Blistered Shish*to Peppers Recipe

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These flavorful blistered shish*to peppers are simply charred and then flavored with lemon and flaky salt for the perfect bite-sized summer appetizer, side, or snack.

I could eat these blistered shish*to peppers like popcorn, they’re so good. Like my Parmesan zucchini, and my easy broccoli with feta, these shish*to peppers come together in just 5 minutes, making them a prime candidate for a weeknight dinner side dish, easy appetizer, or snack. Originating from Japan, shish*to peppers are petite, green, resembling jalapeños. They have a sweet and subtly smokey flavor and most are mild, though you’ll occasionally get a hot one. Since their wrinkly skin is quite tender, a quick sear in a hot pan is all that’s needed for cooking, and my trusty cast iron skillet gets a perfect char on these poppable peppers. I add lemon slices to the skillet because I am a big fan of the caramelization that happens from searing them. Finally, there are three different flavored salts I love for flavoring the peppers: Natural Crystal Flakes with Wild Garlic, Smoked Applewood Salt, and Truffle Salt. But plain sea salt or kosher salt works just great as well.

What’s in These Shish*to Peppers

Only 4 ingredients (including olive oil) are required to make these shish*to peppers. Here’s what you’ll need:

Shish*to peppers
Lemon
Olive oil
Kosher salt or flavored salt

Tip: If you can’t find shish*tos at your local farmers market or grocery store, many Asian grocery stores carry them and Trader Joe’s may have them bagged and ready to go.

How to Make These Shish*to Peppers

The key to this simple shish*to peppers recipe is blistering the peppers in a dry skillet. Many recipes call for adding a little oil to the pan before adding the shish*to peppers but when I’ve done this in the past, the smoke from the oil is pretty heavy, and I’m not too fond of a smoky kitchen. Plus, I’ve found you can get a perfect char without the oil (I like tossing them with olive oil after cooking).

Sear the peppers in a dry skillet. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until the pan is hot. Add the peppers to the hot skillet in a single layer and cook, turning them occasionally (use tongs), then add a few slices of lemon. Cook until the peppers become fragrant and begin to blister, and then nudge the lemons so they don’t stick—about 5 minutes.

Season and serve. Transfer the shish*to peppers to a serving dish and drizzle with a little olive oil plus a squeeze of lemon juice, then sprinkle with flavored salt.

Shish*to Peppers Recipe Variations

Soy sauce in place of or in addition to the lemon would be so yummy (you won’t need as much salt)
Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds before serving
Try toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil
Drizzle with chili garlic crunch, or top with red pepper flakes or your favorite Asian hot sauce if you want a kick

Are Shish*to Peppers Spicier Than Jalapeños?

Shish*to peppers are not spicier than jalapeños. They score 100-1,000 on the Scoville Heat Unit scale, whereas jalapeños are between 2,500-8000 SHUS (Scoville Heat Units).

Commonly Asked Questions

Why are shish*to peppers so popular?

Shish*to peppers are popular for their mild flavor and thin skin (which allows them to absorb more flavor and also cook more quickly).

How do you store shish*to peppers?

While you can store them on your kitchen counter, these peppers will keep longer if stored in the fridge.

What if I can’t find shish*to peppers?

Padrón peppers are the closest relative to shish*tos. These Spanish peppers are very similar in appearance and flavor to shish*tos and are also mostly mild (though about 2 out of 10 will be spicy).

What to Serve with Shish*to Peppers

Shish*to peppers are so delicious on their own, enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, but they’d also be delicious as a side with any of these recipes:

Broiled Miso Cod With Vegetables
Slow Cooker Sriracha Meatballs
Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Mushrooms
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Marinated Flank Steak With Asian Chimichurri Sauce

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A hot cast iron pan creates the perfect char for this bite-size pepper appetizer, side dish, or snack, tossed with flavored salts.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian

Keyword shish*to peppers

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 20kcal

Ingredients

8 ounces shisito peppers
½ lemon , sliced
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher or flavored salts

Instructions

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until the pan is hot. Add the peppers to the hot skillet and cook the peppers, turning occasionally then add a few slices of lemon. Cook until the peppers become fragrant and begin to blister, and then nudge the lemons so they don't stick—about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil plus a squeeze more lemon then sprinkle with flavored salts. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

More Asian-ish Side Dishes You’ll Love

The BEST Sesame Soba Noodles
How to Make the BEST Fried Rice
Asian Broccolini with Sesame and Ginger
Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers
Crunchy Asian Cucumber Watermelon Salad

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