Blistered & Charred Shishito Peppers Recipe

Wash and dry the shishito peppers thoroughly. Pat them completely dry — any surface moisture will cause oil to spit when they hit the hot pan. Trim only any long stems if desired; leave small stems intact to hold while eating.

Measure out the oils, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and place lemon wedges on a small plate. If using soy sauce or bonito flakes, have them ready for plating.

Heat the pan

Place a large heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high to high heat. Let it get very hot for 2–3 minutes. The pan should be smoking lightly when ready.

Add oil

Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat the surface. Let the oil heat for 15–20 seconds until it shimmers but is not burning.

Add peppers in a single layer. You may need to work in two batches if your pan is crowded. Leave space between peppers so they contact the pan surface — this creates blistering and charring.

Cook, without stirring, 1–2 minutes so the bottoms blister and char. Use tongs to flip peppers occasionally, allowing other sides to blister; total cook time 4–6 minutes until most peppers have blackened spots and are softened but still have some bite.

If oil begins to smoke heavily or burn, reduce heat slightly. For extra smokiness, once blistered, you can briefly transfer the pan to a preheated broiler for 30–45 seconds (watch carefully) to add extra char.

Remove the pan from heat. Drizzle sesame oil over the peppers if using and toss quickly to coat using tongs.

Transfer peppers to a serving plate. Immediately sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over them so the salt adheres to the hot skin.

Scatter toasted sesame seeds and bonito flakes if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and soy sauce/tamari on the side for dipping.

To eat: squeeze lemon over individual peppers or dip in soy. Note: about 1 in 10 shishitos may be mildly spicy — enjoy the surprise!