Spanish pimientos de Padrón are one of my all-time favorite tapas. Luckily, they're also one of the easiest to prepare—and this Padrón peppers recipe proves it!
Want something else to enjoy along with these pimientos de padrón? Try these ham croquettes and a glass of traditional Spanish sangria.
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Introduction
Most traditional tapas menus prominently feature potatoes, bread, and pork in various forms, which are delicious! However, it gets even better when these staples are complemented by a splash of fresh green produce. Enter the Padrón pepper!
Pimientos de Padrón are small, bright green peppers that come from the municipality of Padrón in Galicia, in the northwest part of Spain. They're usually mild because of their low levels of capsaicin, but occasionally, they can be surprisingly spicy, making the act of eating them even more exciting.
I never thought to try making Padrón peppers at home until one of my friends gave me a bag of them (aware of my love for all things related to Spanish food and cooking). I was happy to discover that it's surprisingly simple to recreate this restaurant staple at home.
I'll let you in on the secrets of my Padrón peppers recipe: olive oil, salt, and plenty of heat. That's it. Use a very hot skillet (like cast iron) for these, and you’ll be amazed at their complex flavors and perfect texture!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make these Pedrón peppers? Here's the three key ingredients.
- Peppers: Use fresh padrón peppers. These peppers are picked while they are immature and green.
- Salt: Use flaky sea salt for the best taste. I especially love using sea salt flakes such as Maldon salt.
- Oil: Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil, as it's the key flavor in this dish, and use plenty of it like we do in Spain!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- If you can't find padrón peppers, you can use shishito peppers, but they are not quite the same!
How to Make
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Wash the padrón peppers in a colander.
- Dry them thoroughly. The drier they are, the better they'll brown and blister.
3. Heat 1-2 centimeters of olive oil in a heavy skillet, such as cast iron. (This is key to crispy, tasty result!) When the oil is very hot, but not yet smoking, add the peppers and allow them to blister and brown before turning.
4. Turn a couple of times until they're soft and browned on all sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and sprinkle your favorite sea salt on top.
5. Eat them whole while they're hot and fresh, leaving only the stems behind.
Recipe FAQs
The Spanish name for these small green peppers, pimientos de padrón, translates to "Padrón peppers" in English.
Pimientos de padrón score between 500-2,500 Scoville units. This means they can be very mild, or just as spicy as a jalepeño depending upon the pepper. This is why "Os pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non" (Some are hot, and some are not) is the typical song about these little peppers!
These peppers are named after Padrón, the town in the Galician region of Spain where they originated. Since 2010, they have been recognized by the European Union with protected designation of origin.
Originally, pimientos de padrón were only grown in Padrón, a town in the region of Galicia in Spain. More recently, however, they have been cultivated in other places in the Mediterranean and in the United States.
Although these peppers look similar, they definitely are not the same! The average pimiento de padrón is significantly milder than the average jalapeño, but they still can be spicy sometimes. These peppers range from 500-2,500 Scoville units, while jalapeños range from 2,500-8,000 Scoville units.
Serve
At tapas bars, these peppers sometimes served with huevos rotos (fried eggs and potatoes) or as an accompaniment to other dishes. But you can also order them all on their own, which I highly recommend!
These Padrón peppers also taste delicious with these common tapas in Madrid or other vegetarian Spanish tapas.
Store
Leftovers: These peppers taste best when they're fresh and hot; leftover ones won't taste as good. If you must keep leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat.
Freezing: It's not recommended to freeze cooked pimientos de padrón, as they won't have the same texture when defrosted.
Expert Tips
- A good substitute for padrón peppers are shishito peppers, but it won't be quite the same.
- Not every pepper is mild. They will be spicier if they are older, wrinkled, or were grown during a drought.
- Use the best quality olive oil you can find. The peppers are meant to be quite oily, so the flavor of the oil will affect the final product.
- Sprinkle the peppers with flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, before serving for the best taste.
- Be careful to avoid the splattering oil as the peppers cook, and let them cool briefly before eating.
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Spanish Padrón Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Padrón peppers about 2 cups
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (¼ cup)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse and thoroughly dry the peppers.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan at high heat until it is very hot, but not yet smoking.
- Add the peppers and cook, tossing occasionally, until the skin starts to blister and soften. Don't let them burn, but do leave them enough time to completely soften.
- Remove the peppers and place them on a plate.
- Sprinkle generously with sea salt and enjoy!
Notes
- A good substitute for padrón peppers are shishito peppers.
- Not every pepper is mild. They will be spicier if they are older, wrinkled, or were grown during a drought.
- Use the best quality olive oil you can find. The peppers are meant to be quite oily, so the flavor of the oil will affect the final product.
- Sprinkle the peppers with flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, before serving for the best taste.
- Be careful to avoid the splattering oil as the peppers cook, and let them cool briefly before eating.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
David Shiells
My wife and I have padron peppers cooked as stated with walnuts and manchego cheese with a glass of wine. As served to us in Spain. Love it.
dexter
I've just had my first harvest from the three plants I grew here in the UK & they are absolutely fantastic more are on the way it's soooo so good.
Linda
Hi Dexter, I've now had these twice in Spain I'm UK and would like to buy and or grow these wonderful pepper dish. Can I buy in UK, the plants or the actual peppers, please could you let me know please?
PimientoR
Don't fried them. Bake them. Simply set the oven at 180C to 200C, placed the peppers in a baking plate, sprinkle them (generously) with olive oil and sea salt. Turn them once, maybe, if at all. Take them out when you see them slightly inflated and golden. Enjoy them.
Gill
I just made these and they were delicious. I will definitely be having them again.
Elizabeth
Is the nutritional info per serving or per total?
Lauren Aloise
It should be per serving, but always double-check with your favorite calculator tool - it's just a reference.
Martini
The heat depends on two factors: 1) the later the growing season, the more chance the peppers will be hot; 2) the larger (and more wrinkled) the pepper, the more likely it will be (VERY) hot.
wendy
I have grown two plants this year. I have not been able to eat them fast enough and now they are quite large and all of them are super hot. What else can I do with them to make them easier to eat? Do they get hotter as they get bigger?
Peggy
A word of warning. I bought a bag of these in one of the major supermarkets in Australia and every single pepper was hot, ranging from Jalapeño hot to coughing, eye watering hot. Yikes!
Lauren Aloise
Ha omg! That is not typical in Spain 🙂
AndrewJones
Just discovered these peppers in tesco UK for the 1st time. £1 for a bag of about 15. Bargain.
After eating lots on several trips to Spain, I am delighted that I can now source easily in the UK.
James Swales
Very tasty
James Swales
We enjoyed these whilst on holiday in Malaga, Spain. I intended to buy some in the city.s famous market, but forgot. My daughter's just found some and I'm about to try your recipe. Vale la pena!
Joseph Hobson
Have 3 plants in containers and will eat my first pepper tomorrow for breakfast. The pepper is bright red so it might be spice hot. Had to grow them in Washington State after tasting them in Spain (Santiago) last Spring. So delicious! Ole!
Rich Murphy
A little chopped crispy bacon or pork belly adds a nice touch to it...
David Hobson
Just grown my first Padrons this year and tried your recipe with the first two off the plant. Absolutely delicious! Gotta keep feeding that plant to keep up production!
Lynde
I received a nice sized bag in my Imperfect Produce box last week! It was a surprise!! Looking to fry them up as described.
Erika
Can we get Padron peppers in the US? If not is there another pepper we should buy to make the equivalent?
Lauren Aloise
I'm sure you could find them at some specialty markets. Japanese shishito peppers would also work.
Charo
Hi! Aren't they just delicious?
Just a small correction and the story behind them:
http://www.pementodeherbon.com/en/origin.htm
Amy
I love your website and enjoy reading about the recipes. And making them! I lived in Spain for 3 months in 2016 and loved every minute of it. You website takes me back to a sweet and magical time filled with adventure, love, and food. My husband and I always talk about going back and how much we missed it.
Thank you for the content and sharing your experiences!
Lauren Aloise
Thanks for reading Amy! I hope you make it back soon!
Peter Johnson
I have five plants ready to plant - had these in Cangas last October - fantastic!!! Can't wait to try the ones I am growing.
Thank you for the recipe
Lauren Aloise
Hope they do well!!
Kelly
My favorite! I eat my weight in peppers every summer. I can taste them now!