Blistered Shishito Peppers
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Blistered shishito peppers is an easy appetizer that will impress your guests! The mild chiles are lightly charred in oil and served with a creamy garlic-lemon dipping sauce. Even better, this shishito peppers recipe comes together in about 20 minutes!
These will soon be your new favorite appetizer! The shishito peppers are blistered quickly in rich olive oil, then sprinkled with flakey sea salt. They have a mild spiciness that is cooled even more with the tangy dipping sauce.
I have to warn you, though, that they’re slightly addictive!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This lemon dipping sauce is to die for! Perfect combination with the peppers.
–Kathryn
Why This Recipe is a Favorite
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s totally fool-proof. Even if you’re brand new to cooking, you can whip this up in a snap. It comes together quickly and there’s hardly any clean up!
Shishito peppers are a mild pepper that are packed with flavor and so fun to eat! The dipping sauce complements the sweetness of the peppers, making this the perfect appetizer or game day snack when you want something out of the box!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making this recipe! I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Oil should be shimmering but not smoking. Wait until the oil is hot to add the peppers – if you don’t, they won’t blister.
- Unlike hotter chilies, you don’t have to remove the seeds or membrane from shishito peppers.
- Pierce the skins with the tines of a fork. This prevents them from bursting open in the hot oil.
Ingredient Notes
- shishito peppers: I typically buy these from Costco or Walmart, but many other grocers carry them year round too.
- olive oil: If you prefer, you can substitute avocado oil! It is important to use a high heat oil. Blistering requires high heat, so use an oil that can be heated to high temperatures.
- flakey sea salt: Trust me on this, don’t skip the sea salt! The salty crunch truly takes the peppers to the next level. Maldon sea salt or any other flaky sea salt will work great!
The Dipping Sauce
This shishito pepper dipping sauce is absolutely wonderful! It’s lightly tangy, with just a touch of heat, and it compliments the shishitos beautifully. It can be made in advance, then kept covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. You’ll need:
- mayonnaise: You can either use homemade avocado mayo or find a great store bought mayo option.
- spices: chili powder and garlic powder
- lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a delightfully tangy flavor to this sauce. It pairs really well with the mild spice of the peppers.
Making Blistered Shishito Peppers
This is just a summary of the steps. See the recipe card for full instructions! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe- Start by making the sauce. Combine mayo, lemon juice, garlic powder and cayenne pepper together in a small dish and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.
Meal Prep Tip: You can make the dip in advance if you want! Just refrigerate it and use it within a few days.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, the oil will shimmer a bit.
- While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, use a fork to poke holes into the thin skin of each shishito pepper.
- Add peppers to the hot pan. *Avoid overcrowding the pan- cook in batches if you need to. As they begin to blister, use tongs to turn the shishito peppers over. Do this until the peppers are blistered on all sides.
- Transfer to a plate then sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve them while they’re hot!
What to Serve with Blistered Shishito Peppers
My favorite part of this shishito peppers recipe is that the flavor of the chilies pairs well with many different dipping sauces.
My favorite is the creamy garlic lemon sauce! The bright lemon flavor tastes fantastic with them. Don’t care for mayo-based dips? No problem! Make up some Greek Yogurt Sauce or dip your blistered peppers in something like ranch dressing instead.
Want other appetizers to serve with the peppers? Buffalo chicken dip is a favorite, or for a fancier appetizer, make stuffed mushrooms, My kids love grilled chicken wings so I usually make a batch of those, too.
Shishito Peppers Recipe FAQ
No, shishito peppers are mild. They are spicier than bell peppers, but they’re much more mild than jalapeños. Shishito peppers have a sweet, fresh, and peppery flavor. Occasionally you’ll find one that’s spicy with a bit of heat, but it’s pretty rare.
Yes! Shishito pepper seeds are edible. Hold each pepper by the stem while you dip it, and eat the entire pepper, except the stem.
Shishito Peppers are in season year round, but you’re most likely to find them in the summertime. If they aren’t available at grocers near you, you can even grow shishitos in your backyard garden!
If you make this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Blistered Shishito Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
Shishito Peppers
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 lb. shishito peppers
- ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt
Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more/less, to taste
Video
Instructions
- Make the dipping sauce: Mix the mayo, lemon juice, garlic powder and cayenne pepper together in a small dish. Season to taste. If making in advance, cover the bowl and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, it's hot enough to use.
- While you wait for the oil to heat up, rinse the peppers under running water, then pat them dry with paper toweling. Poke each pepper once with the tines of a fork. This cuts back on the danger of popping peppers in the skillet.
- In batches, add the peppers to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until blistered on one side, then use tongs to turn them. Continue until shishito peppers are blistered on all sides.
- Set the peppers on a plate. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
My family and friends all love this recipe. I’m planting more shishito peppers this year so I can keep up with demand!
Can I use lime instead of lemon?
Hi Randi! I think that’s a great idea! It’ll change the flavor slightly, but I bet it’d be delicious. Please let me know if you try it! 🙂 -Laura
This lemon dipping sauce is to die for! Perfect combination with the peppers.
Hi Kathryn, I’m so glad you like it! -Laura