What Are Shishito Peppers?
They’re a thin-skinned, sweet pepper from Japan. I say sweet, but about one in ten of the peppers are spicy. Not as hot as a jalapeño, but enough to make your tongue tingle. They’re about the same size as a padron pepper, the ones I’ve seen at the market ranging from 1 to 5 inches long. They come into season in summer through early fall, so grab a box at your local farmer’s market while you can. Our local Whole Foods also carries them.
The Perfect Appetizer Bites
Shishito peppers are sort of boring raw, honestly. But seared so the skin blisters up in dark bubbly patches? So good! Blistered shishitos are perfect little appetizer bites. They even come with their own handle. Just hold them by the stem and pop them in your mouth. Eat them seeds and all. You can eat the blistered shishitos plain, or you can toss them in a balsamic glaze, or sauté them as described in this recipe, then add some soy sauce and mirin to the pan (2:1 ratio) to coat.
Can Padron Peppers Be Substituted for Shishitos?
Padron peppers and shishitos look very much alike. The most important difference from a culinary perspective is the level of heat. Both peppers vary in their heat level, so you never quite know how hot one will be until you bite into it. While shishito peppers are almost all very mild, with a medium level spicy one coming every one in ten peppers, padron peppers are almost all somewhat spicy, with every one in ten being flaming hot. You would prepare padrons exactly the same way, blistering them in a hot pan with a little oil. Whereas shishitos are often eaten plain, padrons you might want to serve with a sour-cream based dipping sauce, to help mitigate the heat.
What Else Can You Make With Shishito Peppers?
You can use shishito peppers for tempura, as you would a green bean or asparagus spear. You can blister them and put them in tacos, quesadillas, or a grilled cheese sandwich. You can stir-fry them with other vegetables. You can include them with the tomatoes in a gazpacho. You can sauté them and then purée them with yogurt, olive oil, lime juice, and garlic to make a lightly spicy creamy sauce.
Dipping Sauces for Shishito Peppers
While shishitos are delicately flavored and excellent on their own, they do come with their own handle. So if you want, you can easily serve them with a dipping sauce. Here are a few ideas:
Greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with lemon juice and herbs or garlic Sour cream or mayonnaise mixed rice vinegar and a little hot sauce Creamy peanut sauce made with peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, and lime Aioli — a homemade mayonnaise with garlic Ranch Dressing
Have your own shishito pepper dipping sauce you would like to share? Tell us about it in the comments!
More Favorite Appetizers
Air Fryer Crispy Cauliflower Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo) Baked Stuffed Jalapeños Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip) Guacamole Deviled Eggs
*Balsamic vinegar can be syrupy and sweet, or thin and acidic. Use the syrupy kind. If what you have is thin and very acidic, stir with a half teaspoon of sugar or honey before adding to the hot pan.
