Air Fryer Shishito Pepper Recipe (10 Min)

Do you like shishito peppers? If you do then you’re going to love the air fryer shishito pepper recipe. The blistered shishito peppers have a crispy texture with smokey and savory flavors. They are vegan-friendly, low-carb, low-calorie, and gluten-free.

Air fryer Shishito peppers are the perfect snack or appetizer for those who love smokey peppers. Serve shishito pepper with your favorite dipping sauce or with some hint of lemon.

The shishito peppers are usually pan-seared with lots of oil but air-fried shishito peppers are cooked with less oil. That is healthier, has a crispy texture, and gets ready in 10 minutes. If you love air-fried veggies then you should definitely make mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini fries, etc.

What are shishito peppers?

Shishito peppers are a finger-long, delicate, and thin-skinned East Asian pepper species that are popular in Japan. Compared to typical peppers, they are often smaller in size. Shishito peppers are regarded as mild pepper however, one in 10 to 20 of them might be fiery.

How to make air fryer shishito peppers?

You only require 4 ingredients to make this delicious appetizer and most of them are already available in your kitchen pantry. Grab the ingredients and let’s start making the shishito peppers recipe together.

Ingredients of air fryer shishito peppers:

• 225 g shishito peppers
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt to taste

Instructions for air fryer shishito peppers:

1. Thoroughly wash the shishito peppers and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Poke a hole in each pepper to avoid bursting while cooking.
2. Take a large mixing bowl to add shishito peppers and splash the oil over the peppers. Mix them until thoroughly coated.
3. Sprinkle the garlic powder and salt over the peppers and mix them until they are coated.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F for 2 minutes.
5. Place the coated shishito peppers in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
6. Cook them at 200C/400F for 8-10 minutes, and toss them halfway through the cooking process for the evenly cooked result.
7. Remove them from the air fryer basket and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy.

You can find the air fryer shishito peppers recipe in the printable card below

What to serve with shishito peppers?

Shishito peppers can be eaten on their own, but they are tastier when served with your favorite dipping sauce or with lemon wedges. If you have Ponzu sauce the shishito peppers go well with it or simply crumble vegan feta over it and serve.

Tips

• Preheat the air fryer before cooking any food for the best result.
• Make sure to properly wash the shishito peppers because you’ll be eating the skin too.
• Poke a hole in each pepper to avoid bursting while cooking because their skin is very thin.
• Do not overlap the peppers in the air fryer basket, place them in a single layer for a crispy texture. Do it in batches if needed.
• Toss the shishito peppers halfway through the cooking process for an evenly cooked result.

Recipe Variations

You can always customize the recipe depending on your liking. Here are some of the flavor variations you can try:

• Use flakey sea salt or Himalayan pink salt instead of regular salt to enhance the flavor.
• Make air fryer shishito peppers Asian style by using sesame oil for the best flavor.
• Add some sliced garlic cloves to the peppers, halfway through the cooking time.
• Sprinkle some chili flakes or paprika to spice things up.

How to store and reheat leftovers?

Storing: Put the leftover peppers in an air-tight container and store them in the refrigerator. They are good for 3-4 days.

Reheating: Place the leftover peppers in the air fryer basket and reheat them at 200C/400F for 2-3 minutes or until warm through.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions:

Are shishito peppers hot?

Shishito peppers are considered to be mild peppers, however, one in ten to twenty of them may be hot. Because you never know whether you'll be lucky and receive the spicy ones, you should be careful when eating them. Although shishito peppers are less hot than jalapeño peppers.

Are shishito peppers healthy?

Of course, they are healthy because they contain high dietary fiber and fewer calories. Plus they are packed with vitamins and minerals.

Can I eat shishito peppers raw?

Yes, shishito peppers can be eaten raw if you like them that way. But they taste good when cooked through.

How to tell when air fryer shishito peppers are done cooking?

When the shishito peppers end starts getting brown and the pepper's skin starts to shrink they are done. To be more presided you’ll notice the blistered skin has dark spots. However, they take less than 10 minutes to cook in an air fryer.

Why is my air fryer shishito pepper bitter?

Sometimes overcooking the shishito peppers might cause bitterness. You should only cook them until they are blistered on all sides.

Should I trim the top off the shishito peppers?

It’s not necessary to trim the top off but make sure you wash them properly. The top can be used as a handle to pick them up while eating.

Where to buy shishito peppers?

Shishito peppers are easily available at many grocery stores. Or you can find them at Trader Joe’s, Whole foods, and you can even find them at Farmer's markets these days.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

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📖 Recipe