Shishito Peppers with Pesto Dip

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This Blistered Shishito Peppers recipe with dipping sauce is out of this world delicious! Mildly spicy Japanese shishito peppers tossed with olive oil, lemon, and salt are ready in 10 minutes. They pair deliciously with a fresh citrus pesto dip for the perfect finger food appetizer!

Blistered shishito peppers are easy to make and addictive. These tasty Japanese peppers cook in an olive coil coating with freshly squeezed lemon and crunchy salt for a smoky char you will crave!

Complete with a citrus pesto dip fresh out of one of our favorite Florida restaurants, you’ll want to make these easy appetizers for a crowd for game day and more. These peppers make one of the best game day appetizers, especially because they’re ready in just 10 minutes!

Jump to:

• 🍽 Equipment
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• Recipe Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• 📌 Pin it for later!
• 📋 Recipe

🍽 Equipment

To make blistered shishito peppers, you will need a large heavy skillet, such as a cast iron skillet.

For the pesto dip recipe, you will need a food processor.

🥘 Ingredients

For the Shishito Peppers recipe:

• 2 dozen shishito peppers
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt

For the Citrus Pesto Dip recipe:

• 4 bunches parsley, large stems removed
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ tablespoon black pepper, more to taste
• ¼ tablespoon salt, more to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil

🔪 Instructions

Follow our easy instructions for how to cook shishito peppers, and you will have the perfect plate of peppers. They make one of the best easy appetizers for party snacks, and are just so delicious!

Shishito peppers preparation:

1. Wash and dry 2 dozen shishito peppers. After drying, puncture each pepper before cooking.
   
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high.
3. Toss the peppers in ½ tablespoon olive oil and add to the skillet.
4. Cook in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Cook until the peppers blister in a few places, then flip to blister on the other side.
5. Remove the peppers to a bowl. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 lemon and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Toss, serve with citrus pesto dip, and enjoy!

Shishito pepper dipping sauce:

1. Blend 4 bunches parsley with the stems removed, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 cloves minced garlic, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ tablespoon black pepper, and ¼ tablespoon salt in a food processor.
2. Once well-combined, slowly begin adding ¼ cup olive oil, then continue to process until combined.
   
3. Place in a bowl, serve with shishito peppers, and enjoy!

I cannot wait for you to try this dipping sauce. This Citrus Pesto dip is fresh out of the kitchen from Three Birds Tavern in St. Petersburg, FL.

Three Birds Tavern serves their own blistered shishito peppers appetizer with this dip, and they were gracious enough to share the recipe with us! Needless to say, this is a restaurant-quality dip recipe we know you’re going to love.

Recipe Tips

• Puncture the peppers. Puncturing the peppers after washing and drying them allows them to vent hot air and avoid bursting when you cook them, so do this before placing them in the skillet.
• Taste before serving. Taste the citrus pesto dip recipe to check if the salt and pepper levels are to your liking. Adjust as necessary before serving.

Top Tip: Try cooking the peppers on your grill or in your oven! I personally love to make grilled shishito peppers, especially when I’m cooking up Portuguese Beef Skewers and Elotes Mexicanos on the grill already.

• Grilled shishito peppers: Toss the Japanese peppers on your grill in a grill basket. Grilled shishito peppers make one of the best side dishes for BBQ. Along with the citrus pesto dip, they are perfection!
• Roasted shishito peppers: Make roasted shishito peppers by cooking the peppers in your oven under your broiler. Broilers cook these peppers quickly. Flip in the middle of the cooking to char both sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are shishito peppers?

Shishito peppers are a type of chili pepper frequently found in East Asian cooking. They are small, long, and thin, and blister easily when you cook them with oil.

These tender Japanese peppers are bright green in color and have a similar texture to Spanish Padrón peppers.

What does a shishito pepper taste like?

Shishito peppers are sweet, with just a little kick of heat. They have a light, crunchy texture and a slightly smoky flavor, which intensifies when the peppers char.

The seeds of shishito peppers are soft and do not need to be removed when you eat them. They are mostly near the stem and you can eat right up to them!

Are Japanese peppers hot?

No, actually! While these Japanese shishito peppers may resemble hot peppers, they are actually quite mild. One in ten will surprise you with a bit more heat.

Can you eat shishito peppers raw?

Yes, you can eat shishito peppers raw just as with other peppers. However, they taste much better when you cook them! They are especially delicious blistered, as in this recipe, or grilled or roasted.

See my tips above for how to roast or grill shishito peppers!

Are shishito peppers healthy?

Like other peppers, shishito peppers are full of good-for-you vitamins and minerals.

Get more Fancy Finger Food Recipes!

Enjoy this dish as a part of a Tapas Menu!

Did you try our shishito peppers recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below! We always love to hear from you.

📋 Recipe