This healthy recipe for Blistered Shishito Peppers with Goat Cheese & Cilantro Lime Sauce makes for a great seasonal side dish with minimal effort!
The first time I had Shishito Peppers was years ago at The Cheesecake Factory. I had no idea what they were but I remember they were on the restaurant’s skinny menu (do you remember that menu?) and they were probably the healthiest, low-calorie item on that list.
Since then, Shishito Peppers have exploded across the culinary spectrum. They’re kind of like the avocado toast of the pepper world. No doubt, you’ve seen them for $8 a pop on menus from all sorts of restaurants. And since they’re simply nothing more than a roasted pepper, they’re a healthy option on most menus, even if paired with a dipping sauce or aioli.
Although Shishito Peppers are served throughout the year at most restaurants, these small, mild peppers are actually a seasonal item. Shishito Peppers are at their prime in mid to late summer which makes August a great time to enjoy them at home by whipping up my recipe for Blistered Shishito Pepper with Goat Cheese & Cilantro Lime Sauce.
I picked my Shishito Peppers up a Trader Joe’s (because they’re $1.99 a pack) and seriously just as fresh as what I found at the farmer’s market for $5 a quart! I love Shishito Peppers because they’re so light, fresh, and fun to eat! They have a mild spice (though sometimes you may find a spicy bad boy of a pepper in the mix), they’re easy to make, and are an awesome summer time snack.
Although you can enjoy Shishito Peppers solo, I like mine with a bit of course sea salt and some kind of dipping sauce on the side. Since I loved the cilantro lime goat cheese paired with my Grilled Avocados, I decided to take a similar approach with this recipe. To compliment the mild spice of the Shishito Peppers, I created a creamy lime & cilantro goat cheese dipping sauce. I love the tang of the goat cheese paired with the subtle spice of the pepper. And the lime & cilantro bring a cooling element to the dish that completes the whole taste profile – spicy, tangy, creamy, and cool!
Enjoy this recipe for Shishito Peppers with Goat Cheese & Cilantro Lime Sauce as a snack while mixing up dinner, by the pool, or pair it with a minerally Sauvignon Blanc for an awesome summertime happy hour!
Blistered Shishito Peppers & Creamy Goat Cheese Dipping Sauce
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Alyssa
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 6 ounces shishito peppers
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- coarse sea salt for serving
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by placing an oven rack on the second to highest rung and turn the oven to broil (high broil if your oven has a high and low setting). While the oven heats, prepare the peppers and dipping sauce.
- Prep the Peppers: Rinse the peppers and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Lay the peppers out in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
- Lightly spray the peppers with olive oil and set aside while you make the dipping sauce.
- For the Sauce: Place the goat cheese, lime juice, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of milk in the food processor.
- Processor everything for 10-15 seconds until combined.
- Scrape down the sides and continue to process in 10-15 second increments until the cilantro lightly specs the sauce.
- If you need the sauce to be a bit thinner, add the 3rd tablespoon of milk and process again for 10-15 seconds.
- Cooke the Peppers: Once the sauce is made, place the peppers in the oven on the 2nd highest rack near the broiler and broil on high for 3-5 minutes.
- As you begin to broil the peppers, you may hear popping, and that's okay.
- After 3 minutes, lightly shake the pan, moving the peppers around the pan then close the oven door and cook another 30 seconds. Continue to shake the pan every 30-60 seconds until the peppers have blistered.
- Once cooked, remove the peppers from the oven and immediately sprinkle with sea salt.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.
I hadn’t realised that shishito peppers were quite mild. I’ll have to try them!
What a great idea, and so easy too!
What a tasty looking combo!! Peppers and goat cheese!!! Yes!!