Fried Banana Peppers
If you've ever ordered fried calamari at a restaurant and stolen all the fried banana peppers off the plate, this recipe is for you. Crispy, tangy, and ridiculously easy to make at home, with a smoky chipotle aioli that ties the everything together.
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Makes: 6 servings
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Ingredients
- 1 (16-oz) jar banana pepper rings mild or spicy (see notes if using fresh peppers)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ½ cup finely ground cornmeal
- ¼ cup panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Neutral oil like canola or peanut
- Flaky salt for sprinkling
Chipotle Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon extra adobo sauce
- 1 small garlic clove grated or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Drain banana peppers and pat them as dry as possible with paper towels. Lay them in a single layer on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and let them air dry for at least 15 minutes.
- While peppers are drying, set up three shallow bowls. In the first, add flour. In the second, gently beat eggs with hot sauce (if using). In the third, whisk together cornmeal, panko, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pour enough oil into a deep skillet so that it comes up about 1 to 1 ½ inches up the side. Heat over medium-high heat until oil registers between 350-375 on a thermometer.
- While oil is heating, toss peppers in flour to coat. Shake off excess flour and dunk them in the beaten eggs. Finally, dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing on coating to help it stick.
- Working in batches so as to not overcrowd skillet, carefully drop peppers in hot oil and fry 1-2 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- Remove peppers to paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Continue until all peppers are fried. Serve with chipotle aioli or dipping sauce of choice.
Chipotle Aioli
- Put all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice as needed.
Notes
- If you'd prefer to use fresh banana peppers, slice them into ¼-inch rings and remove the seeds before breading. You can skip the 15-minute drying step, but if you'd like to mellow the raw flavor and add some tang, soak the rings in buttermilk for 15 minutes and pat dry before dredging.
- Chipotle aioli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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