Charred & Blistered Shishitos: Bet You Can’t Stop After One!
There’s a moment about 5 minutes in, when shishito peppers hit a blazing-hot skillet and start to crackle. The skins puff and blacken in spots, the peppers slump and turn glossy, and the whole kitchen fills with a sweet, smoky aroma. That’s my cue that a great snack is about to happen.
These little peppers are one of my favorite restaurant-style appetizers you can make at home, and they couldn’t be simpler: one pan, a handful of pantry staples, and about 15 minutes start to finish. If you know their Spanish cousins, pimientos de padrón, from tapas bars, the method is exactly the same: high heat until blistered and charred. I just lean into a Japanese-inspired ingredient list with soy sauce and toasted sesame.
When I worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in NYC, a pan of these was the snack chefs fought over after a long service. We ate them standing up, by the stems, with our fingers. Honestly, that’s still the best way!
If you’ve never bought shishito peppers before, look for them near the other peppers at the store. They’re usually sold in clear plastic bags with tiny holes, not loose in bins like jalapeños or fresnos.
Wait, Are Shishito Peppers Spicy?
Mostly, no. Shishitos are mild and slightly sweet, but you’ve probably heard that roughly one in ten packs real heat. In my experience, it’s true! Every single time I make these, a few fiery ones sneak through and make my my eyes water, and I like heat. There’s no way to tell which ones by looking, so consider yourself warned. 😂
No need to remove the stems. They’re the perfect built-in handle, and grabbing them by hand is half the fun. Just don’t eat the stems themselves.
A heads-up: a pepper may occasionally pop as steam escapes, so stand back a bit (a splatter screen helps!).
What to Serve with Blistered Shishitos
Serve them hot from the skillet with a sprinkle of flaky salt. They’re equally at home as a snack, starter, or side. Here’s how I’d pair them:
- For a snack spread or cocktail hour: set them out with a platter of jammy, soy-marinated eggs and a round of cold drinks.
- For steak night: they’re my go-to side for a sesame-marinated cast iron ribeye, since the soy, sesame, and char echo the steak’s marinade.
- For a weeknight dinner: pile them alongside sweet-and-spicy gochujang chicken meatballs over fluffy white rice. A reader paired the two and called it a perfect complement, and I couldn’t agree more.
Reheating Instructions
If you somehow don’t finish them all (is that even possible?!), store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet for a minute or two, just until warmed through. They’re also great chopped up cold and tossed into salads, fried rice, or scrambled eggs. Trust me on this one.
My Chef Tips For the Best Char
- Dry the peppers well. Any water left on them creates steam (and splatter).
- Resist constant stirring. Let them sit long enough to actually blister before you toss.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. It’s worth it to cook in batches.
- Salt while they’re hot. It clings better and seasons more evenly.
If you make these blistered shishito peppers, I’d love for you to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below.
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15-Minute Blistered Shishito Peppers with Garlic
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lb shishito peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free
- 1 tsp ginger paste or freshly grated ginger, optional
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Blister the shishito peppers. Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil and 1 tsp sesame oil over high heat in a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Add shishito peppers and cook, stirring often, until blistered on all sides. This can take 5-10 minutes depending on how hot your pan is. You're looking for the peppers to be tender, but not mushy.
- Toss with sauce. When the peppers are almost there, add garlic, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger paste (if using), and 1 tsp sesame seeds. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds then remove from heat. Sprinkle with 1 tsp Kosher salt, then serve immediately with additional soy sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes. Avoid the microwave, which softens the char.
- Best fresh: They’re at their best the day they’re made. Chop leftovers cold into salads, fried rice, or eggs. I don’t recommend freezing.
Ok, wow – I’ve made other shishito recipes before, but this one beats them all! I ran out of sesame seeds, so I’m sure it’s even better with those and will have to add next time I make them. Serving them tonight for dinner alongside your Korean Gochujang Chicken Meatballs. Perfect complement! As always, thank you for upping my food game!
Blistered shishitos forever! Our favorite recipe, so happy you enjoyed them too! xo, Ari
Definitely salt is a key! Had tried another pan fried recipe and it was underwhelming. Baked at 425- salted all then to half I added Thai sweet chili. Both were quite delicious.
Never had a shishito pepper before today…… now I’m in love! Had this for lunch and will be sure to buy more peppers/grow more peppers? in the future. Thank you for introducing me to such a lovely treat!
I call this ‘chef food’ because it’s what I wanted to eat after a long night working in a restaurant. Best combo of ingredients and I’m so glad you love it too! xo, Ari
Yum! Super easy and definately better than what I had in a restaurant over the weekend. Will make again
OMG – these were amazing! Such fun eating.
Thanks so much! I crave these!! xo, Ari
Omg I ate them all by myself and I NEED more. This is definitely going to be my new summer snack. Amazing
My absolute favorite bar snack!! And so simple to make at home. Thrilled you enjoyed, Karen! Cheers, Ari
We have a great harvest this year from our little garden and this recipe is perfect! Absolutely delicious and so easy to make!
Oh I’m jealous of your garden–we used to grow shishitos, but the last few years haven’t been as plentiful. This really is my favorite way to enjoy them! Thanks, Jo! Cheers, Ari
I haven’t made these in a long time so I lucked up and found your recipe! It was amazing. I also added a bit of ginger.
Okay these look incredible! Wish I could reach through the screen and grab one. Yum! Cheers, Ari
Easy and super satisfying. I used to eat something very similar to this at a Japanese restaurant that I loved. Sadly I don’t live in that city anymore. I grew 3 shishito pepper plants this year to try to recreate that dish at home. This was super close. Thanks for the excellent recipe.
A few summers back I was growing shishitos as well — they were so much better than what I can get at the store. I’m jealous of your three thriving plants, but so glad you enjoyed! Cheers, Ari