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    Home » Appetizers

    Air Fryer Shishito Peppers with Sesame Citrus Sauce

    Published: May 3, 2023 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Blistered shishito peppers are tossed in a citrus sesame sauce with a sprinkle of salt for a delicious appetizer, made in under 10 minutes, right in the air fryer.

    hand holding air fried pepper

    These little peppers cook quickly in the high heat of the air fryer. The skin is deliciously blisters and tender. Once they are cooked, they are tossed in a light sauce and sprinkled with kosher salt for a perfect appetizer.

    Contents hide
    Make this recipe, because...
    Ingredients
    How to Make Shishito Peppers in the Air Fryer
    FAQS
    How To Serve
    Related Recipes
    📖 Recipe
    Air Fryer Shishito Peppers with Sesame Citrus Sauce
    Sesame Citrus Sauce

    Make this recipe, because...

    This recipe is an easy appetizer to serve or a great snack. 

    You use less oil when cooking with the air fryer.

    The cooking time is much shorter than using the oven.

    Ingredients

    air fried shishito peppers and citrus sauce ingredients

    Shishito Peppers- Shishito pepper plants originated in Japan. It makes small peppers with mild pepper flavor, thin skin, and tender flesh. 

    Canola Oil- Neutral cooking oil with high smoke point.  Olive Oil can work since the cooking temperature is just under its smoke point, but I find canola oil to be best. 

    How to Make Shishito Peppers in the Air Fryer

    Step 1

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. 
    • Wash the shishito peppers. Pat dry and transfer to a small bowl.
    • Add cooking oil to the pepper and toss to coat.
    peppers in a small bowl

    Step 2

    • Once the air fryer has reached temperature, place the peppers into the basket in a single layer.
    • Air fry for 8 minutes. Open the air fryer at 4 minutes into the process and shake the basket to turn the peppers.
    blister peppers in air fryer basket

    Step 3

    • While the peppers are cooking, place ponzu sauce, sesame oil, and the juice of ½ the lemon into a sauté pan and bring to a simmer.
    • Place the cooked shishito peppers in the warm sauce.
    • Then, transfer them to a serving dish and squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the pepper, sprinkle with coarse salt, and serve with fresh lemon wedges. 
    lemon being squeezed over pan of fried peppers

    FAQS

    How spicy are shishito peppers?

    Shishito peppers are generally very mild and range from 50-200 Scoville Heat Units. This places them between  green bell peppers and a pepperoncini. They are way less spice than jalapeño peppers. 

    Where can I buy shishito peppers? 

    These peppers have risen in popularity and can now be found at most mainstream grocery stores when they are in season. If your local grocery store doesn't have them, try whole foods, trader joes, or a local farmers market. 

    How To Serve

    Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like the sesame citrus sauce in this recipe.

    ​You can also use...

    • Soy Sauce
    • Ranch Dressing
    • Sour Cream
    • Lime Juice
    • Lemon Juice

    Store leftover peppers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat by placing in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are warm. 

    peppers on marble background with ponzu sauce and lemons

    Related Recipes

    • Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
    • Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings
    • Sesame Grilled Bok Choy
    • Cheesy Chicken Baked Taquitos

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    📖 Recipe

    blistered shishito peppers in cast iron pan with lemon wedges

    Air Fryer Shishito Peppers with Sesame Citrus Sauce

    This easy air fryer recipe combines simple ingredients and a few minutes of time for a very tasty snack. Tender shishito peppers get a burst of bright flavor with lemon juice, sesame oil, ponzu dipping sauce.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Appetizers, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Asian Inspired, Japanese
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 13 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 487kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 Pound Shishito Peppers
    • 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil high heat neutral oil

    Sesame Citrus Sauce

    • 3 Tablespoons Ponzu Sauce
    • 2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
    • 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice juice of 1 lemon
    • Salt to taste
    • Black Pepper optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
    • Wash the shishito peppers. Pat dry and transfer to a small bowl.
    • Add cooking oil to the pepper and toss to coat.
    • Once the air fryer has reached temperature, place the peppers into the basket in a single layer.
    • Air fry for 8 minutes. Open the air fryer at 4 minutes into the process and shake the basket to turn the peppers.
    • While the peppers are cooking, place ponzu sauce, sesame oil, and the juice of ½ the lemon into a saute pan and bring to a simmer.
    • Place the cooked shishito peppers in the warm sauce.
    • Then, transfer them to a serving dish and squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the pepper, sprinkle with coarse salt, and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

    Notes

    How spicy are shishito peppers?
    Shishito peppers are generally very mild and range from 50-200 Scoville Heat Units. This places them between  green bell peppers and a pepperoncini. They are way less spice than jalapeño peppers. 
    Where to buy shishito peppers? 
    These peppers have risen in popularity and can now be found at most mainstream grocery stores when they are in season. If your local grocery store doesn't have them, try whole foods or trader joes. 
    How to Serve
    Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like the sesame citrus sauce in this recipe.
    ​You can also use...
    • Soy Sauce
    • Ranch Dressing
    • Sour Cream
    • Lime Juice
    • Lemon Juice
    Store leftover peppers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat by placing in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are warm.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1034mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1681IU | Vitamin C: 382mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Comments

      5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Angela says

      May 03, 2023 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      Obsessed with shishito peppers! This is my new favorite way to make them. The flavors were spot on!

      Reply
    2. Sara Welch says

      May 04, 2023 at 12:27 am

      5 stars
      Another great recipe for my air fryer! These were delicious and turned out perfect; definitely a new favorite way to enjoy peppers!

      Reply
    3. Saif says

      May 04, 2023 at 6:08 am

      5 stars
      This shishito pepper looks good. But I am not really familiar with this pepper. Can I use it on my sandwiches or nachos?

      Reply
      • Diana Reis says

        May 04, 2023 at 3:39 pm

        These would be delicious on a sandwich especially if you let them sit in the citrus sauce for a bit of tang. I honestly just eat them as a snack. They don't have the heat of a jalapeno for nachos and are very thin skinned and tender.

        Reply
    4. Ieva says

      May 04, 2023 at 6:43 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe for shishito peppers, and the sauce made it absolutely exceptional! 10 out of 10!

      Reply
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