Cashew

Wasabi Pea Snack Mix

March  5, 2015
4.8
4 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 6
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

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • For the wasabi peas:
  • 1 cup dried whole peas
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons wasabi paste (find this at your local Asian market, or use wasabi powder to make paste --- usually there are directions on the container)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • For the snack mix:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) Sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 2 cups crispy rice cereal squares (like Rice Chex)
  • 1 package dry ramen, broken into pieces (throw away the weird flavor packet)
  • 1/2 cup cheese crackers (like Cheez-Its, but not Cheese Nips because those are worse -- trust)
  • 1/2 cup corn 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!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

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

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!