Blistered Shishito Peppers Are the 5-Minute App Anyone Can Make

Will you get the spicy one?

By
Julia Levy
Julia Levy wearing a chef's coat standing in front of a blue background
Julia Levy
Julia Levy is an eater, maker and dabbler in all things food. She has nearly a decade of work experience, has tested over 1,000 recipes, and has developed hundreds of recipes for a wide range of food brands, including Southern Living and Real Simple.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
and
Megan Scott
Meg Scott
Megan Scott
Megan is a recipe developer and editor with 12 years of industry experience, most recently as culinary director at a marketing agency. In 2019, she also co-authored the 9th edition of the classic cookbook, Joy of Cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 07/28/23
A large bowl of blistered shishito peppers served with a dipping sauce

The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
54 Calories
4g Fat
4g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 54
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 151mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 27mg 133%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 181mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Several years ago, blistered shishito peppers started popping up on restaurant appetizer menus everywhere. For a hot minute, you could barely go out to eat without running into this dish. While things have settled down a bit, one benefit of the shishito craze is that these peppers (and their cousin, the padrón) are now widely available at supermarkets across the US. 

This recipe is the most simple and classic way to prepare them so you can appreciate their beautiful, mild flavor and light crunch. It comes together with almost no prep and a cooking time of five minutes, so you can have a hot (not spicy) appetizer on the table in no time at all.

What Are Shishito Peppers?

The word shishito comes from the Japanese words for lion (shishi) and chili pepper (togarashi) because the tip of the shishito pepper resembles a lion’s head. These peppers are small and mild, usually sold in their green state (though they will ripen to red if left on the plant). 

One of the many varietals of Capsicum annuum (the species that encompasses bell peppers and many spicy peppers, including jalapeños), shishitos have thin skins and a wrinkled appearance. In terms of flavor, shishitos mostly taste fresh and “green” or grassy, somewhat like bell peppers but with less bitterness.

Are Shishito Peppers Spicy?

Generally, shishitos are very mild peppers, which is why you can pop them like potato chips. However, every once in a while you might get a spicy surprise. About one in ten shishito peppers will be spicy, but still nowhere near a jalapeño. 

The reason for this is just natural variation. Shishito peppers can range from 50 to 200 Scovilles (jalapeños range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scovilles, for comparison) depending on many factors, including time of year, the age of the plant, and the environmental stress the plant has been subjected to. So embrace the uncertainty and munch bravely.

Tips for Making Blistered Shishito Peppers

  • Get your skillet hot!—That’s what gives the blister and char we all know and love.
  • When to find shishito peppers—Shishito peppers peak in the summer but can be purchased year-round at many regular grocery stores. 
  • Toss with oil, don't oil the skillet—While it might be tempting to just add oil to the skillet and throw the shishito peppers in, we recommend tossing the peppers with oil in a bowl. This ensures they're evenly coated with oil, which will help them blister and char and not dry out.
  • Don’t stir too much—The peppers may not immediately start popping and sizzling when they hit the skillet, even when it’s smoking, and that’s ok. They will char; just let them sear and do their thing. Stirring too frequently means less of the nice charring you expect from this dish.

Serving Blistered Shishito Peppers

Blistered shishitos are perfectly tasty on their own, but they can be dressed up with a simple dipping sauce like aioli, ranch, spicy mayo, or tahini sauce. You can also garnish them with all kinds of toppings, from chopped cilantro to everything bagel seasoning.

"The charred spots on the peppers taste deeply caramelized and smoky, balanced by the tart lime juice and salt, with the grassy vegetal flavors in the peppers. This comes together super fast for one of the easiest appetizers you can make." —The Spruce Eats Test Kitchen

Blackened shishito peppers garnished with sesame seeds on a white plate
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces shishito peppers

  • 1 tablespoon untoasted sesame oil or other neutral oil

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • Flaky sea salt

  • Toasted white sesame seeds

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make blistered shishito peppers

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

  2. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over high until smoking, about 5 minutes.

    A hot cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

  3. Toss 8 ounces shishito peppers with 1 tablespoon untoasted sesame or other neutral oil in a large bowl.

    A bowl of shishito peppers tossed in oil

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

  4. Add peppers to hot skillet and cook, stirring once or twice, until blistered and charred in spots, about 5 minutes.

    A hot cast iron skillet with blistering shishito peppers

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

  5. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

    A large bowl of blistered shishito peppers topped with salt and sesame seeds

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

How To Store

These do not save well, but if you must, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Leftover charred shishitos are best cut up and used in other dishes. For example, scrambled eggs or mac and cheese.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Air fryer blistered shishitos—Fry in your air-fryer at 400 F until tender and lightly charred in spots, about 6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes. 
  • Use a grill instead—The grill would be great for these! Use a grill basket to keep the peppers from falling through the grate.
  • Use padrón peppers—Padrón peppers are slightly larger, less wrinkled looking green peppers that have a very similar flavor (in fact, they’re closely related to shishitos). They can stand in for shishitos in this recipe with no modifications.