Shishito Quesadilla Recipe
Make Shishito Quesadilla Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Shishito pepper filling
Cheese blend
Tortillas & finishing
Method
Shishito pepper filling
- 1
Prepare peppers
Rinse shishito peppers and pat dry. Trim stems if desired, leaving most of the pepper intact for presentation.
- 2
Char peppers
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high until smoking slightly. Add 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and swirl. Add peppers in a single layer (they may overlap slightly) and allow them to blister and char without stirring for about 2–3 minutes. Toss or turn peppers and continue charring for another 2–3 minutes until most are blistered and soft.
- 3
Finish peppers
Reduce heat to medium. Mince the garlic finely and add to the pan with the peppers; sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Drizzle 1/2 tbs lemon juice over the peppers, toss to coat, then transfer peppers to a bowl and let cool slightly. If you prefer smaller pieces in the quesadilla, roughly chop peppers into 1/2–1 inch pieces; otherwise leave whole or halved.
Cheese blend
- 4
Tortillas & assembly
- 5
- 6
Assemble quesadillas
Lay one flour tortilla on a clean surface. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese blend evenly over half of the tortilla. Arrange about 3 whole or chopped shishito peppers over the cheese (adjust quantity to taste), then top with another light sprinkle of the cheese blend to help the top tortilla adhere. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling to form a semicircle. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas.
- 7
Cook quesadillas
Place one assembled quesadilla in the hot pan. Cook 2–3 minutes until the bottom is golden-brown and crisp. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook an additional 2–3 minutes until the second side is golden and the cheese is melted. If the tortilla is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat slightly and cover the pan for 30–60 seconds to trap heat and melt the cheese. Transfer cooked quesadilla to a cutting board and keep warm while cooking the remaining ones, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
- 8
Finish & serve
Slice each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve immediately with lime wedges and 1/2 cup sour cream or crema for dipping. Optionally garnish with pickled red onions (about 1/4 cup) and an extra sprinkling of chopped cilantro. Squeeze lime over finished quesadilla to brighten flavors.