This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
These Roasted Shishito Peppers with Soy Glaze are the perfect blend of sweet, spicy and savory. Each pepper is charred under the broiler, then tossed in an easy soy-based glaze, sesame seeds and a little bit of orange peel. The perfect snack!
Can we please eat all the Blistered Shishito Peppers?!
Oh wait, I did. All of them.
Wouldn’t you??
Those petite green peppers are like little bursts of flavor – sweet, spicy, smoky – and I just can’t get enough of them. Especially when they’re tossed in a salty soy glaze, nutty sesame seeds and plenty of garlic.
I, like the rest of the world, became obsessed with shishito peppers when they started gracing the appetizer section of every sushi menu on the planet, quickly becoming the new favorite over edamame. Eating them becomes even more exciting since only one of every six or seven peppers pack a spicy punch. It’s like the Russian roulette of the pepper world.
This particular batch only had one super spicy pepper, which was a little bit disappointing, so I had my handy bottle of sriracha on hand to jazz up the more mild guys a little bit. This is totally optional.
Another option would be to add in a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the glaze, again, completely optional.
How to make blistered shishito peppers.
I think a lot of people are intimidated by cooking shishito peppers at home, but honestly they are probably one of the easiest things you can possibly make. In its simplest preparation, all you have to do is toss the peppers in a little bit of oil, spread them out on a baking sheet and let the broiler do all the work. Throw them in a bowl, season them with a little bit of salt, and dig in.
But, of course, our preparation isn’t THAT simple, because what fun would that be? Don’t fret though, this version is only slightly more involved. Pinky promise.
Everything stays the same, except while the peppers are cooking, you’re going to make a super quick glaze to toss them with after they come out of the oven all charred and hot. That’s it.
Ingredient lineup for glaze
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- garlic
- water
- orange peel
- sriracha (optional)
- brown sugar
- cornstarch
It’s not a short lineup, but all the ingredients are (mostly) staple pantry items, and if they aren’t for you, they’re easily accessible (and cheap!). All you do is whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sriracha, and brown sugar together in a small saucepan. Let it come to a simmer jut long enough for the garlic to cook. Then whisk in a slurry (slurry = a mix of cornstarch and water that thickens sauces) of cornstarch and water. Let the mixture thicken, then add in the orange peel.
Once the peppers come out of the oven, I toss them with sesame seeds, followed by the glaze and then watch them disappear in seconds.
Tips and Tricks for Blistered Shishito Peppers with Soy Glaze
- If you don’t want to use the broiler, you can also blister the peppers over a gas flame
- Swap out the soy sauce for tamari – a little bit richer than soy sauce, and in some cases, gluten free
- If you don’t have both white and black sesame seeds, use one or the other. (I just like the contrast of the two.)
- For an extra hint of spice, whisk in a 1/4 teaspoon or so of sriracha
Other easy Asian recipes
Roasted Shishito Peppers with Soy Glaze
Ingredients
- 6 oz shishito peppers
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp orange peel
- 1/4 tsp black sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp sesame seeds
Equipment
- sheet pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broiler.
- Toss peppers with canola oil. Spread on a large baking sheet. Broil until slightly blistered, flipping once. About 5-6 minutes.
- While the peppers cook, whisk soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and sesame oil together in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk water and cornstarch together in a small ramekin. Slowly whisk into the soy sauce mixture. Return to the stove and simmer until thicken, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- When peppers are done, transfer to a bowl. Toss with glaze, orange peel and sesame seeds. Serve.
Nutrition Information
Kristen says
Why turn the oven on? I blister my shishitos stovetop, in a pan with a little oil. So easy to watch and to turn the peppers.. you could prepare your sauce in another pan and combine when peppers are charred.
Nicole says
You can definitely do it this way as well!
Jessica says
Easy to make! thanks you!
Nicole says
So glad you liked them!