Pimientos De Padrón Recipe

Wash and dry

Rinse the Pimientos de Padrón under cool running water to remove any dirt. Drain, then spread them out on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat completely dry. Removing surface moisture is important so they blister rather than steam.

Trim stems (optional)

Trim any long stems, leaving a short bit attached for handling and presentation. Do not remove the stem entirely, as it helps pick up the peppers while eating.

Heat the skillet

Place a large heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 1–2 minutes). The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when a pepper touches it.

Cook the peppers

Add the dried peppers to the hot oil in a single layer. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, until the skins are blistered and charred in spots and the peppers are tender, about 6–8 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to ensure blistering rather than burning; you may lower to medium if they start to blacken too quickly. If your pan is small, cook in two batches to avoid overcrowding.

Finish with seasoning

Once blistered and soft, remove the skillet from the heat. Immediately sprinkle the peppers with the coarse sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper while still hot so the salt sticks to the blistered skins.

Transfer the seasoned peppers to a warmed serving plate or shallow bowl. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges on the side if using — a quick squeeze of lemon is optional and adds brightness. Provide toasted crusty bread to soak up any oil. Traditionally served as a tapas shared plate; diners pick up peppers by the stem and eat whole (watch out: occasionally a pepper will be spicy).