If you select links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Thanks to their growing popularity, findingshishito pepperson menus and grocery store shelves nationwide is getting easier.
If you’re wondering, “Are shishito peppers spicy?”
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
this is the place to learn about those (sometimes) spicy little peppers.
What Are Shishito Peppers?
Approximately one in 10 shishito peppers might have a surpisingkick of heat, but most of them are mild.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Why Are Shishito Peppers Spicy Sometimes?
Shishito peppers are part of the chile pepper family, which can produce capsaicin (aka spice).
(For reference, bell peppers have no capsaicin, which is why they are universally mild.)
“Each pepper on the shishito plant reacts differently to natural elements and the soil,” he says.
Buying and Growing Shishito Peppers
Like most peppers, shishitos grow best in a warmer environment.
They’re still good as long as they’re firm and not mushy.
Robbins achieves this at home using his mother’s well-seasonedcast-iron pan($20,Amazon).
“Watch your peppers carefully in the pan,” he says.
As for the seasoning, Robbins goes for the classic olive oil and sea salt combo.
“The flakier the salt, the better!”
), just not the stem.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy shishito peppers beyond a tasty snack.
Toss them in pasta or a stir-fry with steak.
