• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Fed by the Farm
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Learn
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
Home » Farm to Table Recipes » Blistered Shishito Peppers

Blistered Shishito Peppers

August 9, 2022 by Sara

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These blistered shishito peppers are a quick and easy snack you can whip up while dinner’s in the oven. Simply sauté whole shishito peppers with olive oil, salt and garlic…that’s it!

Blistered shishito peppers - sautéed in pan

Shishito peppers are a recent discovery of mine. As someone who does not enjoy spicy foods, I stick to Cubanelle and bell peppers, assuming all others are HOT HOT HOT.

Then recently I was at a farmers market and noticed someone stuffing a grocery bag full of these bright green and uniquely shaped peppers.

When you see someone buying that many of something it makes a person curious. So I struck up a conversation asking how he cooks them.

Shishito peppers in a bowl

He grinned explaining that he simply sautés shishito peppers with a little oil and salt and they are delicious. So delicious that upon hearing our conversation, the farmer selling the shishito peppers chirped up in agreement that a simple sauté is all that’s needed.

Farmers are always such a great resource about the food they sell and it’s one of the perks of buying directly from the farm.

I asked how spicy they are and was surprised when he said that shishitos usually aren’t spicy at all.

BUT, he added – they are considered the Russian roulette of peppers. Every once and awhile you’ll get one that packs a punch when you bite into it.

I logged this into my memory bank and continued on my way.

Shishito peppers, close up shot

Fast forward a couple weeks and, while at an entirely different farmers market, I see a customer dumping pint after pint of shishito peppers into his bag.

As it turns out, he’s a baker and uses them in focaccia. But he also loves to just eat them on their own after a quick sauté.

I was sold. So I grabbed a pint eager to try something new and delicious!

What does blistering a shishito pepper mean?

Before I dive into the how to blister shishito peppers, here’s a quick explanation.

Blistering is what happens when thin-skinned are sautéed at a medium-high heat. The skin literally forms blisters that brown and then blacken. Though it sounds unappetizing it’s really delicious!

You can see blisters starting to form on these shishito peppers in my pan.

Blistered shishito peppers - close up
Shishito peppers as they begin to blister under the heat of the pan

The key to a perfect blistered shishito pepper is to keep them moving in the pan over medium-high heat. If the heat is too low, they won’t blister or get those delicious brown spots, and if it’s too hot they’ll just burn.

Green beans are another vegetable I love to blister – check out my quick sautéed green beans recipe if you’d like to try them.

How to Blister Shishito Peppers

These little guys are a quick and easy pre-dinner snack. Just be sure you’re not distracted while sautéing them – they cook quickly and need to stay moving in the pan.

1. Prepare shishito peppers to sauté.

This recipe assumes half a pound of shishitos, which is about 20 to 25 individual peppers.

Place the peppers in a colander and give them a quick rinse under the tap. Then pat them well to dry. Any water that remains on the skin will cause the hot oil to spatter.

No need to cut them and be sure to leave the stems intact. You’ll use the stem to grab and hold them when nibbling!

2. Heat your pan and add the oil.

Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. My stovetop runs hot, so I set the knob on 6 out of 10.

When your pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Wait for it to shimmer.

3. Add the shishito peppers to the hot oil and sauté.

When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add the shishito peppers and toss them almost continuously.

The heat will work its magic and start creating blisters on the skin very quickly. These blisters then brown and blacken.

4. Add salt and minced garlic.

Watch the shishito peppers closely and when they are almost done to your liking (less than ten minutes), add 4 pinches of salt and a medium clove of minced garlic.

Sauté for another minute then remove them from heat.

FYI about the garlic: The garlic is optional but does give depth of flavor to the mild peppers. I’ve blistered shishitos with and without garlic and find them a bit bland without.

5. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Blistered shishito peppers are best hot and fresh, so dig in.

Blistered shishito peppers - done

Do not be alarmed when they shrivel up as soon as you remove them from the heat. The air inside the peppers expands while cooking and contracts as they cool.

A quick Q&A about Shishito peppers

What do shishito peppers taste like?

I find the taste of a cooked shishito pepper to be quite mellow. The flavor is there, but it isn’t strong. Shishitos have thin skin and flesh, and are soft and juicy to bite into when cooked.

Are shishito peppers spicy?

Though they are a chili pepper, most shishito peppers are not spicy at all – just a little warm. And this is coming from someone who is very sensitive to spicy things. But every once and awhile you’ll get one that is spicy. How spicy? Not very, even I don’t mind.

According to the Scoville scale, the heat rating of a shishito pepper is 50 to 200 heat units, which is practically nothing. Bell peppers are rated zero and Jalapeños are 2500 to 8000.

How will I know if a shishito pepper is ripe?

Ripe shishito peppers are shiny, bright green. Though, if not harvested at this point they will ripen further and turn red. Red shishito peppers can still be eaten. A ripe shishito pepper has bumpy skin that is firm to the touch. They’re about the size of your thumb, and can be three to five inches long.

Raw shishito peppers

When can I find shishito peppers at the farmers market?

Shishito peppers require warm weather to thrive and are a pretty easy crop to grow here in the United States during the summer months.

I’ve spotted shishito peppers at farmers markets in Ohio and North Carolina in July and August. In Florida, where I live most of the year, you’ll find them at farmers markets during winter when it’s warm but not soaked with rain.

Blistered Shishito Peppers -Sautéed in Pan

Blistered Shishito Peppers

These blistered shishito peppers are a quick and easy snack you can whip up while dinner’s in the oven. Simply sauté whole shishito peppers with olive oil, salt and garlic…that’s it!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 lb shishito peppers
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 4 pinches salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the shishito peppers with water and pat well to dry.
  • Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium high heat.
  • When the pan is hot, add the oil and wait for it to shimmer.
  • Carefully add the shishito peppers to the pan and toss them almost continuously while they blister and brown.
  • When the shishito peppers have brown spots on all sides, add the salt and garlic and toss for another minute.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Keyword blistered, peppers, quick, saute, shishito
SHARE
Pin ItTwitterFacebook

Filed Under: Farm to Table Recipes

Previous Post: « Rustic Honey-Roasted Carrots
Next Post: Whole Roasted Chicken (Pasture-Raised) »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

HI! I’M SARA

Photo of Sara @ Fed by the Farm My mission is to inspire you to be more connected to the food you eat and where it comes from. Join me as I buy ingredients from local farms, prepare simple, whole food meals and show you how to do the same! Follow along for farm-to-table recipes, fermenting, foraging and real food conversation. About Me →

Farm-to-Table Recipes

Refrigerator Pickled Beets (in jar)

Refrigerator Pickled Beets (Low Sugar)

Simple Roasted Beets Recipe - Bowl of Roasted Beets

Simple Roasted Beets Recipe

Sautéed beet greens with garlic and onion, on plate and ready to be served

Sautéed Beet Greens (with Garlic and Onion)

Roasted Golden Beets garnished with chopped dill

Roasted Golden Beets

Roasted Sweet Peppers

Roasted Sweet Peppers (1-Ingredient Recipe)

Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie (From Scratch)

Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie (From Scratch)

Never Miss a Post!

Learn

Why Whole Food is Healthier

Where to Buy Farm Fresh Food

Where to Buy Farm Fresh Food

Why Shop at the Farmers Market vs the Grocery Store

Why Shop at the Farmers Market vs the Grocery Store

What is Whole Food?

What is Whole Food

Footer

HI! I’M SARA

Photo of Sara @ Fed by the Farm My mission is to inspire you to be more connected to the food you eat and where it comes from. Join me as I source ingredients from local farms, prepare simple, whole food meals and show you how you can do the same! Follow along for farm-to-table recipes and real food conversation.

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Fresh Farm-to-Table Recipes

Refrigerator Pickled Beets (in jar)
Simple Roasted Beets Recipe - Bowl of Roasted Beets
Sautéed beet greens with garlic and onion, on plate and ready to be served
>

Copyright © 2023 FedbytheFarm.com | Farm-to-Table Recipes - Learn about Real Food - About Me