Blistered Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers hail from Japan and while, technically speaking, they are chili peppers, their flavor is mild—usually. Once in a while, you get a hot one, but even the rare spicy shishito is still much milder than your average jalapeño. 

I’m sure you can use shishito peppers any way you’d use other peppers but they’re most commonly charred—or blistered—and served whole as an appetizer. They are totally impossible to resist, with the charred spots adding a fantastic smoky flavor.

More About Blistered Shishitos

Ridiculously easy. Aside from the peppers, you just need oil, salt, and lemon juice for serving (if you want). The process of cooking blistered shishito peppers is quick and simple which makes them the perfect party snack for get-togethers and even game day parties. And since they’re so quick, you can make another batch in a matter of minutes!

All about the skillet. The key to making blistered shishito peppers is a scorching hot skillet. This chars them quickly which means the peppers get all that fabulous flavor but still retain their crisp texture. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet which can withstand a high temperature. Cast iron also holds the heat well and won’t cool off too quickly when you add the peppers.

Lots of ways to serve them. Blistered shishito peppers are so good right out of the skillet without any embellishments. You’ll find that you can’t eat just one! I also like to serve the blistered peppers with dips and sauces. Keep reading for more ideas. Shishitos can be served like any other pepper, too. Try them in omelets, on sandwiches, or with tacos.

Ingredient Notes

• Shishito peppers: You can find shishito peppers at most grocery stores or Trader Joe’s. In the summer months, you can usually find them at the farmers market. Look for bright green, firm peppers without any wrinkles or blemishes.
• Olive oil: I like to use olive oil. Choose an oil that has a high smoke point for getting that nice char.
• Kosher salt: If you happen to have a fancier flaky sea salt like Maldon, feel free to substitute that.
• Lemon juice: Fresh is best! It has a livelier flavor than bottled.

How to Make Blistered Shishito Peppers

Prepare. Set a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it get blazing hot. Ideally, you’ll have a pan big enough to cook all the peppers at once. If not, cook them in batches to keep them from steaming instead of charring.

Cook. Add the oil and peppers in an even layer and sprinkle salt over the top. Let them cook undisturbed for 2 or 3 minutes, until they’re blistered on the bottoms.

Turn the peppers. Shake the pan, flip the peppers, or stir them—you want to char the other side of the peppers so they’re evenly blistered.

Finish. Remove the blistered shishito peppers from the skillet, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with extra salt, if you’d like.

Helpful Tips

Dry the peppers. When you rinse off the peppers to wash them, be sure to dry them as much as possible to avoid spatters. When water drops hit the hot oil, it can cause the oil to sputter and splat, possibly causing a burn.

Make sure the pan is good and hot. This truly is the secret for blistered shishitos. You want the shishitos to come into contact with high heat which causes them to blister and lightly scorch.

Don’t overcrowd the pan. Too many peppers in the pan will cool down the pan and cause the shishitos to cook too slowly and get soft instead of blistered.

Flip once. You don’t want to keep stirring the peppers. Let them cook undisturbed so they get a nice char on one side before flipping them over to char the other side.

Best Dipping Sauces for Blistered Shishito Peppers

• Ranch dressing. For a cool and creamy contrast, you can’t beat ranch. This healthy ranch dressing is my go-to.
• Aioli. A classic garlic aioli would be great, or use a flavored version.
• Blue cheese dip. If you like a little tanginess and funky cheese flavor, try this blue cheese dressing.
• Green goddess. This green goddess dressing recipe is a bright and herbaceous pairing with blistered shishito peppers.

Serving Suggestions

• Appetizer. Blistered shishitos are most commonly served as an appetizer. Try them as is or with one of the dips above.
• Side. Instead of serving fries or chips, serve blistered shishito peppers as a side with a California burger or grilled chicken. Better yet, layer blistered shishito peppers onto your next air fryer grilled cheese sandwich or turkey burger.
• Breakfast. Chop blistered shishitos and add them to an omelet or mini frittatas.
• Pizza. Add blistered shishito peppers to pizza instead of green bell peppers or jalapeños.

Refrigerate: Of course, blistered shishito peppers are best eaten right away! If you have leftover peppers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat: You can eat your leftovers cold or at room temperature, or reheat them in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

• Preheat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat (see note).

• When the pan is very hot, add the oil and shishitos (see note), and sprinkle with salt.

  8 oz. shishito peppers, rinsed and dried thoroughly, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more for garnishing

• Let the peppers cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving them, until they start to blister and char on one side.

• Once they are blistered on one side, toss the peppers or stir them around the pan to char on the other sides, another 2 to 3 minutes.

• Remove the peppers from the skillet and sprinkle them with lemon and additional salt if desired. Serve immediately.

  1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• Pan size: You want to cook the peppers in a single layer. If you’re unable to do that, cook them in batches. 
• Pepper alternatives: If you can’t find shishito peppers, try another small mild pepper, such as Spanish Padrón peppers, jalapeño peppers, or banana peppers. Be aware that other peppers may be more spicy than shishitos. Look for shishito peppers at your grocery store, Trader Joe’s, or the farmers market.

Serving: 2oz., Calories: 54kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 151mg, Potassium: 184mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 540IU, Vitamin C: 82mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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