• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Food and Journeys®
  • WORLD CUISINES
  • HOW-TOS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Notes on Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Categories
  • Countries
  • Global Pantry
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Categories
    • Countries
    • Global Pantry
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Spanish Fried Padrón Peppers

    Published: Mar 11, 2021 · Modified: Jan 22, 2022 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    A favorite tapa from Barcelona that you can easily prepare at home. Fried Padrón Peppers (locally known as ‘Pimientos de Padrón‘) only takes 10 minutes to prepare — an easy-peasy, delicious appetizer for everyone!   

    An overhead shot of a plate of fried padron peppers, straight out of the pan.

    (*This post contains some affiliate links)

    WHAT ARE PADRÓN PEPPERS?

    They are small peppers that have originated in the municipality of Padrón in Galicia, a northwestern region in Spain.

    While generally mild in taste, some are apparently quite hot, and the only way to find out is actually eating them.

    Lucky me then, all the ones I have had in Barcelona are quite mild — Yum!

    IF YOU WANT MORE TRADITIONAL SPANISH RECIPES, THEN YOU WILL LOVE THESE POSTS!

    • Feature image for Spanish Beef Stew, showing a serving of the dish, with bread on the side.
      Spanish Beef Stew (Easy Stovetop Recipe!)
    • An overhead shot of a skillet of Spanish Garlic Chicken, straight out of the oven.
      Spanish Garlic Chicken (Pollo Al Ajillo)

    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to fry padron peppers at home.
    • Sea salt – even if this is only added when serving, it is not optional.

    It’s the only seasoning that you will be adding to the fried pimientos de Padrón, so don’t skip it.

    • Oil – I strongly suggest using vegetable oil, not olive oil.

    You need to get that oil extremely hot before adding the peppers, and olive oil is not suited for that because it has a lower smoke point than vegetable oil.

    • Padrón peppers – rinsed, drained, and dried properly.
    A closer shot of a pan of padron peppers, ready for serving.

    Preparation

    Start by placing a large skillet over high heat.

    Pour the oil into it (photo 1).

    Once the oil is hot, add the peppers (photo 2).

    Leave them untouched for at least a minute.

    A collage of images showing the step by step process on how to prepare Pimientos de Padron.

    Mix to ensure that all the peppers are cooked — i.e., blistered on most sides.

    Take the pimientos de Padrón out of the pan and transfer to serving plates immediately.

    Sprinkle some sea salt on the blistered peppers, then serve. 

    An overhead shot of a pan of fried padron peppers.

    Helpful tips

    • Place the peppers on a kitchen towel after rinsing and draining, then use the kitchen towel to wipe them randomly.  

    Any excess water stuck to the peppers will cause the oil to pop, and it might end up hurting you.

    • Do not overcrowd the pan — hence you might need to cook them in batches if you are serving a huge quantity.
    • Make sure you don’t mix the peppers right away when you add them into the pan.  

    Leave them untouched for a minute or two, so they will start blistering on that side.

    • Do not adjust the heat for the entire duration of your cooking — keep it constant from the time you place the pan up to the point that the peppers are done.
    A closer shot of a serving of fried padron peppers, with sea salt on it.

    Recipe variation

    • Pepper substitute. Japanese shishito peppers are an excellent substitute for pimientos de padrón.

    Both have the same mild flavor, so you don’t even need to adjust anything when cooking or serving them. 

    FAQs

    Can I reheat these?

    No, unfortunately, that is not a good idea.

    The fried padrón peppers would be soggy by then — they should be served and eaten right away.

    How do I prevent oil from popping when frying?

    This is why you have to make sure that the Padrón peppers are dried properly. 

    Even a tiny amount of water in there will cause the extremely hot oil to pop.

    Unbelievably easy, right? So try making these fried padrón peppers one of these days!

    Text for Roundup Sections
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for post on Easy Spanish recipes, showing two popular dishes.
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for post on Easy Portuguese recipes showing two popular dishes.

    📖 Recipe

    An overhead shot of a plate of fried padron peppers, straight out of the pan.

    Spanish Fried Padrón Peppers Recipe

    A favorite tapa from Barcelona that you can easily prepare at home. Fried Padrón Peppers (locally known as 'Pimientos de Padrón') only takes 10 minutes to prepare — an easy-peasy, delicious appetizer for everyone!   
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Spanish
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 103kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Kitchen towel
    • Large Pan/Skillet
    • Rubber Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb padrón peppers, (about 500 grams)
    • 1 & 1/2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp sea salt

    Instructions

    • Place a large skillet over high heat and pour oil into it.
    • Once the oil is ready (i.e., extremely hot), add the padrón peppers and leave them untouched for 1 to 2 minutes.
    • Mix to ensure that all the peppers are cooked and blistered on most sides.
    • Take the pimientos de padrón out of the pan and transfer to serving plates immediately.
    • Sprinkle some sea salt on the fried padrón peppers, then serve. 

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1: Place the peppers on a kitchen towel after rinsing and draining, then use the kitchen towel to wipe them randomly.  Any excess water stuck to the peppers will cause the oil to pop, and it might end up hurting you.
    • Cook’s Tip #2: Do not overcrowd the pan — hence you might need to cook them in batches if you are serving a huge quantity.
    • Cook’s Tip #3: Make sure you don’t mix the peppers right away when you add them into the pan. Leave them untouched for a minute or two, so they will start blistering on that side.
    • Cook’s Tip #4: Do not adjust the heat for the entire duration of your cooking — keep it constant from the time you place the pan up to the point that the blistered peppers are done.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1279mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

    More International Appetizer Recipes

    • A bowl of green lentil salad, a classic salad from Lebanon, garnished with mint.
      Lebanese Lentil Salad
    • Persian Yogurt Spinach Dip served with chopped celery, as a snack.
      Persian Yogurt and Spinach Dip
    • A serving of traditional caponata from Sicily, served as an appetizer.
      Sicilian Caponata
    • A closer shot of Lebanese falafel, highlighting the its crunchy edges.
      Traditional Lebanese Falafel

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Latest Pic, 2025 for food and journeys sidebar.

    Hej there!

    A smorgasbord of traditional and delicious international recipes awaits you, so feel free to look around and pick your favorites. No need to leave your kitchen to experience the real deal!

    More about me →

    Image for listing as-featured-on

    Feature of the Month: Filipino Cuisine

    Feature image for Filipino Recipes post, a serving of pancit bihon with a slice of lemon.

    Spring Favorites

    • Freshly-baked German leek pie, highlighting its golden color.
      German Leek Pie
    • Feature image for Roasted Fennel showing the dish straight out of the oven.
      Roasted Fennel (Creamy & Cheesy!)
    • Feature image for asparagus risotto, showing a serving of it, topped with grated parmigiano.
      Asparagus Risotto (Risotto agli Asparagi)
    • Feature image for German Leek Soup, highlighting the creaminess of the soup-
      German Leek Soup

    Popular Posts

    • Two servings of German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe). Both creamy potato soup servings are garnished with spring onions.
      German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)
    • A closer shot of kanelbullar on a cooling rack, highlighting the filling of the buns.
      Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
    • An overhead shot of a skillet of Spanish Garlic Chicken, straight out of the oven.
      Spanish Garlic Chicken (Pollo Al Ajillo)
    • Arroz de Tomate in a pan, ready for transferring to serving plates, with fresh cherry tomatoes next to it.
      Portuguese Tomato Rice (Arroz de Tomate)
    • Latest feature image for drommekage, highlighting the texture of the cake.
      Danish Dream Cake (Drømmekage)
    • Three freshly-baked pasticciotti sprinkled with powdered sugar and served wiith espresso.
      Pasticciotto (Italian Cream Filled Pastry)
    • An image showing two bowls of Finnish Salmon Soup served with some bread.
      Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
    • An overhead shot of a bunch of freshly baked taralli, served with a shot of espresso, with scaterred fennel seeds on the background.
      Taralli (Italian Crackers)
    • Swedish Almond Tart
      Swedish Almond Tart
    • Latest feature image (Apr23) for Filipino picadillo showing the dish on a plate.
      Filipino Picadillo
    • Latest feature image for Salt and Pepper pork belly, showing the slices garnished with more chili.
      Salt and Pepper Pork Belly
    • A slice of cardamom sponge cake, served with a cup of coffee.
      Swedish Cardamom Cake

    Favorite Snacks

    • Fried panzerotti served with a glass of wine, for snack.
      Panzerotti (Panzarotti)
    • A collage of flammkuchen toppings to choose from.
      Classic Flammkuchen (+ More Flammkuchen Toppings!)
    • Freshly cooked panelle from Palermo, served with a dustingg of ground black pepper.
      Panelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)
    • Chocolate balls served with coffee, for afternoon snack.
      Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)

    Sweet Treats

    • Traditional Swedish Cakes that you can easily make at home.
      Traditional Swedish Cakes: Make Them at Home!
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for fika post, showing some Swedish treats, and coffee and tea in the background.
      What is Fika? (Fika Meaning + Recipes)
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for Easy Italian Desserts and Pastries post.
      Easy Italian Desserts & Pastries Recipes
    • Latest (Oct22) Feature image for Traditional German Desserts and Pastries.
      Traditional German Desserts and Pastries

    Popular Cuisines

    • Latest feature image for authentic Swedish recipes, showing västerbottenostpaj, a midsummer favorite.
      Authentic Swedish Recipes
    • Feature image for Italian recipes by region post.
      Italian Recipes by Region
    • Feature image for German Recipes post.
      Authentic German Recipes
    • Feature image for Portuguese Recipes, as part of recipes by country.
      Easy Portuguese Recipes
    • Feature image for Traditional Spanish Recipes, a pan of espinacas con garbanzos.
      Traditional Spanish Recipes
    • Feature image for Finnish Recipes post.
      Easy Finnish Recipes
    • Feature image for Greek Recipes post.
      Traditional Greek Recipes
    • Feature image for Lebanese Recipes post.
      Lebanese Recipes

    Footer

    Policy

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • About Me

    Copyright

    • Notes on Copyright

    A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

    Copyright © 2025. FOOD AND JOURNEYS®

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required