Phyllo dough recipes can look tricky, but these crisp meat and feta rolls use store-bought pastry and come together in under an hour.
Crisp Phyllo Rolls with Meat and Feta
These phyllo meat rolls are filled with ground beef seasoned with allspice, then mixed with feta, mozzarella, eggs, and dill. The recipe makes 16 warm, flaky rolls, just right for passing around as a party appetizer.
For a while, I debated whether to call them phyllo meat rolls or meat cigars—don’t you think they look a little like cigars? I landed on rolls.
I used to be a little intimidated by phyllo. Then I worked on my mom’s recipe for Egyptian goulash, a crisp phyllo meat pie, and got over my “fear of phyllo.” From there, I tried phyllo pizza and even egg-stuffed Tunisian brik. No one was complaining!
Phyllo, also spelled filo, is a paper-thin pastry that comes in stacked sheets. Making it from scratch is a challenge for another day. Store-bought phyllo is the situation for me here, and a few simple techniques keep it from drying out or tearing as you work.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card below, but here is what you’ll need to make the filling and assemble the rolls:
- Extra virgin olive oil. Use it to sauté the onion and beef, enrich the filling, coat the phyllo sheets, and lightly oil the baking sheet.
- Phyllo dough. You’ll need 16 to 20 sheets. Keep the stack covered with a lightly damp kitchen towel while you work so the delicate pastry does not dry out and crack.
- Ground beef. One pound forms the base of the savory filling. Brown it completely before mixing it with the cheese and eggs.
- Yellow onion. Finely chopped onion softens as the beef cooks and adds savory flavor throughout the filling.
- Allspice. This warm, aromatic spice gives the beef depth without overwhelming the feta and dill.
- Salt and pepper. Season the beef as it cooks.
- Feta and mozzarella. Creamy feta adds its characteristic salty tang, while shredded mozzarella melts into the filling.
- Eggs. Two eggs go into the meat and cheese filling. A third egg, mixed with a little water, makes the egg wash for the outside of the rolls.
- Dill weed. Dill adds a light, herbaceous note that balances the warmly spiced beef.
How to Make Phyllo Dough Meat Rolls
These rolls come together in three parts: cook the beef, mix the filling, and wrap it in layers of phyllo. Keep the pastry covered until you are ready to use it.
- Cook the beef. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté briefly, then add the ground beef, allspice, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked and browned, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Finish the filling. Combine the cooled beef mixture with the feta, mozzarella, 2 eggs, dill weed, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Prepare the phyllo. Carefully place 16 phyllo sheets on a large tray, with more nearby if needed. Cover the stack with a lightly damp, clean kitchen towel to keep the sheets from drying out and cracking.
- Cut the phyllo into strips. Place 2 phyllo sheets on a large cutting board and brush them generously with olive oil. Cut the layered sheets straight down the middle to make 2 long strips.
- Fill and roll. Place a spoonful of the meat and cheese filling at the short end of one phyllo strip, closest to you. Roll the pastry away from you twice. Fold both long sides inward over the filling, then continue rolling toward the opposite end.
- Brush and repeat. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. Brush the finished roll with a little more olive oil and egg wash, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and phyllo, working with 2 sheets at a time. You should have 16 rolls.
- Bake. Bake the phyllo rolls for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and serve warm with your favorite yogurt dip or sauce.
Tips for Working with Phyllo Dough
Phyllo needs a little care, but it is easier to handle than you may think. These simple tips helped me get over my own “fear of phyllo”:
- Keep it covered. Phyllo dries out quickly once exposed to the air. Cover the stack with a lightly damp clean kitchen towel whenever you are not actively removing a sheet.
- Make sure the towel is not wet. Too much moisture can make the delicate sheets stick together.
- Work with 2 sheets at a time. Layering the sheets gives each roll structure while keeping the pastry light and flaky.
- Be generous with the olive oil. Brushing the phyllo keeps the layers from drying out and helps them turn crisp as they bake.
- Handle the sheets carefully, but don’t stress. If one tears too badly to use, discard it and move on to the next. The recipe allows for a few extra sheets.
- Let the beef cool slightly. Once the meat is browned, set it aside to cool a bit before mixing it with the cheeses, eggs, dill, and olive oil.
What to Serve with Phyllo Meat Rolls
Serve these phyllo rolls warm, while the pastry is at its crispest. A cool, creamy tzatziki sauce makes a natural dip for the warmly spiced beef and salty feta filling.
For a larger appetizer spread, add creamy homemade hummus and a fresh Mediterranean cucumber and tomato salad. The cool vegetables and bright flavors balance the rich meat and cheese filling.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover phyllo rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To help restore their crisp texture, reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until heated through.
You can also reheat the rolls in an air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Avoid the microwave, which is likely to make the phyllo soggy.
More Ways to Use Phyllo Dough
Sides and Small Plates
Fennel-Olive Phyllo Cups with Whipped Goat Cheese
Appetizer and Mezze
Phyllo-Wrapped Baked Feta with Honey
Appetizer and Mezze
Sheet Pan Phyllo Pizza (Crispy Pizza Dough)
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Additional Filling Ingredients
- 5 ounces creamy feta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon dill weed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For Assembly
- 16 to 20 phyllo sheets
- 1 egg mixed with little water, for the egg wash
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Cook the beef. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté briefly. Add the ground beef, allspice, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked and browned, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix the filling. Combine the cooled beef mixture with the feta, mozzarella, 2 eggs, dill weed, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until evenly incorporated.
- Prepare the phyllo. Carefully place 16 phyllo sheets on a large tray, with more nearby if needed. Cover the stack with a lightly damp clean kitchen towel to keep the pastry from cracking or breaking.
- Cut the phyllo. Place 2 phyllo sheets on a large cutting board and brush them generously with olive oil. Cut the layered sheets straight down the middle to form 2 long strips.
- Fill and roll. Place a spoonful of the meat and cheese mixture at the short end of one strip, closest to you. Roll away from you twice. Fold both long sides inward over the filling, then continue rolling toward the opposite end.
- Brush and repeat. Brush the roll with a little more olive oil and egg wash, then place it on a large, lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the other strip and the remaining phyllo and filling, working with 2 sheets at a time. You should have 16 phyllo meat rolls.
- Bake and serve. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven and serve warm with your favorite yogurt dip or sauce.
Notes
- Keep the phyllo covered with a lightly damp kitchen towel as you work. Make sure the towel is not too wet, or the sheets may stick together.
- If a phyllo sheet tears too badly to use, discard it and continue with another sheet.
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop for our organic ground allspice and Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil.
Nutrition
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Getting ready to make this recipe…can they be made into phyllo triangles?
Sure, Marcia! I don’t see why not. Enjoy!
I want to make the Phyllo meat rolls and was wondering if you can freeze them
Hi, Bette. We haven’t tried freezing these before, but I think it would work. Once they cool down, wrap them tightly and place them in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, you can reheat them from frozen (I worry that if you thaw first, they could become soggy). Enjoy!
These were delicious. We added spinach, no egg. I was thinking about making this again with bell pepper or mushrooms too!.
Thank you for sharing.
Doesn’t work with frozen phyllo dough… I wasted a lot of ingredients because I couldn’t separate the dough… Waste of time, energy, money, and most of all expectations. I did everything according to the recipe, but nope… The dough broke, every single time and I was able to make only 2 rolls… Disappointing and saddening….
Where does it say frozen dough?
I made these but I switched out half the beef for pork. I have to say they won’t last long. Great recipe. I’ll be saving this recipe for future.
Thanks, Tracy!
Reminds of my childhood
That’s so nice to hear! Glad you enjoyd it!
love this recipe and so does my family!! thank you for sharing!
Yay! Thanks, Agata.
I recently found this recipe, meat and feta rolls, and I would like to know if I can freeze leftovers. There will be leftovers because it’s only mu husband and I. Not sure if I can freeze feta cheese. Thanks.
Yes, you can freeze leftovers for this recipe. You can also warm them up from frozen.
Haven’t made them yet, but would like to know about how much is “a spoonful” of the filling? Also, do I need to drain the ground beef after browning, or maybe before? When completed, are they very “greasy”? In other words, do I need to drain them on paper towels or anything? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi Karol, about 1 tbsp or so (you’ll want enough filling in there, but you want to be able to fully roll and secure it in). Sure, drain the ground beef.
Can I make these ahead of time and freeze them? If so at what stage would I put them in the freezer?
Hi Dee. Yes, I believe you can freeze these and bake them when needed. You can work through the recipe up to step #10 where you have finished rolling the phyllo rolls but before baking. Instead, you will want to arrange the rolls on a large baking sheet and freeze them for 2 to 3 hours, once they’re pretty much frozen, you can transfer them from the baking sheet to a tight lid container or freezer bags to save room. You can bake them from frozen, do no thaw. I’d say you can freeze them for a couple weeks no problem.
I’m going to try this later in the week. Do you have any specific ideas for sauce to go along with it?
Great! You can try Tztaziki Sauce https://www.themediterraneandish.com/tzatziki-sauce-recipe/
Thanks! That’s what we thought. We got store-bought tzatziki (due to time issues) and I cooked them in the air fryer at 370 for 12 mins. My husband ranted and raved. Thanks!
This recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.
enjoy!
Can u freeze before baking them and if so would u do the olive oil and egg wash again befor going into oven ?
Joeann, thanks for your great question. I have an aunt to prepares this in advance just as you described, leaving the milk and egg wash until ready to bake. So it is possible, but i haven’t tried it myself.
Can you freeze these?
Yes, you sure can! And simply heat in oven from frozen!
Can you make this recipe with ground turkey instead.
Sure, Mary. Ground turkey would work here as well.
Hi, I love your site and tried my hand at these phyllo dough meat rolls. Unfortunately mine turned out kind of dry, very flaky and light in colour. I’m not sure where I went wrong. I lightly brushed unsalted butter along the sheets , once it was trolled shut and then brushed with an egg wash Any advice? I wanted to make these for a dinner party on May 20th weekend. Thanks!
Saima
Hi Saima, I am not sure where you might have gone wrong here. I assume you brushed the sheets generously with olive oil to prepare them for stuffing? The only other thing is to adjust baking time or temperature as ovens vary. For color, try broiling briefly, but be watchful not to have the phyllo rolls too close to the broiler. At the party, you might like to serve these with a side of Tzatziki sauce for dipping. Here is the recipe for that: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/tzatziki-sauce-recipe/
Hi Suzy, thanks for replying 🙂 I think that’s where I went wrong. I brushed ‘lightly’ and your recipe said to brush ‘generously’…oops. I’ll definitely adjust it this weekend. Thanks for the Tzatziki sauce recipe! Cheers!