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These shishito peppers are the best appetizer or side dish and are so easy to make. Plus they're ready in under 10 minutes!
Shishito peppers are a popular appetizer at restaurants, but once you realize how ridiculously easy (and quick!) they are to make, you'll be fully on board to make your own at home instead.
What Exactly Are Shishito Peppers?
Shishito peppers are an East Asian variety that are small, bright green, and semi-wrinkled. They're mostly mild in heat, but the general rule of thumb is one in every ten peppers is spicy.
It kind of becomes a game of shishito roulette - who's going to get the (kinda) spicy one?
Ingredients
Depending on where you go, you'll typically find them served a couple of different ways - cooked in oil and seasoned with flaky salt or finished with soy sauce, citrus, and some spices.
This is how I make 'em.
- shishito peppers
- olive or avocado oil
- coconut aminos
- garlic powder
- nutritional yeast
- lime juice
- maldon salt flakes
The coconut aminos, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast give them an incredible umami flavor, while the citrus adds brightness and the Maldon sea salt adds a fresh, salty flavor to balance it all out.
How to Make Shishito Peppers
Step 1
Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. While the pan heats up, wash and dry the peppers with a towel and then add them to a large bowl. Drizzle over the oil and toss until coated.
Once the pan is hot, add the peppers. (You can test it by flicking some water on the surface, if it sizzles and evaporates right away, you're good to go.)
Step 2
Saute the peppers, turning occasionally until they're nicely blistered and lightly charred, about 7-8 minutes. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the coconut aminos, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast and toss to coat.
Step 3
Remove from the heat, squeeze with lime juice, and season with flakey salt. Serve with a bowl to discard the stems.
Best devoured immediately.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make these shishito peppers using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No coconut aminos? ➝ use soy sauce or tamari (to keep it gluten-free), but go light on the salt
- No lime juice? ➝ lemon juice will also work
- No nutritional yeast? ➝ leave it out or add another seasoning such as smoked paprika
- Keep it simple ➝ just season with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice and flakey salt
Helpful Tips
Toss with oil first
If you add the oil to the pan and then add the peppers, it becomes a little more dangerous because the blistering peppers cause the oil to splatter, this is why we add it to a bowl first.
Where to buy
Shishito peppers are popping (I couldn't resist) up at several grocery stores, so you can really get them just about anywhere. FYI: they're typically sold in a bag (I've rarely seen them loose unless I'm at the farmer's market).
Don't skimp on the seasoning
Since shishito peppers are quite mild on their own, they need help when it comes to flavoring. Flakey salt is great for finishing because it doesn't taste overly salty.
Texture
You want the peppers to be tender, but not mushy.
More Veggie Recipes You'll Love
Please let me know how your shishito peppers turn out in the comments!
Best Ever Shishito Peppers
Ingredients
- 16 oz shishito peppers
- 1½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1-2 tablespoon coconut aminos or substitute
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- juice from ½ lime
- flakey salt, for serving
Instructions
- Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. While the pan heats up, wash and dry the peppers with a towel and then add them to a large bowl. Drizzle over the oil and toss until coated.
- Once the pan is hot, add the peppers. (You can test it by flicking some water on the surface, if it sizzles and evaporates right away, you're good to go.)
- Saute the peppers, turning occasionally until they're nicely blistered and lightly charred, about 7-8 minutes. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the coconut aminos, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast and toss to coat.
- Remove from the heat, squeeze with lime juice and season with flakey salt. Serve with a bowl to discard the stems.
- Best devoured immediately.
Notes
- makes about 4 appetizer servings.
- How can you make these shishito peppers using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No coconut aminos? ➝ use soy sauce or tamari (to keep it gluten-free), but go light on the salt
- No lime juice? ➝ lemon juice will also work
- No nutritional yeast? ➝ leave it out or add another seasoning such as smoked paprika
- Keep it simple ➝ just season with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice and flakey salt
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