Air-Fried Shishito Peppers with Dipping Sauce
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be a fanatic for these crunchy little peppers showered in a sprinkling of salt. Now, you can make your own with my fantastic recipe, which not only makes a platter of blistered sesame sprinkled shishito peppers, but there’s a delicious lemon and sour garlic cream for dipping, and it’s the perfect new recipe for your air fryer!
Shishito peppers are similar to padrón peppers which you can order at tapas restaurants. I’ll have a little plate of these wrinkled green peppers piled high, salty, and unbelievably moreish, and before I know it, the plate is empty. However, did you know that homemade air-fried shishito peppers are more delicious than what you could eat at a restaurant? And won’t even cost half the price?
Not only that, but my shishito peppers are a healthy snack and an excellent substitute for a bag of chips or a chocolate bar. Ready in 20 minutes, they are an easy and tasty snack for the family after a busy day at school or work. Want to find out more? Keeping reading for my shishito peppers recipe!
WHAT ARE SHISHITO PEPPERS?
These little guys are from Japan and are small, thin, green peppers with thin skin that wrinkles and blisters in heat. They are so crispy and have a delicious sweet-savory flavor. They have a touch of bitterness, yet now and then, you’ll bite into a pepper that is much hotter than others! You’ve been warned!
If you’re a fan of padrón peppers from Spain, then definitely try my recipe. The crunch and bite of the charred peppers is irresistible, and you won’t be able to believe you made them yourself at home in your air fryer!
WHERE CAN I BUY SHISHITO PEPPERS?
You should find them at a big specialist supermarket like Whole Foods or Asian stores and farmers markets.
THE BEST SHISHITO PEPPERS RECIPE
There are many recipes for shishito peppers out there, yet I know I’ve hit the jackpot with this recipe. What makes mine so unique? I’ll tell you:
- In keeping with shishito peppers’ origins I chose to use Japanese flavors such as sesame. This fragrant and somewhat nutty and smokey oil complements the charred peppers’ flavor, plus they are sprinkled with crunchy sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
- I love the fact that every now and then you could eat a really hot pepper – it’s like Russian roulette! However, I am a fan of hot and spicy food, so I added extra red chili flakes to mine to increase that heat! The chili brings more depth to the peppers and beautifully contrasts the sweet nutty flavor of the sesame oil.
- To complement this smokey mixture of charred peppers, my lemon and garlic dip is exactly what is needed to cool everything down. The lemon is wonderfully refreshing, and I love to keep the dip in the fridge until it’s ready to serve so it’s really fresh and cold.
So, if you’re looking for a shishito peppers recipe that is a little different and unique, try my sesame-infused shishito peppers with excellent lemon and garlic dip!
AIR-FRIED SHISHITO PEPPERS
Shishito peppers are traditionally charred and blistered in a skillet. However, this requires you to keep an eye on them as you cook. Plus, they only take 6 minutes to cook! You can leave the air fryer to do the work with my recipe!
Furthermore, air fryer cooking is much healthier than frying in a skillet. You will need considerably less oil to make my shishito peppers. Toss them in a tablespoon of vegetable oil before cooking, and then serve drizzle with a little sesame oil for a hit of smokey flavor.
All you need to do is:
- Toss the shishito peppers in vegetable oil then tip them into the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 400ºF/200ºC for just 6 minutes until they are blistered and charred, and the skin is wrinkled. You may need to toss the peppers half way through cooking.
- Tip onto a plate and sprinkle with salt, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.
All done! Your shishito peppers are ready to be served alongside your creamy lemon and garlic dip.
Snack time is suddenly ten times easier, and there’s no need to reach for that packet of chips in the cupboard. Try my delicious air-fried shishito peppers recipe with lemon and garlic dip, the perfect afternoon snack or appetizer.
More Delicious Snacks
AIR-FRIED SHISHITO PEPPERS WITH DIPPING SAUCE
Ingredients
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 Green onion white and green parts, finely chopped
FOR THE PEPPERS:
- 8 ounces Shishito peppers
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir all the ingredients for the dipping sauce to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
- In a medium bowl, toss the peppers with the vegetable oil. Put the peppers in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400ºF / 200ºC for 6 minutes, or until peppers are lightly charred in spots, stirring the peppers halfway through the cooking time.
- Transfer the peppers to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the sesame oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the red pepper and sesame seeds and toss again
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
