Shrimp in Phyllo Cups

Throwing parties is fantastic. Spending time prepping food for a party? Not so much. Luckily, there are plenty of easy appetizer recipes to choose from that take no time at all. Shrimp in phyllo cups are so effortless and elegant, your guests will think you worked all day in the kitchen (we won’t tell if you don’t!). Do a little prep beforehand, and you can create the savory bites just minutes before the party begins.

Ingredients for Shrimp in Phyllo Cups

• Cooked shrimp: This shrimp phyllo recipe calls for extra-small peeled and deveined shrimp, usually sold in bags marked as 61-70 per pound. Because the shrimp are finely chopped, you can use larger shrimp for this recipe. Cooking the shrimp yourself results in better taste and texture, but precooked shrimp works in a pinch.
• Celery: Finely chopped celery adds a bit of crunch to the shrimp topping. Celery is an anything-but-boring vegetable that’s great to always have on hand in your crisper. To store celery to keep it fresh, wrap whole celery in aluminum foil.
• Thousand Island salad dressing: This sweet and tangy dressing adds a ton of flavor to the shrimp cups. Use store-bought or homemade Thousand Island dressing.
• Mayonnaise: This creamy condiment adds a bit of tang to the shrimp filling. Use one of the best mayo brands or your favorite.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice adds bright citrus flavor and acidity. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible.
• Phyllo tart shells: Frozen phyllo tart shells are the key to quick-and-easy appetizers. You’ll need three packages of frozen miniature phyllo shells for this recipe—enough to feed a crowd!
• Fresh parsley: A sprinkle of parsley adds a pop of color and fresh flavor to each tartlet.

Directions

Step 1: Make the shrimp filling

In a large bowl, mix the cooked shrimp and celery. In a separate bowl, stir together the salad dressing, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Pour the dressing over the shrimp mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for one hour.

Editor’s Tip: Making the salad beforehand allows the flavors to meld and balance.

Step 2: Bake the phyllo shells

While the shrimp filling is chilling, bake and cool the tart shells according to the package directions.

Step 3: Fill the phyllo shells

Just before serving, fill the phyllo shells with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle each shrimp phyllo with parsley.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t fill the shells too far in advance, or you might end up with soggy shrimp cups.

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Shrimp in Phyllo Cups Variations

• Give them some spice: For a spicier shrimp filling, stir hot sauce or Sriracha into the dressing mixture, or add a dash of hot sauce to the top of each shrimp cup.
• Heap on the herbs: Fresh dill, tarragon or thyme would be tasty additions to these shrimp cups.
• Switch up the veggies: To pack in more crunch, add finely chopped carrot, bell pepper, cucumber or red onion.

How to Store Shrimp in Phyllo Cups

Because the phyllo cups will get soggy over time, storing the shrimp filling separately is best. Place unused shrimp filling in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to three days. Store the baked phyllo cups in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator; they’ll last two to three days, and you’ll need to reheat them before using them.

Can you reheat phyllo cups?

Because the shrimp filling is cold, it’s best to bake only as many phyllo cups as needed. These appetizers are best the day they’re made. If you have leftover shrimp filling, you can bake more phyllo cups as needed.

Can you make shrimp in phyllo cups in advance?

You can make the shrimp filling a day or two in advance. For the crispiest texture, bake the phyllo cups immediately before filling.

Shrimp in Phyllo Cups Tips

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

What’s the best way to cook shrimp for shrimp cups?

If you are using frozen cooked shrimp, you only need to allow the shrimp to thaw in the refrigerator, ideally overnight. For uncooked frozen shrimp, you have many options: Cook them on the stovetop, in the oven, in an air-fryer or on the grill. Because you’ll want to chill the shrimp before adding them to the rest of the filling, the easiest method is to boil them on the stovetop. Add the frozen or thawed shrimp to a pot of boiling water (use one quart of water per pound of shrimp). Cook them until they turn pink, about two to three minutes. Immediately transfer the shrimp to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking. Drain them and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.

What else can you use instead of phyllo cups?

Instead of phyllo cups, you could bake mini pie crusts in a muffin tin. You could also make your own phyllo shells using sheets of phyllo pastry. To do so, lay a sheet of phyllo pastry on a clean working surface and brush it with melted butter. Layer another sheet of phyllo dough on top and brush with butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets until you have five layers. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into equal-sized squares. Press each square into a mini muffin tin, and gently poke the bottom of each phyllo cup with a fork. Bake them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned. Remove the shells immediately from the muffin tin and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

What can you do with leftover shrimp filling?

Leftover shrimp salad makes an excellent filling for sandwiches or wraps. For a low-carb snack, spoon the shrimp onto a lettuce leaf or endive spear.

What else can you serve with shrimp in phyllo cups?

Shrimp in phyllo are perfect to serve with other one-bite party foods. Some other favorite crowd-pleasing appetizer recipes include a fruit and cheese platter, Buffalo chicken dip, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers and party meatballs.