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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Beans + Grains + Bowls, Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian · May 31, 2022

Shishito Pepper Summer Salad

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This summer shishito pepper salad has it all – sweet raw corn, spicy jalapeños, rich and crunchy walnuts and bright, sautéed shishito peppers. It’s a symphony of flavors and textures and it’s one of the reasons I love salads. I love a salad that is bright, filled with contrast and filled with color. And don’t tell me that salads need lettuce – some of my all-time favorite salads are vegetable-packed, but there’s not a leafy green in sight.

This is my ode to summer and my perfect summer salad. It’s mostly raw, a perfect mixture of sweet-savory-and-spicy, and it doesn’t make eating vegetables feel like a chore. It’s perfect as a side dish or as the whole meal, because after all – a salad can truly be anything you want it to be.

Table of contents

  • Ingredients for this shishito pepper summer salad
  • How to bring this recipe together
  • Looking for similar recipes to this shishito summer salad?

Ingredients for this shishito pepper summer salad

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 dash of white wine vinegar
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 ears of corn
  • 2 jalapeños
  • 1 small red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup mint leaves loosely packed
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 cups shishito peppers
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup walnut halves
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan, for topping

How to bring this recipe together

  • Begin by making the basil oil. Blanch the basil by adding the leaves to a colander. Submerge the colander in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water.
  • Put the blanched basil in a small blender, along with 1/4 cup olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar. Blend until smooth and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
  • Cut the corn kernels from the cob, finely chop the jalapeno (remove the seeds if you don’t like spice!) and finely dice the red onion. Use a chiffonade cut to chop the mint, and use a microplane to grate the garlic and zest the lemon. Add all of these ingredients to a large bowl.
  • Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the corn mixture, and add a glug of olive oil. Mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Next remove the stems from the shishito peppers and cut them cross-wise into circular pieces, each no thicker than 1 cm.
  • Put a pan on medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the peppers to the pan. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
  • Put the walnuts in the pan, toss to coat and cook another 2 minutes or until the walnuts are toasted. Season with salt to taste and remove from the pan.
  • To plate the salad, evenly spread the corn mixture onto your plate. Top with a generous serving of the shishito peppers. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top. Mix and serve!

Looking for similar recipes to this shishito summer salad?

I have a few – after all, I love salads! Here are a few recent salads from the site:

Spring Snap Peas & Radishes with a Fried Egg
This salad recipe is simple, fresh and perfect for spring. Add an egg and some toast and you have my ideal spring salad.
Check out this recipe
Edamame Salad with Parmesan, Basil & Mint
This salad is so easy and so delicious, plus it's packed with protein. Perfect for any time you want a quick-but-craveable lunch
Check out this recipe
Lemon Tahini Salad with Radishes, Dates & Sesame Seeds
This salad is creamy, fresh, crunchy and the epitome of refreshing. I never thought it would be a salad I would crave, but now I do. It's perfect in a hand-held way, or just in a large bowl. You can really do what you want with it!
Check out this recipe

And that’s it for this shishito pepper summer salad!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Summer Shishito Pepper Salad

Raw corn, bright flavors and quickly sautéed shishito peppers make this salad one of my summer favorites. It's slightly spicy, earthy from the walnuts and so filling. Proving once and again that an amazing salad doesn't always start with lettuce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:12 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: corn, jalapeño, shishito peppers, walnuts
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil plus more as needed
  • 1 dash of white wine vinegar
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 ears of corn
  • 2 jalapeños
  • 1 small red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup mint leaves loosely packed
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 cups shishito peppers
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup walnut halves
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan for topping

Instructions

  • Begin by making the basil oil. Blanch the basil by adding the leaves to a colander. Submerge the colander in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water.
  • Put the blanched basil in a small blender, along with 1/4 cup olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar. Blend until smooth and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
  • Cut the corn kernels from the cob, finely chop the jalapeno (remove the seeds if you don't like spice!) and finely dice the red onion. Use a chiffonade cut to chop the mint, and use a microplane to grate the garlic and zest the lemon. Add all of these ingredients to a large bowl.
  • Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the corn mixture, and add a glug of olive oil. Mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Next remove the stems from the shishito peppers and cut them cross-wise into circular pieces, each no thicker than 1 cm.
  • Put a pan on medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the peppers to the pan. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the walnuts to the pan, toss to coat and cook another 2 minutes or until the walnuts are toasted. Season with salt to taste and remove from the pan.
  • To plate the salad, evenly spread the corn mixture onto your plate. Top with a generous serving of the shishito peppers. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top. Mix and serve!

Posted In: Beans + Grains + Bowls, Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mason says

    June 14, 2022 at 3:56 pm

    Hello! Do you eat this as the “main event” or as a side? What would you serve it with if you were using it as a side? Thanks!

    • Justine says

      June 14, 2022 at 9:13 pm

      Hello! I tend to use this as a main-event dish but pair it with some tofu as well. If I have it as a side, I personally love serving it with a lemony flakey white fish that has been slow roasted in the oven. My boyfriend adores bringing this salad to a summer cook out, so he says it’s amazing with grilled chicken as well. Hope this helps!

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