Blistered Shishito Peppers
This Blistered Shishito Peppers recipe comes together quickly, with just a few ingredients. It’s super fun and tasty, one of the easiest appetizers you’ll ever make!
Blistered Shishito Peppers Are An Easy Appetizer
A few years ago, while out to dinner with a couple girlfriends at LoLo, I saw “blistered shishito peppers” on the menu. The menu listing was not very descriptive, which immediately had me on my phone searching about this pepper. I hadn’t heard of this variety before, and of course I was curious!
Well it turns out that I pretty much fell in love with those shishitos, right on the spot. They were fresh and flavorful, and so much fun!
Ever since that time, when I see these peppers at the store, I grab some for a quick appetizer at home. This Blistered Shishito Peppers recipe couldn’t be any easier, and only takes a few ingredients. It’s a great way to add some tasty fun to a meal, one of the easiest appetizers you’ll ever make!
What are Shishito Peppers?
Shishito peppers hail from Asia. They are small, slender, wrinkled peppers with thin walls that blister and char easily. Shishitos have a bright, fresh flavor, somewhat like green bell peppers.
And the super fun (or not-so-fun?!) thing about shishitos is that about one out of every eight peppers is spicy. While Blake and I like to play this “spicy or not” game, our daughters are not quite as fond of biting into one that makes their eyes water. Yet, they won’t turn down this appetizer…so that’s saying something about how good these peppers are!
Ingredients For This Shishito Peppers Recipe
This recipe only requires THREE ingredients! (Then, if you’d like to have something to dip the blistered peppers in, I’ll also give you a couple ideas for what we like to use.)
For the peppers, grab these ingredients:
- shishito peppers – Look for ones that are super fresh, without wilty stems or tips. If they are overly soft, they are past their prime.
- toasted sesame oil – This has turned into my favorite oil for sauteeing veggies, especially broccoli. I love this oil’s aroma and flavor!
- kosher salt – A little bit of coarse salt is so very good on these peppers. I sprinkle some on right before serving.
How to Cook Shishito Peppers
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add peppers and fold to coat evenly.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning peppers every minute or so, until softened and nicely blistered.
How to Serve
I like to serve the peppers on a small platter. I give them a light sprinkling of kosher salt or flaky sea salt, plus a little sprinkle of sesame seeds if I’m feeling extra fancy.
Shishito peppers are light and healthy, and packed with flavor. They are a great starter for so many meals. I’ve highlighted a few Asian entree and appetizer favorites to getcha goin’!
- Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce
- Hawaiian Poke Bowl
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Easy Korean Beef
- Banh Mi Meatballs
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Thai Drunken Noodles
- Beijing Beef
What To Dip Shishitos In?
Everyone likes to dip, right?! Well these blistered peppers beg to be dipped!
Here are a few ideas for you:
- At the very simplest, just dip them in soy sauce.
- To kick soy sauce up a notch, make my honey soy sauce (shown above). Simply combine soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. It’s savory, with a touch of sweet tanginess. This is what my family prefers.
- If you like creamy dips, a garlic aioli would also be great!
FAQ’s
When are shishito peppers in season? They fit right in with the growing season of other garden peppers, during the summer and early fall. I usually start to see them available in stores (in Minnesota) in early May.
Where to buy shishito peppers: I always buy shishitos at Trader Joe’s – in a plastic clamshell package in the fresh produce section. Others have told me they get them at Whole Foods and farmers markets…or their own gardens!
Can I prepare these peppers other ways? Yes, of course! My first recommendation would be to grill them – toss the shishitos in a bit of sesame oil and then blister them on hot grill grates. You could also broil them on a roasting pan under high heat.
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Blistered Shishito Peppers
This Blistered Shishito Peppers recipe comes together quickly, with just a few ingredients. It's super fun and tasty, one of the easiest appetizers you'll ever make!
Ingredients
for the blistered peppers
- 6 ounces shishito peppers
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- a few pinches kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional
for the soy honey dipping sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- For the blistered peppers: Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add sesame oil.
- When oil is hot and starts to shimmer, add the peppers and fold to coat evenly with the oil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the peppers every minute or so, to allow them to blacken and blister.
- Serve blistered peppers on a small platter, sprinkled with kosher salt and sesame seeds. Offer the soy honey dipping sauce or simply a small bowl of soy sauce for dipping.
- For the soy honey dipping sauce: Simply stir all ingredients together and serve with blistered peppers. For a super simple dip, just use soy sauce!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 22Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Yum! Love Shishito Peppers. We had them while out at a brewery. They were very good. I look forward to trying your recipe.
Thank you!
Di M.
Awesome. Hope you like them!! :)