Blistered Shishito Peppers with Soy Sauce, Sesame & Lime

This blistered shishito pepper recipe is the easiest and tastiest crowd-pleasing appetizer for any occasion! With only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, you’ll be amazed just how exciting these little peppers can be! They can even be made gluten-free!

I recently served these at a cocktail party where I had a lot of appetizers. I thought folks might be a bit too full by the time I planned to serve them, but I popped into the kitchen to sauté them anyway, and within 2 minutes, wide-eyed guests surrounded the oven. Apparently, there’s always room for shishito peppers!

3 Tips!

1. Stand back! They might pop! They fill with air like balloons as they cook, and every once in a while, one of them will pop – so you may not want to stand directly over the pan while they sauté.

2. Use a “sit and flip” technique. Once they’re coated in sesame oil, let them sit for two minutes then flip them in the pan, either by lifting the pan and flipping them all together, or by manually turning each one. You want to make sure they have blisters on each side.

3. They have to be made right before serving. They don’t reheat well (in fact, they just get soggy and sad looking), so if you’re serving these at your dinner or cocktail party, I suggest popping into the kitchen to make them after guests have gotten settled with their cocktails.

They only take 10 minutes so you’ll be back to your guests in no time. 

Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

Yes! Simply substitute soy sauce for Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. It’s a fantastic substitute that tastes almost exactly like soy sauce, but is gluten-free, not fermented, made from non-GMO soybeans and purified water.

Are shishito peppers spicy?

Not really. On the Scoville scale – the measurement of pungency (spiciness) of chilli peppers and other spicy foods – Shishito peppers are just slightly above bell peppers, and quite below jalapeño peppers. In fact, they’re about 16 times more mild than a jalapeño, so they’re nothing to worry about, even for someone who’s very sensitive to spicy foods.

However, not all shishito peppers are exactly the same and in a 16 ounce bunch of  peppers, you might have 2 that jump out a bit. But think of the maximum level of spiciness as much closer to a slice of pepperoni than a jalapeño.

Are shishito peppers healthy?

They are very healthy! Shishito peppers are full of vitamin C and antioxidants that prevent cancer and boost immunity. They’re also full of dietary fiber which helps with digestion and bloating.

Where can you buy shishito peppers?

You may have trouble finding them in a common grocery store, although they’re becoming more and more common – but Whole Foods and NY stores like Union Market have them all year ‘round. You’ll also find them at your local farmer’s market until late Autumn.

What does a shishito pepper taste like?

Yummy! But to be specific, imagine a small, somewhat smoky bell pepper with tender skin and easily chewable seeds inside.

What do I need to make this recipe?

• large frying pan
• wooden spoon or spatula

Blistered Shishito Peppers with Soy Sauce, Sesame & Lime – Step by Step

1. Add 2 tsp. of sesame oil to a frying pan with 2 cups of shishito peppers. Give them a nice stir to make sure they’re fully coated.

2. Allow the peppers to sauté over a medium flame without moving them for 3 minutes to allow one side to blister. Then, lift the pan and flip them to allow them to blister on the other side. Continue to sauté, flipping them from time to time for a total of 10 minutes. If you want them “well done,” give them about 15 minutes in the pan.

3. Turn off the heat and pour 1 tsp. of soy sauce (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos) into the pan. Shake the peppers in the sauce quickly until fully coated.

4. Squeeze about 1 tsp. of fresh lime juice into the pan, and give it one more shake to coat all the peppers. Serve immediately.

Help Yourself to a Little More Vegetarian Appetizer Inspiration:

• Pesto Zucchini Rosettes
• Crispy, Baked Cauliflower Cakes with Roasted Garlic Sour Cream & Marinara
• Crispy, Spicy Baked Kale Chips

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