Perfectly Blistered Shishito Peppers

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I regularly whip up a batch of blistered shishito peppers to munch on. They’re easy to make, extremely delicious, and super healthy — a triple win! All you need is a skillet, some oil, and seasoning or dipping sauce of your choice.

Shishito peppers are heirloom Japanese peppers packed with vitamins. They’re not spicy (maybe one in every batch), but so deliciously juicy and flavorful. They have loads of Vitamin C (fights heart disease), dietary fiber (good for digestion), and antioxidants (cancer prevention).

The secret is to get them just charred enough to keep the crisp and release the delicious, smoky flavor. Thoroughly wash your peppers and pat them dry with a paper towel. Pour some sesame oil into your pan and let it heat up. To get a good char, you want the skillet to be hot before you add in the peppers! They should sizzle instantly. Let them sit for a minute or two then push them around a bit to make sure all sides get an even blister. I like to then lower the heat and cover for a few minutes to let the peppers soak up the smoke of the oil.

Once they start to slightly wrinkle, transfer them to a plate. You don’t want to overcook them so they become soft; the best is when there’s still a little crunch in each bite. And that’s all it takes! There are endless ways to eat your perfectly blistered peppers. You can sprinkle some sea salt and squeeze lemon over them or dip them into a garlic aoli. My favorite way to eat them is douse them in sesame seeds and dip into soy sauce. I buy my soy sauce exclusively from the Tribeca Farmer’s Market (here on Saturdays!) because it’s homemade from my favorite Korean produce vendor. You just can’t beat the healthy, non-GMO homemade flavor!

What are some of your favorite go-to healthy snacks? Another one I love is a cheese tray!

XoXo,