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    Home » Mediterranean recipes

    Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe (5 minutes!)

    Published: Feb 24, 2020 · Modified: Jul 1, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    139 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy blistered shishito peppers recipe is so easy to make. These little mild peppers are perfect to snack on as an appetizer. Make sure your skillet is hot to have the perfect char on each pepper. 

    Shishito peppers are sauteed and blistered in a cast iron skillet and served with a drizzle of lemon juice.

    If you’ve been following us for a while, you know our Spanish tapas game is getting stronger. We started with a simple aioli recipe and cooked our way into classic spanish tortilla, pan con tomate and salmon croquettes. Tapas is an important part of Spanish food culture and thanks to Mediterranean style of living, vegetables and wholesome ingredients are definitely a part of each tapa including this ridiculously simple, yet seriously delicious blistered shishito peppers recipe. Follow along and watch the video to learn all the tips and tricks on how to cook these peppers at home. 

    About this recipe

    When we were traveling in Spain a few months ago, we got to try these delicious blistered peppers called Pimiento de Padrón. They were charred and juicy, drizzled with delicious extra virgin olive oil and topped with some coarse salt, perfect Mediterranean appetizer! Serve these alongside our Mediterranean roasted vegetables for a delicious vegetarian spread!

    I was determined to make them at home and share the recipe with you because they were too good to just hold them to myself! So after a bit of research, trial and error, we came to the conclusion that Pimiento de Padrón is a cousin to shishito peppers with the difference being that Pimiento de Padron is a tad bit spicier and shishitos are a bit thinner. However, the cooking method for both is the same and they can be used interchangeably. 

    Are shishito peppers hot?

    Shishito peppers are originally from Japan and are very mild and not hot at all. Maybe one out of 10 is spicy but usually, these peppers are not hot and are a bit sweet.  

    Blistered shishito peppers served in a cast iron next to fresh ones.

    Ingredients

    Shishito peppers

    These peppers are small and crisp. Good quality shishitos are bright green and have thin and wrinkly skin. They also should not have soft spots or brown or black spots on them.

    Extra virgin olive oil

    Use high quality extra virgin olive oil for sauteing shishito peppers. Olive oil is used religiously in Mediterranean cooking, from making basil oil to frying eggplants. Check out this article to learn more about choosing the right olive oil. 

    Salt

    Use fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt for this recipe. These little touches will take your food from meh to restaurant quality! 

    Lemon

    A squeeze of fresh lemon gives so much brightness and flavor to this dish.

    To make this recipe you need shishito peppers, olive oil, salt and lemon juice.

    How to cook shishito peppers

    Heat up the skillet

    Using a cast iron skillet is strongly recommended when it comes to blistering shishito peppers. To make sure the skillet is hot enough, pour a little water into the pan and if it turns into beads, the pan is hot enough. Keep the skillet on medium heat and not high heat. 

    Prepare the peppers

    In a large bowl, toss the peppers with olive oil and some salt. This is to make sure the peppers are rubbed with olive oil on all sides which will help them blister very well. 

    Saute the peppers

    Once the pan is hot, saute the peppers in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan so you have enough room to move them around and blister them on all sides. The peppers blister and get charred on all sides and then deflate. It would take between 5-7 minutes to saute them. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon. 

    Other approaches

    Grilling

    If you have an outdoor grill, definitely try grilling these little peppers: 

    • In a bowl, toss them with one tablespoon of olive oil and some salt.
    • Place them on the hot grill and start grilling.
    • Once one side is charred, flip and char the other side. 

    Roasting 

    You can also roast shishito peppers in the oven:

    • Heat the oven to 425°F.
    • Mix the shishito peppers with two tablespoons of olive oil and some salt. 
    • Transfer them to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Stir the peppers halfway through cooking so they get roasted on all sides. 

    Serving suggestions

    As I mentioned above, these peppers are very similar to spanish Padrón peppers therefore I usually make this shishito peppers recipe as part of a tapas spread. You can serve them with the following Mediterranean appetizers:

    • Oven roasted potatoes
    • Easy roasted tomatoes
    • Lemon garlic brussel sprouts
    • Spicy hummus
    • Mediterranean deviled eggs

    Can I freeze shishito peppers?

    The texture of the peppers, whether raw or blistered, would change once frozen so I wouldn’t recommend it. 

    Notes and tips

    • You can find shishito peppers in almost any supermarket including Trader Joe’s and Costco. 
    • Toss the peppers in olive oil rather than sauteing them in oil. This would help with the skin being all charred since shishitos have irregular shapes. 
    • Don’t overcook shishito peppers: Cook these peppers until they are charred and blistered on all sides. Overcooking them might make them bitter. 
    • Leave enough room in the pan: Fight the temptation of filling the pan with shishito peppers. It’s important to leave enough room in the pan to be able to stir and move the peppers around. 
    • Got leftovers? These peppers are best served right away. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can heat them in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. 
    These peppers are best served hot off the cast iron.

    Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe (5 minutes!)

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    This easy blistered shishito peppers recipe is so easy to make. These little mild peppers are perfect to snack on as an appetizer. Make sure your skillet is hot to have the perfect char on each pepper. 
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Spanish
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 100 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb shishito peppers see notes
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 lemon juice of

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
    • Place the peppers in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt.
    • Toss the peppers until they're coated with olive oil.
    • Place them in the hot skillet and saute until they blister on the skin and get charred.
    • Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice.

    Video

    Notes

    • You can use Spanish Pimiento de Padron for this recipe. The flavors are very similar. 
    • Grilling instructions:
      • In a bowl, toss them with one tablespoon of olive oil and some salt.
      • Place them on the hot grill and start grilling.
      • Once one side is charred, flip and char the other side. 
    • Roasting instructions:
      • Heat the oven to 425°F.
      • Mix the shishito peppers with two tablespoons of olive oil and some salt. 
      • Transfer them to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Stir the peppers halfway through cooking so they get roasted on all sides. 
    • You can serve blistered shishito peppers as part of an appetizer spread with the following items: 
      • Oven roasted potatoes
      • Easy roasted tomatoes
      • Lemon garlic brussel sprouts
      • Spicy hummus
      • Mediterranean deviled eggs
    • You can find shishito peppers in almost any supermarket including Trader Joe’s and Costco. 
    • Toss the peppers in olive oil rather than sauteing them in oil. This would help with the skin being all charred since shishitos have irregular shapes. 
    • Don’t overcook shishito peppers: Cook these peppers until they are charred and blistered on all sides. Overcooking them might make them bitter.
    • Leave enough room in the pan: Fight the temptation of filling the pan with shishito peppers. It’s important to leave enough room in the pan to be able to stir and move the peppers around.
    • Got leftovers? These peppers are best served right away. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can heat them in a skillet with a bit of olive oil.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 669mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!
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    139 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elena

      February 26, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      5 stars
      Super delicious for snacks!

      Reply
    2. wilhelmina

      February 26, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      These peppers make the perfect snack or appetizer! They are totally irresistible!

      Reply

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    139 shares