Blistered shishito peppers are a simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Lightly smoky, gently sweet, and occasionally spicy, these small green peppers are perfect for sharing—though you may want to keep the whole pan to yourself. Best of all, they come together in just minutes using a hot skillet and a handful of ingredients.
This preparation lets the natural flavor of the peppers shine, with high heat creating those signature charred blisters and a squeeze of fresh lemon brightening everything up. Serve them straight from the pan as a snack, appetizer, or side dish, and customize with your favorite finishing touches like flaky salt, sesame seeds, or a splash of tamari.
Ingredients
- 1 (6-oz) bag shishito peppers
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- Sea salt or flaky salt, to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet—preferably cast iron—over medium heat until hot. Add the oil and allow it to heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Add the shishito peppers to the pan and spread them into a single layer.
- Cook undisturbed for 2½ minutes, or until the underside is well blistered and blackened in spots.
- Flip the peppers and cook for another 2½ minutes, until blistered on the second side.
- If the peppers are charred but still firm, cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 1–2 additional minutes until slightly softened.
- Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle with salt and squeeze lemon juice over the peppers.
- Serve warm.
Tips & Variations
- Finish with sesame seeds, gomasio, or a drizzle of tamari for extra depth.
- For a nuttier flavor, use a mix of sesame oil and avocado oil.
- Shishito peppers can pop and splatter when cooking—cover the pan partially or fully if needed.
Based on recipe found on pamelasalzman