Pimientos de Padron
Blistered little green peppers with flaky salt — some hot, some not.
Ingredients
- 250 g Padron peppers
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Flaky sea salt
Method
- Rinse and dry the peppers well so they blister rather than steam.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet until shimmering and almost smoking, then blister the peppers in the hot oil, tossing now and then, until charred in spots and slumped.
- Tip onto a plate and shower with flaky salt to serve.
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About Pimientos de Padron
Pimientos de Padron are small green peppers from Galicia in northwest Spain, served blistered and salted as one of the country's most beloved tapas. Their fame rests on a gamble captured in the Spanish saying that some are hot and some are not: most are mild and sweet, but every so often you bite into a fiery one, and there's no telling which from the outside. The whole preparation is over in about 10 minutes and uses just three things, so success depends entirely on technique rather than any long list of ingredients.
The key is very hot oil, heated until it shimmers and nearly smokes, so the peppers char and blister in spots and slump rather than steaming soft. Drying them well beforehand matters for the same reason, since surface water would cool the pan and turn frying into stewing. Finished with a shower of flaky sea salt, they're smoky, faintly sweet, and a little charred, eaten hot with the fingers by the stem. They're the classic opener to a Spanish meal alongside a glass of wine or beer, and half the fun is passing the plate and waiting to see who lands the hot one.
Pimientos de Padron: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pimientos de Padron?
A serving has about 104 calories — 0.5g protein, 2.9g carbs, 10.5g fat, 1.1g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Pimientos de Padron gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Pimientos de Padron has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How many servings does Pimientos de Padron make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.