These Italian Ranch Phyllo Cups are bite-sized, vegetarian appetizers that are filled with flavor, simple to assemble, and add a pop of color to any spread. Use frozen mini phyllo cups and have these warm bites ready to serve in just 30 minutes!
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Frozen phyllo cups are a great base for appetizers because they look pretty but aren't a lot of work. These cheesy Italian Ranch Phyllo Cups are packed with both ranch and Italian seasoning for crave-able party food that is easy to make AND easy to eat.
These bite-sized snacks always disappear on our appetizer table, and they go great with our popular Layered Greek Dip and sweet and spicy Candied Bacon. Simply put, they are the perfect party food.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The shells are already baked, so the only real cooking your doing is warming the filling. Ready to go in 15 -20 minutes.
- Make them ahead of time! Mix the filling and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fill and bake.
- These taste great at warm or at room temperature. No need to try and keep them warm for the whole party (if they last that long)!
Ingredients
Appetizers with short ingredient lists are always a win!
Ingredient Notes
- Mayonnaise: You can use full fat, light or avocado mayo and get great results.
- Ranch Seasoning: Make sure you use powdered ranch seasoning and not actual ranch dressing.
- Cheese: I used both Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses but feel free to use one or the other, if needed.
Instructions
It only takes a few minutes to mix up the filling for these easy vegetarian appetizers.
Step 1
Add seasonings, buttermilk and mayo in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 2
Add shredded cheese, chopped red pepper, green onion, and kalamata olives to the bowl.
Step 3
Stir until thoroughly combined.
Step 4
Place one tablespoon of filling in each phyllo cup and bake at 350°F until melted and crispy.
FAQs
They are actually the same thing, just spelled differently. However you choose to spell it, it is pronounced "fee-low". The word "phyllo" loosely translates to "leaf" in Greek because the paper thin layers of phyllo pastry are used to make different desserts and appetizers.
Yes, the phyllo cups you find in the freezer aisle at the grocery store are already baked so you can eat them straight out of the package or heat them for extra crispiness. For best flavor, keep them frozen until you are ready to use them.
Yes, you can. But you must bake them and cool completely before freezing. When you are ready to use them, do not thaw first put them directly in the oven and bake until they are heated through. Do not freeze for more than a month for best flavor.
Note: Do not freeze unbaked, filled phyllo cups as the buttermilk, mayo and cheese release water when thawed and give the filling an undesirable texture.
Expert Tips
- Keep the shells frozen until 30 minutes before filling for the freshest flavor.
- Use ranch seasoning, not ranch dressing. The added liquid will make the filling too wet and result in soggy shells
- Shred your own cheese for the best flavor. The short time it takes to shred the cheese is worth it. (But pre-shredded cheese will still work.)
- Cool baked phyllo cups on a wire rack to let air circulate around the entire cup to prevent soggy shells.
Shortcuts & Substitutions
- Don't want to shred your own cheese? Use pre-shredded cheese from the dairy aisle.
- Short on time? Buy chopped red pepper and green onions from the produce section of the grocery store.
- Make the filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill the shells and bake.
- Want more protein? Add ½ cup of cooked and crumbled Italian Sausage to the filling mix.
- Don't have Monterey jack cheese? You can use all cheddar or sub in mozzarella in its place.
More Easy Appetizers
Appetizers are near and dear to our hearts (and stomachs). Check out all these stuffed figs or some of our other favorite nibbles!
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Recipe
Italian Ranch Phyllo Cups
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 green onions sliced
- ¼ cup red pepper, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives, chopped
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 30 mini phyllo cups
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, mayonnaise, ranch seasoning and Italian seasoning and whisk to combine.⅓ cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning , 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Add chopped peppers, olives, onions and shredded cheese to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine.¼ cup red pepper, , ⅓ cup kalamata olives, , ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, 3 green onions
- Place one tablespoon of filling in each phyllo cup and place on prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.30 mini phyllo cups
Notes
VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Jan says
Did you mean to include green onions in the recipe?
Thank you for catching that! Recipe updated!