This Phyllo Appetizer combines the crispy texture of golden fillo shells with creamy melted mozzarella and vibrant fresh tomatoes for an irresistible bite. Perfect for any gathering, the cups deliver maximum flavor with minimal effort!
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🥟These appetizers come together in 10 minutes, making them perfect for last-minute entertaining or when you need something impressive without the stress!
My 2 Best Tips For Making Phyllo Appetizer
Cheese Preparation: Cut the mozzarella into uniform ¼-inch pieces to ensure even melting and proper portion size in each shell. Fresh mozzarella can be watery, so pat it dry with paper towels before dicing to prevent soggy bottoms. Room temperature cheese melts more evenly than cold, so take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking.
Shell Handling: Keep unused fillo shells covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out and becoming brittle. Fill the shells just before baking to maintain their crispiness, and don’t overfill them or the cheese will overflow. Place shells on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any cheese that might bubble over.
I like to pre-drain the tomatoes as this helps avoid the shells from getting soggy. To enhance the flavor of your bites, make sure to add basil after baking.
Stack several basil leaves and roll them tightly before slicing to create perfect ribbons (this technique is called chiffonade). Fresh basil wilts quickly on hot food, so add it just before serving for the best presentation.
Keep unused fillo shells covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out and becoming brittle. Fill the shells just before baking to maintain their crispiness, and don’t overfill them or the cheese will overflow. Place shells on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any cheese that might bubble over.
You can enjoy them as a sophisticated snack or light lunch! I love serving them with a crisp white wine or sparkling water with lemon.
🩷 Melissa
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Easy Phyllo Appetizer Bites with Fresh Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 2 plum tomatoes diced
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 boxes Athens® Mini Fillo Shells 30 shells
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese ¼″ dice
- small handful fresh basil sliced into thin ribbons
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a large bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil.
- Fill the Fillo shells with the diced mozzarella. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with prepared tomatoes.
- Bake for an additional 5 minutes to soften the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil.
Notes
Nutrition
How To Make Phyllo Appetizer
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F and mix diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a bowl.
Step 2: Fill phyllo shells with diced mozzarella and bake for 5 minutes until cheese melts.
Step 3: Top with tomato mixture and bake another 5 minutes to soften tomatoes.
Step 4: Remove from oven and top with fresh basil ribbons. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
Goat cheese, feta, or even cream cheese work wonderfully in these shells. If using harder cheeses like cheddar or gruyere, grate them finely so they melt evenly in the short baking time.
While best served immediately, you can prep the tomato mixture up to 4 hours ahead and store it covered at room temperature. However, don’t fill and bake the shells until just before serving to maintain their crispiness.
These are best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze the unbaked filled shells for up to one month. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
More Delicious Appetizers Recipes to Consider
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Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction
Barbara,
These phyllo bites look delicious. I bet they would disappear just as quickly from anyone’s game day table.
Annamaria
Liz
Pizza Margherita is a family favorite, so I know these little nibbles would be a huge hit!
Alida
I love all of your phyllo bites recipes, but this might be my favorite of them all!!
Liz@HoosierHomemade
Such a great recipe! I love those Fillo Shells with lots of different fillings!
~Liz@HoosierHomemade
Lori @ RecipeGirl
What a fun game day snack! My family would go nuts for these!
Carolyn
These look so fun and easy!
Kristen
These are just so fantastic! What great and healthy little nibblers!
Anu
They look super AWESOME!!! SO darn creative recipe!
Lisa @ Snappy Gourmet
What a great alternative to pizza just in time for the Super Bowl!
Christiane
When we were in Italy, I ate a TON of margherita pizzas. The combination of cheese, tomato and basil is just awesome. Your idea to turn that pizza into finger food with the phyllo cups is fantastic. The only problem I see is that I wouldn’t want to share the tray. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Such a lovely crunchy treat!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I’m so jealous of those phyllo shells! What a quick and easy way to look like a hero at a party. I want some!!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
So creative and fun. I would need at least 5 of these, so save some for me from your next batch!
Ciao Florentina
What a fun idea!! You just gave me another great idea to make some Phyllo style tostadas ! I could mix them up and make everyone happy!
Betty
Love these! A quick, easy and delicious treat- perfect for any party. 🙂
Linda
This looks awesome. It would be a great addition to any Super Bowl party buffet. We are kicking off a Snacks for Super Bowl XLIX party. I hope you can run on over and share this.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
cristina
Barbara…luv these little pizza bites in the phyllo shells. I have a package in the freezer right now and know just what I’m doing with them this weekend! They’re adorable (and tasty too with those ingredients!).
Rosa
Lovely bites!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amanda Paa
i wish they made gluten-free phyllo bites, but i will definitely pass this on to my friends. great recipe for superbowl gatherings!
Carol
Oh my gosh those look delicious. Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday too.