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Home » Shishito Peppers

Shishito Peppers

August 30, 2021 by Debi Leave a Comment

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Shishito Peppers are a delicious frying pepper with mild heat. Char them in a pan with a tiny bit of oil until the skin blisters and pops. Or, cook the in the air fryer! I have both stovetop and air fryer instructions.

Take off the heat, add a little bit of balsamic vinegar and sea salt. You will not be disappointed.

If you haven’t tried these, you’re missing out. These Peppers are an amazing vegan appetizer or side dish, that I picked up up at the farm, and they came with simple but elegant cooking instructions.

blistered and charred Shishito Peppers on a white tray, title on image.

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

looking down into a basket of raw Shishito Peppers.
Fresh and raw Shishito Peppers in a basket.

But what is a Shishito Peppers?

These peppers are an East Asian variety also called Shishitōgarashi, kkwari-gochu, or groundcherry pepper, that are closely related to the Spanish Padron pepper. They are cute little mildly spicy, thin-skinned, wrinkly, green peppers.

When are they in season?

These peppers are available year-round, but they’re in peak season during the summer and early fall, and the farmer’s markets, produce stands, and farms are filled with them right now! Grab some now while they’re at their peak.

You may even be able to find these year-round if you have an international market or Asian market near you.

Shishito Peppers on a white tray.

How to pick a pepper

These peppers are typically green in color, though they do ripen to a red color. If you see a bit of the red color, don’t worry it doesn’t mean they are bad. In fact, they may be a little sweeter.

They are small peppers, usually about 2 to 5 inches in length.

Look for peppers that are firm. If they feel flexible and soft, they are not as fresh.

Raw Shishito Peppers spilled out of the farm basket.

What do shishito peppers taste like?

Shishito peppers have a bit more flavor than a bell pepper, slightly smoky with peppery and grassy notes. They are lightly sweet, and take well to a nice char, which deepens their flavor. And, really, you should give them a try. Besides being delicious, they are lots of fun to eat!

Are they spicy hot?

No, they are considered a mild chili, and are great to eat straight. In fact, they can be used in place of bell peppers in many recipes (so that gives you an idea of how mildly spicy they are).

You can even eat shishito peppers raw. They are very much like green bell peppers when eaten raw. And they’re completely edible, including the membranes and seeds.

All that being said, occasionally you’ll come across one of these babies that’s got some serious kick, so do be aware!

Health benefits of Shishito Peppers

Peppers are very nutritious vegetables, packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. I love combining peppers, which are high in vitamin C, with spinach for more iron absorption in my body.

And these shishito peppers may help prevent cancer and help lower the chance of heart disease by lowering the risk of blood clotting, which can lead to heart attacks, cardiac arrest, and strokes.

What are shishito peppers good for?

They are a delicious and healthy pepper which makes a great snack, side dish, or addition to a tapas night spread.

You can also substitute them for green or red bell peppers in many recipes.

How do I store them?

Pop the peppers into the fridge maximize freshness. Better yet, into the produce drawer of the fridge to keep them dry and crisp. They should last a week or two in the fridge, depending on how fresh they were when you got them.

Can I freeze shishito peppers?

If you want to keep them for longer, place the peppers in an airtight container or freezer bag and into the freezer. They should last about 10-12 months. Frozen peppers are great as ingredients in soups, casseroles, and other recipes. Their texture will change and soften a bit and I don’t recommend them for simple pan frying and eating straight after being frozen.

close up on Shishito Peppers on a plate.

Pro tips for these pan-fried blackened peppers

Rinse off peppers, and make sure to dry them before frying them. Dry them so they don’t make the oil splatter when you add them to the pan.

You don’t have to remove the stem before cooking them. In fact, the stem makes a nice handle when you go to eat them.

Use a cast-iron or heavy skillet to fry them in.

Heat the oil in the skillet until it’s so hot that a drop of water sizzles when dropped in. Then you know the pan is ready for the peppers and they will char rather than steam.

Make sure the peppers are in a single layer in the skillet so that they all get in contact with the bottom of the skillet and that gets you the charring you want.

Add the peppers to the skillet and let them rest for a minute before stirring, so they get a chance to char and pop.

Air Fryer Shishito Peppers

cooked shishito peppers on a plate, title in upper left.

These peppers are great when cooked in the air fryer, and it’s so easy.

Simply preheat the air fryer to 400° F. In a medium bowl, toss the peppers with the oil, coating them all over. Once the air fryer is hot, pop the peppers into the basket, and make sure they are in a single layer. Air fry at 400° F for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through cooking.

Once done, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. So good and so easy!

peppers in the basket of an air fryer.

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Shishito Peppers charred and cooked with salt and balsamic vinegar.

Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe

square crop of cooked Shishito Peppers on a white tray.

Shishito Peppers

Debi
Shishito Peppers are a delicious frying pepper with mild heat. With stove top and air fryer instructions. You will not be disappointed.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces shishito peppers
  • 1 teaspoon high heat oil like grapeseed or avocado oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt preferably fluer de sel

Instructions
 

Stovetop:

  • Add the oil to a skillet, and preheat over medium heat until the oil is nice and hot. Toss the peppers into the hot skillet, give them a stir, and let them cook, stirring occasionally (the longer they are in one place the more char they will get), about 10 minutes, until the skin blisters and pops.
  • Take off the heat, place the peppers on a serving plate, and add a little bit of balsamic vinegar and sea salt.

Air Fryer:

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400° F.
  • In a medium bowl, toss the peppers with the oil, coating them all over. Once the air fryer is hot, pop the peppers into the basket, and make sure they are in a single layer. Air fry at 400° F for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through cooking.
  • Once done, place the peppers on a serving plate, and add a little bit of balsamic vinegar and sea salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 189mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin C: 7mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword blistered peppers, shishito peppers
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Filed Under: Appetizers, Game Day, Gluten-free, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cooking, Food, pepper, recipe, shishito peppers, side dish, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

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about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

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Hi! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents, where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes with some great desserts and other goodies mixed in! Read More >>>

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