Blistered Shishito Peppers (Broiler or Stovetop Method)

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Whether you sizzle them in a skillet or give them a quick char under the broiler, blistered shishito peppers make a fun and tasty snack. Only one in ten is spicy, so you never know when you’ll encounter the spicy one in the bunch, making each bite a fun surprise!

blistered shishito peppers in skillet.

Shishito peppers are small, thin-skinned pepper native to Japan known for their slender, slightly wrinkled shape and bright green color. Most of the peppers are quite mild, but approximately one in every ten carries a surprising spicy kick. This unpredictability adds a fun and slightly adventurous element to eating them—it’s like playing pepper roulette!

blistered shishito pepppers.

Shishito peppers are super easy to cook—all you need is a bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and your preferred cooking method. Whether you choose the broiler or the stovetop method (both described in detail below), the result is a deliciously fun finger food that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. I love them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt with a tasty dipping sauce on the side, such as my red pepper and sun-dried tomato aioli.

what you’ll need to make blistered Shishito Peppers

blistered shishito peppers ingredients

Shishito peppers can usually be found year-round packaged and ready to cook in the produce section of most supermarkets. After rinsing them, it’s important to ensure they are completely dry before cooking. This will allow them to blister and char instead of steam.

step-by-step instructions

Broiler Method

The broiler method is simple. Directly on a lined baking sheet, toss the peppers with the oil and salt. Spread the peppers in a single layer. 

shishito peppers evenly spaced on foil-lined baking sheet tossed with oil and salt

Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until blistered.

shishito peppers broiled and blistered on one side

Flip the peppers and broil for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until evenly blistered.

shishito peppers on foil-lined baking sheet broiled and blistered on second side

Stovetop Method

For the stovetop method, place a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Add the peppers to the pan in a single layer.

oil and shishito peppers in large skillet

Let them cook, occasionally turning with tongs.

turning shishito peppers with tongs as they blister

Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are blistered and slightly charred on all sides.

fully cooked, blistered shishito peppers in skillet

To Serve

To serve, transfer the peppers to a serving dish. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using. Serve with lemon wedges and/or dipping sauce.

shishito peppers with dipping sauce

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Blistered Shishito Peppers

Whether you sizzle them in a skillet or give them a quick char under the broiler, blistered shishito peppers make a fun and tasty snack. Only one in ten is spicy, so you never know when you’ll encounter the spicy one in the bunch, making each bite a fun surprise!

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ lb shishito peppers, rinsed and dried thoroughly
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Generous pinch flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
  • Lemon wedges and/or dipping sauce, such as red pepper and sun-dried tomato aioli

Instructions

  1. Broiler Method: Adjust your oven rack so it's about 6 inches from the heating element and turn your broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Directly on the lined baking sheet, toss the peppers with the oil and salt. Spread the peppers in a single layer. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until blistered, then flip the peppers and broil for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until evenly blistered.
  3. Remove from the oven and serve warm with lemon wedges and/or dipping sauce.
  4. Stovetop Method: Place a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil. Add the peppers to the pan in a single layer. Let them cook, occasionally turning with tongs, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are blistered and slightly charred on all sides.
  5. To Serve: Once blistered to your liking, transfer the peppers to a serving dish. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using. Serve with lemon wedges and/or dipping sauce.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (4 servings)
  • Calories: 41
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Saturated fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Sodium: 140 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Had this dish at a restaurant in Charleston and oh my it was so good. It had a light sauce over top and server said it was Worcestershire, butter and lemon. Jenn, do you think cooking in airfryer would work also?

    • — Janice on June 23, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Janice, I don’t have an air fryer, so I can’t say for sure, but from what I know about them, I think it should work. 😊

      • — Jenn on June 24, 2024
      • Reply
  • In Spain we have “Pimientos de Padrón”, which look very much like these ones. And you never know if you’re going to get the spicy one. They are delicious nevertheless.

    • — Denise on January 21, 2024
    • Reply
  • Love these. Like to serve them as an added appetizer.

    • — Tish on January 18, 2024
    • Reply

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