Although the rich and salty flavors are divine, it’s the signature char that makes these mild peppers shine. Not only does it add a subtle smokiness to the recipe, but they look super aesthetic too! If this is your first time trying shishito peppers, you might be worried about the heat. Luckily for you, these peppers are small and relatively mild with a slightly sweet flavor.
– 1 pound shishito peppers – 8 ounces cream cheese – 1 cup manchego cheese, shredded – 1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled – 1 teaspoon smoked paprika – 1 teaspoon garlic powder – ½ teaspoon black pepper – ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Using a paring knife, make a slit down one side of all the shishito peppers and set them to the side.
Add the softened cream cheese, crumbled bacon, shredded manchego cheese, and seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Mix them to combine. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make for easy work.
Place about 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture into each shishito pepper. Once the cheese is in the pepper, pinch the sides to enclose the cheese mixture as best as possible.
Place the shishito peppers in the air fryer, cheese side up. Cook them at 400°F for 5-6 minutes or until the shishito peppers have blistered and become charred. Serve with a drizzle of honey or a dollop of fruit preserves.
– Because shishito peppers are generally mild, you can save a lot of legwork by keeping the seeds and ribs inside. You may find a particularly spicy pepper occasionally, but it’s uncommon! – Don’t forget to cook your peppers cheese side-up. You don’t want the cheese melting into your air fryer and oozing out of the peppers. Keep that goodness IN. – Give the shishito peppers a spray of olive oil while cooking. This will help the peppers cook better, give them a boost of flavor, and makes finishing salt stick to the peppers after they cook.
Sometimes, you just need a touch of heat and a whole lot of cheese in your life. So, whether you’re looking for a sumptuous side dish or a satisfying snack, these air-fried shishito peppers are a slam dunk!