Grilled shishito peppers are one of our favorite summer snacks! This easy appetizer is perfect for warm evenings, ideal for happy hour, and ready in minutes.
It’s summer snack time!
These grilled shishito peppers are a go-to summer snack that take only minutes to prepare. They’re simple, fresh, and addictive—great to toss on the grill before the main course or to serve as a quick patio snack during happy hour.
There’s almost no prep and very little cleanup, and the flavor is bright and satisfying. Most shishitos are mild; while you might hear that one in ten peppers is spicy, in my experience spicy ones are rare—after eating hundreds, I’ve only encountered a couple.
This is how I make them
I typically use a grill pan to keep things easy—placing the pan directly on a hot grill gives great char and blistering without losing peppers through the grates. Toss the peppers with a little olive or avocado oil so they’re evenly coated, then spread them on the grill pan.
Place the pan on a hot grill, close the lid, and let the peppers char and blister, turning every few minutes until they’re evenly blistered. Once off the heat, finish immediately with flaky salt, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and crumbled cotija cheese. The warm peppers soften the cheese slightly and everything comes together as a fresh, bright, and flavorful plate.
Here are a few meals these pair perfectly with:
They make a great starter for grilled summer chicken bowls or smoky grilled chicken nachos. They’re also wonderful alongside buffalo chicken sandwiches, grilled pizza, or grilled vegetable and halloumi skewers. And of course they’re a natural with burgers and hot dogs—especially on a relaxed weekend cookout.
Even when you’re cooking indoors, these are a fantastic quick side if your grill is already fired up—they’re done in minutes and bring a bright finish to many meals.
They truly are the ultimate summer snack—simple, fast, and crowd-pleasing. Add them to your seasonal rotation!
Grilled Shishito Peppers
Grilled Shishito Peppers
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds shishito peppers
- olive oil for drizzling
- flaked salt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
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Preheat the grill to the highest heat.
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Toss the shishito peppers in a bowl with the olive oil so they’re evenly coated. Spread them on a grill pan.
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Place the grill pan on the grill. Close the lid and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, then toss and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more until the peppers are charred and blistered.
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Remove the peppers and transfer to a plate. Immediately sprinkle with flaked salt, squeeze fresh lemon juice over them, and top with crumbled cotija cheese. Serve right away.
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