In these Sicilian-inspired phyllo cup appetizers, orange adds sweetness to a savory combination of fennel, shallot, and salty olives. A dot of creamy whipped goat cheese is the perfect finishing touch.
Why You’ll Love These Phyllo Cup Appetizers
- They look fancy but are secretly easy. Thanks to store-bought phyllo cups and quick-cooking veggies, these elegant bites come together with minimal effort.
- Big Sicilian flavor in one little bite. Sweet fennel, briny olives, and bright orange zest create a savory-sweet combo that tastes way more complex than it is.
- Perfect for parties. Crisp, creamy, and cute—these little cups disappear fast!
To make these perfect little mouthfuls, I lean into classic Sicilian flavors: a combination of fennel, olives, and orange zest. Sicily is famous for its orange groves, and fennel grows wild all over the island. Sicilians have been combining the two in sweet and savory dishes for centuries!
I added salty oil-cured olives to the mix and topped each little bite with a dollop of creamy whipped goat cheese. These bites may be small, but they are mighty—the crispy phyllo cups nicely contrast a savory vegetable filling that is lifted by tangy goat cheese.
Perfect for a party, these crispy little bites will convince your guests that you spent hours in the kitchen. Savory, a touch sweet, creamy, and with a little help from the grocery store’s freezer section, these restaurant-style hors d’oeuvres are easy to make at home.
How to Make Phyllo Cup Appetizers
The steps to make these party bites are straightforward and can be prepared ahead of time. Once assembled, though, the phyllo shells absorb moisture from the filling. They’ll get soggy if they sit too long, so it’s best to serve them quickly!
To prep:
- Crisp up the phyllo cups. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange 30 pre-baked mini phyllo shells on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until just crispy, for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow cups to cool completely on the sheet tray.
- Prep the vegetables. Remove the fronds from 2 small fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds) and set aside to use as a garnish. Finely mince the fennel bulbs, 1 large shallot or small yellow onion (about 3 ounces), and 2 garlic cloves. Aim for very small pieces here, about 1/8-inch square. If you prefer, you can lightly pulse the vegetables in a food processor, taking care not to turn them into a paste.
- Cook the filling. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until the surface just begins to shimmer. Add the minced vegetables and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté vegetables, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Lower heat if they begin to brown.
- Assemble the filling. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted oil-cured olives (about 3 ounces), the zest of 1 orange, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Taste mixture and add more salt if necessary. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Whip the goat cheese. While the vegetable mixture is cooling, place 1 room-temperature 4-ounce log chevre and 1/2 teaspoon honey in a medium bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half the zested orange. Using a hand mixer, whip the goat cheese mixture until thoroughly combined. Taste and add a pinch of kosher salt if needed.
To serve:
- Assemble the phyllo cups. Scoop 1 tablespoon of room temperature vegetable mixture into each phyllo cup. Gently transfer filled cups to the serving platter to garnish.
- Add whipped goat cheese. If you’re feeling fancy, scrape goat cheese mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. You can also use a plastic bag with an end snipped off. Either pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped goat cheese onto each filled phyllo cup.
- Garnish and serve. Roughly chop reserved fennel fronds and place on top of goat cheese dollop for a garnish. Serve immediately.
What are Phyllo Cups?
Found in the freezer section of the grocery store, phyllo cups or phyllo shells are pre-formed mini tart-style shells, a crunchy shortcut to making perfect little party bites.
Phyllo dough is a thin, flaky pastry common in many Mediterranean sweet and savory dishes, including baklava and spanikopita. Because phyllo is so flaky, it can be a touch fiddly to work with. This is why we love pre-formed phyllo shells!
Make it Your Own
Think of these phyllo cups as mini blank canvases and use them to create your own perfect little bite!
- Swap out the olives: The intense, salty funk of oil-cured olives a bit much for you? Try subbing out their milder cousins, briny kalamatas or buttery Castelvetranos. Not an olive fan? Replace them with capers instead.
- Make it a meal: Skip the phyllo cups and toss the cooked vegetable filling with your favorite pasta. Garnish with whipped chevre and dig in!
- Make it gluten-free: Thankfully, we live in a world where gluten-free phyllo cups are available online and at specialty retailers! You can also substitute gluten-free puff pastry, which is more readily available.
- Make it vegan: Outside of the goat cheese, this recipe is vegan. But that dollop of creaminess really does tie this whole bite together, so I don’t consider it optional! There are fantastic vegan goat cheese substitutes on the market, or you could substitute vegan cream cheese in the whipped topping. Make sure to taste and adjust the salt and sweetness levels to your liking.
How to Serve
I’m a big fan of one-bite snacks served on fancy trays, so I recommend incorporating these phyllo cups appetizers into a hors d’oeuvre spread that also includes:
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs with Goat Cheese, Honey and Thyme
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Oysters on the Half Shell with Mignonette
The flavor profile of these phyllo cups makes them a perfect starter for a Sicilian meal—try serving them before you plate up a big tray of:
- Pasta Con Le Sarde
- Easy Salmon Piccata
- Don’t forget to round out your meal with a bright bowl of Sicilian Lemon Pudding.
Fennel-Orange Phyllo Cups with Oil-Cured Olives
Ingredients
For the phyllo cup filling:
- 30 pre-baked mini phyllo shells, 2 (15-piece) boxes
- 2 small fennel bulbs, ideally with fronds (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 large shallot or small yellow onion, about 3 ounces
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted oil-cured olives, finely chopped (about 3 ounces)
- 1 orange
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
For the whipped goat cheese:
- 1 4- ounce log fresh chevre or soft goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Crisp up the phyllo cups. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the phyllo cups on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until just crispy, for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow cups to cool completely on the sheet tray.
- Prep the vegetables. Remove the fronds from fennel bulbs and set aside for garnish. Finely mince the fennel bulbs, shallot or onion, and garlic. Aim for very small pieces here, about 1/8-inch squares. If you prefer, you can lightly pulse the vegetables in a food processor, taking care not to turn them into a paste.
- Cook the filling. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until the surface just begins to shimmer. Add the minced vegetables and kosher salt. Sauté vegetables, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Lower heat if they begin to brown.
- Assemble the filling. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat and stir in chopped olives, orange zest and red pepper flakes (if using). Taste mixture and add more salt if necessary. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Whip the goat cheese. While the vegetable mixture is cooling, place the softened chevre and honey in a medium bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half the zested orange. Using a hand mixer, whip the goat cheese mixture until thoroughly combined. Taste and add a pinch of kosher salt if needed.
- Assemble the phyllo cups. Scoop 1 tablespoon of room temperature vegetable mixture into each phyllo cup. Gently transfer filled cups to serving platter to garnish.
- Add whipped goat cheese. If you’re feeling fancy, scrape goat cheese mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. You can also use a plastic bag with an end snipped off. Either pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped goat cheese onto each filled phyllo cup.
- Garnish and serve. Roughly chop reserved fennel fronds and place on top of goat cheese dollop for a garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and honey used in this recipe.
- Make ahead: The vegetable mixture and the whipped chevre can be made and refrigerated up to three days ahead. Allow both to come to room temperature before crisping up and filling phyllo cups.
- Serve Immediately: Once assembled, the phyllo shells absorb moisture from the filling quickly. They’ll get soggy if they sit too long, so it’s best to serve them quickly!
Nutrition
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