Fried Padrón peppers are Spain's most addictive tapa: small green peppers blistered in a hot skillet with duck fat until the skins pucker and char, then showered with sea salt. They're sweet and mild — with the occasional hot one that keeps everyone alert. Four minutes, three ingredients, and a plate of pure snackable fun.
SERVES 4
Pimientos de Padrón are small green peppers from the Galicia region of Spain. I first learned about Padrón peppers while strolling through the farmers’ market with a girlfriend who frequents Spain. She told me they were delicious fried with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. She was absolutely right! Since olive oil is not ideal for high-heat cooking, I experimented with alternative fats to use for this recipe. I have found that the neutral flavor of duck fat best complements the slightly sweet and mild flavor of these peppers.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp/15 ml duck fat
25–30 Padrón peppers
sea salt
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add the duck fat to the skillet. Once it has liquefied add the peppers, turning until they are well coated with the oil and blistered, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with sea salt.
Pro Tips
- Get the skillet properly hot before the peppers go in — the goal is fast blistering on the skins while the flesh stays tender, not steamed peppers.
- Duck fat's neutral flavor lets the peppers' natural sweetness shine and it tolerates the high heat better than olive oil.
- Salt the peppers the moment they leave the pan so the crystals stick to the hot, oily skins.
- Don't crowd the skillet; work in two batches if your pan is small, since piled-up peppers steam instead of blistering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Padrón peppers spicy?
Mostly mild and sweet, with the famous one-in-ten surprise pepper that carries real heat — that's part of the fun of serving them.
What can I use instead of duck fat?
Any paleo-friendly fat with a high smoke point works — avocado oil or ghee if you tolerate it. Olive oil burns at this temperature, which is why the recipe avoids it.
Where do I find Padrón peppers?
Farmers' markets and well-stocked grocers carry them in summer. Shishito peppers make a widely available stand-in with the same blister-and-salt treatment.
Can I make these ahead for a party?
They're at their peak straight from the skillet, so plan to fry them as guests arrive — four minutes is all it takes. Blistered peppers turn soft and wrinkly as they sit.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat.
- Add the duck fat to the skillet.
- Once it has liquefied add the peppers, turning until they are well coated with the oil and blistered, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with sea salt.
