This blistered shishito peppers recipe is an easy appetizer to learn how to cook! These Japanese peppers have a mild flavor and a quick cooking time.
Blistered shishito peppers are one of my favorite appetizers to have with drinks, be it cocktails or wine. They're not hot or spicy, more sweet and smoky.
You've probably seen these on loads of restaurant menus, but you can easily recreate them at home. I'll show you how to cook shishito peppers quickly in a cast iron skillet and give you some ideas for how to serve them.
Try blistered shishito peppers with one of these cocktails! Their smoky flavor is the perfect pairing with a Mezcal Negroni. If you're looking for a lower alcohol sipper, a Milano Torino cocktail is just the ticket.
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Blistered shishito peppers ingredients
- Shishito peppers: Look for peppers that are bright green and firm. If they are starting to look yellow or brown—especially around the stem—or if they are limp or bendy, they're past their prime.
- Neutral oil: Use sunflower oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Sea salt: We'll sprinkle this once the shishitos are finished cooking, to keep them from releasing too much water as we blister them. (Same philosophy as browning mushrooms, or any other vegetable that you pan fry until crispy, etc.)
How to cook blistered shishito peppers
Cooking shishito peppers is quick and easy. All you need is a skillet and about 10 minutes and you're good!
Step 1: Wash and dry the shishitos
Rinse the shishito peppers and gently dry them well with a kitchen towel. Drying them is important to keep any residual water from spattering in the skillet, water would also cause them to steam instead of blister.
Step 2: Toss them in oil
Place them in a mixing bowl and toss with the oil until coated. Set this bowl aside to use again once the peppers are cooked.
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Step 3: Blister the shishitos
Place a 12-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. I use a large cast iron skillet because it provides even heat and blisters the peppers really well.
Once the skillet is hot, add the shishitos in a single layer and let them get charred and blistered on one side, 3-5 minutes, then flip to the other side for another 3-5 minutes. You'll probably have some peppers ready sooner than others due to their size or their location in the pan.
Step 4: Season with salt and serve!
Transfer the blistered shishito peppers back to the bowl you used previously, season with sea salt, and toss gently with tongs to coat. Serve immediately.
Expert tips
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point: We're cooking the shishitos at high heat so they blister perfectly, so you'll want to use a neutral oil that doesn't add any flavor and has a high smoke point. This isn't the place for olive oil, it can't stand the heat and you don't need the flavor, so it would be a waste of money.
- Cook shishitos in a dry skillet: Coating the peppers in oil before we cook them is all they need. If you add oil to the pan, you'll be frying the shishitos, and they won't get that charred, blistered quality we're looking for.
- Make sure to turn on your exhaust fan: Cooking shishito peppers until they blister creates a bit of smoke coming off the skillet. Be sure to have your exhaust fan turned on so you don't smoke out the house. (Believe me, I've done it!)
- Sea salt for milder flavor: I like to season shishitos with sea salt because it's milder than kosher salt and lets their delicate sweetness and smoky flavor shine through.
Recipe variations & serving suggestions
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning.
- Top with bonito flakes.
- Drizzle them with hot honey.
- Serve alongside other quick appetizers like Radishes with Butter or Dill Pickle Dip for a happy hour feast.
- Try them alongside Pork Lettuce Wraps and Asian Broccoli for a complete meal full of Asian flavors!
Shishito peppers dipping sauce
I like to eat blistered shishito peppers on their own, but you can make a simple dipping sauce for them, too. Try these ideas!
- Soy sauce base: Mix a little grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.
- Mayonnaise based sauce: Combine mayo with sriracha or hoisin sauce.
- Sweet and spicy sauce: Stir some chili sauce into honey or agave syrup diluted with a bit of water.
FAQ
Shishito peppers are generally mild in flavor, not hot or spicy, with a Scoville rating of 50-200. However, 1 in 10 to 20 can be much hotter than that...and you never know which one that is going to be! It's an adventure!
Shishito peppers are small, thin Japanese peppers with a sweet to mild flavor. They're often served at bars in Japan—and lots of other places, too! They can be cooked in many ways, you'll see them blistered, grilled, or even stuffed!
I usually get mine at Trader Joe's, you can also find them at Whole Foods and most large grocery stores, often near the other small peppers. Their peak season is late summer around August and September, so see if you can find some locally grown shishitos at your farmer's market!
Padrón peppers come from Spain and look similar to shishitos, but they are shorter and more squat. They also have a mild flavor (except for the one that isn't...) and you can cook them in the same ways you cook shishitos. They make a good substitute if you need one.
More shishito pepper recipes
Shishito peppers can be eaten on their own as an appetizer or side dish, but they are also a fun ingredient to add to all kinds of recipes. Start with my suggestions below, then think about how you can incorporate them into other dishes.
- This Sweet Corn Salad with Blistered Shishito Peppers has a bright dressing made with fresh lime juice.
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings with Blistered Shishito Peppers get coated in a honey-harissa sauce for an incredible combo of global flavors!
Cook some blistered shishito peppers for an easy appetizer!
- They don't need anything more than oil and salt.
- Shishitos cook in less than 10 minutes.
- Zhuzh them up with fun toppings like sesame seeds or bonito flakes.
- Serve them with cocktails or wine for the perfect happy hour snack.
- Make a dipping sauce if you like, or enjoy them as is.
- Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan!
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Recipe
Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces shishito peppers
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as sunflower, canola, grapeseed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the shishito peppers and gently dry them well with a kitchen towel. Drying them is important to keep any residual water from spattering in the skillet, water would also cause them to steam instead of blister.
- Place the peppers in a mixing bowl, drizzle with the oil and toss until coated. Set this bowl aside to use again once the peppers are cooked.
- Place a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. I use a cast iron skillet because it provides even heat and blisters the peppers really well. Once the skillet is hot, add the shishitos in a single layer until charred and blistered on one side, about 3-5 minutes, then flip to the other side for another 3-5 minutes. You'll probably have some peppers ready sooner than others due to their size or their location in the pan.
- Transfer the blistered shishito peppers back to the bowl you used previously, season with sea salt, and toss gently with tongs to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a neutral oil: We're cooking the shishitos at high heat so they blister perfectly, so you'll want to use a neutral oil that doesn't add any flavor and has a high smoke point. This isn't the place for olive oil, it can't stand the heat and you don't need the flavor, so it would be a waste of money.
- Cook shishitos in a dry skillet: Coating the peppers in oil before we cook them is all they need. If you add oil to the pan, you'll be frying the shishitos, and they won't get that charred, blistered quality we're looking for.
- Make sure to turn on your exhaust fan: Cooking shishito peppers until they blister creates a bit of smoke coming off the skillet. Be sure to have your exhaust fan turned on so you don't smoke out the house. (Believe me, I've done it!)
- Sea salt for milder flavor: I like to season shishitos with sea salt because it's milder than kosher salt and lets their delicate sweetness shine through.
James Fuller
Delicious
Debra
So glad you enjoyed them, James!
Thanks for reading and trying my recipes,
Debra