Blistered Padron Peppers, or Pimientos de Padròn in Spanish, are a famous tapas served all over Spain. This dish is very simple to prepare, combining delicate and mild peppers, with a flavourful aioli. They are a perfect light and healthy snack, appetiser or side dish for any occasion!
Looking for a healthy snack or finger food which is colourful, crunchy, light and satisfying? These Blistered Padron Peppers with Green Aioli are all of the above and they are gluten free and a vegetarian’s dream plate. The crunchy peppers are seared in olive oil, dressed up with sea salt flakes, any extra seasoning and lime juice to create a vibrant snack. I love to dress them with salt flakes, chilli pepper and sesame seeds. Can be served on their own or you can dip them in the delicious homemade green aioli. Padròn peppers are like potato chips. You can’t just eat one!
This recipe need less than 10 minutes to cook in a hot pan, making for a quick snack that’s perfect for dipping. Generally Padron peppers are mild but about one in ten of the small green peppers are wildly hot. They literally melt in your mouth with a small amount of salty heat chasing a lingering Padron pepper flavour as you grab the next one and the next one. And the creamy green aioli is a perfect dipping sauce for the smoky delicious peppers.
What are Padrón Peppers?
Padròn Peppers, or pimientos de Padròn , also known as Pimiento de Herbón, literally translates to “peppers from Padron.” Padron is a small town in Spain, in Galicia region. While it might be a small town, the impact of pimientos de Padron on Spanish cuisine is not. They are easily one of the most asked for tapas dishes in Spain. If you are visiting the town of Padròn in summers you’ll find an the street vendors selling the famous peppers. However, nowadays, ‘Padron peppers’ are cultivated all over the world (including Canada, the US, and Mexico).
Padròn peppers tare quite small (measure around 2 inches) and green in colour. Occasionally you’ll find a larger pepper, they are found all over Spain, and are a popular tapas or snack. A mild pepper, but it’s not uncommon to find one or two that are spicy.
They are traditionally deep fried in some olive oil and sprinkled with some coarse sea salt.
Are Shishito peppers and Padròn peppers the same?
Shishito peppers are slender, bright green, and wrinkled with thin skin peppers which come from Japan. Shishito peppers are not spicy and have a more sweet and mild flavour. They also make a delicious finger food when they’re blistered in a pan or on the grill.
Shishito peppers have a lot of similarities to Spanish padròn peppers. Shishitos are longer and narrower, while padròn peppers are more round. Padròns can tend to be just a bit more spicy than shishito peppers. You can easily substitute one for the other and prepare them in the same way. Just be vary that padròn peppers can be spicy so be ready for a little heat if you are used to Shishito peppers.
How to cook Padròn Peppers?
Traditionally in Spanish tapas bars padròn peppers or Pimientos de Padrón are deep fried in olive oil. Deep frying blissfully blisters their thin skins and softens their tender flesh. They are served hot, unpretentiously piled up in a steaming heap and seasoned with flakes sea salt. Simple but best. There are a few very easy methods to cook Padròn peppers.
- Pan-fried Padrón peppers
- Oven-baked Padrón peppers
- Grilled Padrón peppers in a grill basket
The fastest way and simplest is to pan fry them in the olive oil which takes less than 5 minutes.
- Wash the peppers and pat dry them with kitchen towel before use
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat
- Toss the peppers in the pan and turn them around every minute or so as they begin to blister, puff up and start to darken. Be careful – as the peppers burst olive oil splatter burns are very possible! A splatter screen is very helpful.
- Add to a plate with some paper towels to drain off excess oil.
- Serve seasoned with sea salt flakes, red chilli flakes, and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavours. Enjoy!!
What is Green Aioli?
This easy green aioli is thick, tangy, creamy and very similar to sour cream. Packed with TONS of flavour, and adds a gorgeous pop of colour to anything you serve it with. It’s made from a base of greek yoghurt and sour cream, then flavoured with coriander, mint, lime, jalapeño, spices, and olive oil.
This sauce is a secret weapon, it provides dishes with a hint of tang, zest, and creaminess. Use it on tacos, grain bowls, salads, or use it as a dipping sauce for sliced veggies, crackers, and crudités, and more!
This sauce takes less than 5 minutes to make. Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
Go ahead and whip up a batch of this aioli with your favourite meals or bottle it up and keep it in your fridge.
Helpful Tips and Tricks to make Blistered Padròn Peppers
- Wash your padron peppers and dry well. The drier they are, the better they’ll brown and blister.
- You may find a spicy padron pepper in your bag. Rumor has it that 1 out of 10 padròn peppers have some spice. It may come as a surprise but, thankfully, the heat won’t be overwhelming.
- Coarse sea salt adds bursts of crunchy salt for added texture and flavour.
- Store the aioli in a sealed jar for up to 5 days in the fridge. The longer it sits, the better it will taste! The texture of the aioli will naturally thicken as it sits in the fridge. If it’s too thick, stir in a little lime juice or a splash of water until it thins out.
Lastly, if you make this Blistered Padròn Peppers with Green Aioli be sure to leave a comment and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram!
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For the Padròn Peppers: For the Green Aioli: (yields 1.5 cups) For the Green Aioli:
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