This shishitos pepper recipe from illyanna Maisonet utilizes her flavorful Puerto Rican sofrito, tossing it over pan-fried shishito peppers. This delicious dish is not only quick to prepare, but it makes a perfect side dish for your next summer cook out.

illyanna begins talking about her shishitos pepper recipe by first talking about the adventure of sourcing shishito peppers:

I recently lost my shishito farmer. The only black-owned farm on the Sacramento delta closed two years ago. The farmer decided to retire. The entrance to the farm was narrow and directly off a narrow two lane winding river road. If you missed it, good luck trying to find the space to turn around. You’d descend off the levee road and into the bowl. Corn stalks taller than you swayed in the breeze that came from the Sacramento River across the street. 

Every good shishitos pepper recipe begins with freshly grown shishito peppers.

For illyanna, talking about shishitos is a walk down memory lane:

During certain times of the year, with certain types of produce, there’d be a call for u-pick. And we would show up for the shishitos. I had never seen how shishito peppers grew before. Like most of the delicious produce we love, they grow in the middle of the sweltering Delta summers. The farm focused on growing black eyed peas, green and yellow beans, various varieties of watermelon, okra and peppers. Including shishito peppers. We’d park under the mature Oak trees that stood in a neat line of several. They provided ample shade from their wide trunks to their dangerously low dangling limbs. My mom would sit in her chair under the tree while she watched me and my friends delusionally pay the farmer to work hard labor in the hot sun.

Shishitos grow on individual little plants, like any Capsicum plant, with little individual peppers of various sizes that droop from the main plant. The plants are also very low to the ground. So low that it can be hard to see if the plant has any peppers hidden under its leaves unless you also get low.

My mom, while wearing her RayBan Wayfarers, watched us from her chair in the shade like some warden as we shuffled from plant to plant; our backs contorted into an L-shape. “We’re picking it up here, boss!” we’d sometimes yell to her just to make sure. Some of the plants would only have two peppers that were ready for picking, some would have more. Long, wrinkly, plump and bright green until the bucket was full.

What does illyana think makes the best shishitos pepper recipe?

All of that work to harvest calls for a simple and quick way to cook these vegetal nightshades in their freshest state. A little olive oil, high heat, toss em’ in the pan until they pop and crackle and char. Toss with my Puerto Rican sofrito recipe (below), and enjoy!

Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe

This flavor-packed Puerto Rican Sofrito recipe takes advantage of California’s abundant summer produce. It blends fresh tomatoes with a variety of ripe peppers, garlic, and a whole bunch of fresh cilantro.

Get the sofrito recipe

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More ways to use sofrito in your recipes

Puerto Rican-Style Baked Beans Recipe

Our friend Illyanna Maisonet puts her signature Puerto-Rican spin on the traditional baked beans recipe. What makes it Puerto Rican? Sofrito – a mix of onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro and tomato found in many traditional Puerto Rican dishes.

Get the bean recipe

Who is illyanna Maisonet?

illyanna Maisonet is a Puerto Rican food writer and chef known for her work in preserving and promoting Puerto Rican cuisine. She has gained recognition for her deep dives into the history, culture, and recipes of Puerto Rican food, often sharing personal stories and historical context. Maisonet is also known for her cookbook, “Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook,” which showcases traditional recipes and modern interpretations of Puerto Rican dishes. Her work often highlights the rich culinary heritage of Puerto Rico and aims to educate and inspire others to explore and appreciate this vibrant cuisine.