 2017

I use raw since they spend a lot of time in the oven, it always comes out delicious!

Megan T. February 6, 2016

The peas from scratch method flopped horribly--running out to buy premade wasabi peas. The peas were mushy and gross.

Leandra November 2, 2015

HA! love it. I basically choose my friends by who can correctly identify the highly inferior cheese nip in a blind taste test.

Kendra V. November 2, 2015

GIRL. that is exactly how it should be done.

Burf July 3, 2015

New favorite snack! Thanks!
Totally agree with you on the Cheezit/CheeseNip front.

meganvt01 March 20, 2015

I used store-bought wasabi peas because I was pressed for time but this snack mix was amazing!

saddicott March 15, 2015

Can you use frozen peas?

mtncook March 9, 2015

Do you make your own wasabi peas because it's healthier or just because you can? I WILL be making this soon!

Kendra V. March 9, 2015

just because i can!

Wasabi Pea Snack Mix Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Are wasabi peas a healthy snack? ›

Wasabi peas provide several important nutrients, including protein and fiber, and can be a great addition to a balanced diet. However, they also contain a good amount of calories, and certain varieties may be high in added sugar and sodium. Therefore, it's best to enjoy them in moderation.

What are the ingredients in wasabi peas? ›

Ingredients
  • 3 cups dried whole peas.
  • 1 ½ cups Mirepoix (diced celery, carrots and onion)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  • salt to taste.
  • ¼ teaspoon onion salt, or to taste.
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste.
  • ¼ cup wasabi powder.
  • 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
Jun 8, 2018

Are wasabi peas junk food? ›

In addition to their exceptional flavor, wasabi peas are also a reasonably healthy snack. They provide the consumer with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

How to mix dry wasabi powder? ›

To make homemade wasabi paste, all you need to do is mix 3 teaspoons of wasabi powder with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Turn the bowl over for one minute before it's ready to be served. That's the entire recipe! You can make as much or as little as you want, depending on your needs.

Are wasabi peas bad for cholesterol? ›

Are Wasabi Peas Good For You? consume over an ounce of fiber. Fibers are known to keep digestion regular and prevent high cholesterol levels. So eating them will provide you with enough calories for your day.

Are wasabi peas healthier than chips? ›

In addition to their unique flavor, wasabi peas have certain nutritional benefits that make them a reasonably healthy snack — especially compared to many other salty, crunchy choices. They provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals, will keep you satiated and add a large amount of flavor to a dish in small amounts.

Can diabetics eat wasabi peas? ›

Wasabi peas provide vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, which can help keep you satiated for longer time. The snack has health benefits and it can be consumed for diabetic patients. However, as wasabi peas are often dense in calories, carbs and sodium it should be consumed in moderation.

Is there MSG in wasabi peas? ›

green peas, salt, palm oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt, wasabi flavor, msg, artificial color, (fd&c, yellow no. 5 & blue no. 1). Packaged in a facility that processes peanuts and other tree nuts.

Is wasabi good for fatty liver? ›

Wasabi derivative 6-methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate, a potent Nrf2 activator, prevents the fatty liver produced by a high-fat diet but did not attenuate hepatic iron overload in mice.

Do wasabi peas have real wasabi? ›

Even more surprising, perhaps, is the answer. JFC International and Hapi Foods both sell products called "wasabi peas." Their products -- and almost all other "wasabi" products sold in North America -- are not made with wasabi (wasabia japonica), but are in fact made with horseradish (amoracia rusticana).

What is wasabi powder good for? ›

Wasabi contains chemicals that may have anticancer effects and anti-inflammatory effects and may also slow blood clotting. People take wasabi by mouth for heart disease, cancer, stomach pain, indigestion, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Where can I use wasabi powder? ›

A key ingredient in many traditional Japanese dishes (perhaps most famously many styles of sushi), wasabi pairs well with many different ingredients. Its peppery, potent flavor and sharp aroma add brightness to bland foods like roasted or mashed potatoes.

Do you use hot or cold water for wasabi powder? ›

Pure Wasabi Powder

Wasabi is cultivated by masters who tend it under challenging conditions. It grows only near cold, clear streams in mountain valleys. Sushi chefs put it between fish and rice in nigiri. Mix this premium wasabi powder with cold water and serve it with your favorite sushi.

Is wasabi powder better than paste? ›

Unlike wasabi paste, wasabi powder does not need moisture retention from sorbitol, so is suitable for those following a low FODMAP diet. You can use wasabi powder to make your own wasabi paste at home - simply add enough water to your desired amount of wasabi paste and stir.

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