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Need an appetizer in a flash? There’s really nothing faster than these easy blistered shishito peppers! Even if you have to go to the garden to pick them ahead of time, you’re still going to wrap up this easy recipe quicker than most.

So whether your shishito peppers are home grown or purchased from a local farmers’ market, use them in this quick and easy recipe for a healthy and delicious appetizer or side dish. (Need shishito pepper seeds? Grab some from True Leaf Market.)

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What are Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers are a typically non-spicy variety of pepper that is common in Eastern Asia. These peppers resemble a squared jalapeno with a more wavy appearance. They grow to around 3 inches long which makes them perfect for an easy to eat appetizer.

Shishito peppers can be left on the plant until they turn red or used while still green. In my experience, the green peppers are better for blistering since the skin seems to hold up a bit better under the high heat.

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If you’d like to learn to grow shishito peppers at home, either in the garden or in a container, check out my full article here. They’re really quite easy to grow and would be a tasty addition to any home garden!

Why Blister Shishito Peppers?

While there are many ways to eat shishito peppers, including raw, blistering them softens up the skin of the pepper just enough. You’re still left with some texture in the pepper’s flesh, and since the seeds can all be eaten as well, this is a one bite pepper.

Blistering shishitos instead of using other cooking methods is also just so much faster. While blistering can happen in an oven set to a high temperature, I prefer a cast iron skillet, where I can watch the peppers closely. They can go from blistered to scorched in a short time.

How to Cook Shishito Peppers

Here’s what you’ll need to create this delicious appetizer or side dish:

• Cast iron skillet (I have this one from Lodge.)
• 20 shishito peppers (or more or less depending on who you’re feeding)
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil (Try this Bragg’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil!)
• Sea salt
• Lemon

Since this recipe only takes a few minutes, you’ll want to have a plate or small platter standing by for the peppers when they come out of the skillet. Here’s a video breakdown of the recipe from garden to table!

Blistered Shishito Recipe

1. Begin by washing your fresh shishito peppers in cool water. Place the wet peppers on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Since the peppers will be cooking in a hot pan with oil, you want them dry.

2. Once peppers are dry, place dry cast iron skillet on medium high heat. While the pan is heating, place shishito peppers in a bowl and drizzle olive oil on top. Toss peppers to coat in oil.

3. Once the cast iron skillet is smoking lightly, carefully add shishitos. They should immediately begin to pop and sizzle. Let the peppers cook for several minutes, then turn them.

4. Blister as many sides of the pepper as you can. (Some peppers will roll on you, so you may only get two sides blistered, other peppers will allow for more blistering.)

5. Once peppers have your desired degree of blistering, remove them to a clean serving plate. Squeeze half a lemon over the peppers, then give a generous sprinkle of salt on top.

6. Serve blistered shishitos immediately. They are delicious on their own, or you can serve them with a sriacha mayonnaise as a dipping sauce. (We prefer them plain!)

What to Serve with Shishitos

While shishitos make a great appetizer before any meal, I particularly love to serve them before any heavy dinner. This is a light appetizer that won’t fill you up before the main course.

But blistered shishito peppers are also great as a final addition to charceuterie board. Toss them on the board right before it’s set out (you may want to put them in a ramekin to keep the lemon juice from touching other foods).

Since shishito peppers are popular in Japan, try pairing them with East Asian or Asian-inspired dishes such as sushi or teriyaki.