Roasted Grapes Phyllo Cup Appetizer

They’re incredibly easy to whip up in just a few minutes, and since grapes are available year-round, they’re an ideal appetizer for the holidays or a summer cocktail party.

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Here’s what you’ll need to make roasted grapes phyllo cup appetizers.  I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.

Fresh grapes. I recommend black or red grapes because they’re naturally sweeter than green grapes. They also look pretty in the phyllo cups. Make sure they’re seedless.

Blue cheese. Each cup gets a small crumble, so you don’t need much. Gorgonzola Dolce is a good choice because it’s smooth and melts nicely, but any good-quality blue cheese will work. Check out this recipe for blue cheese vinaigrette for an overview of the different flavor profiles of various types of blue cheese. 

Mini phyllo cups (or shells). These are available near the puffed pastry and frozen pie crust in the grocery freezer section. 

For a dairy-free option, you can omit the cheese. Phyllo dough is dairy-free.

Swap chopped pecans or pistachios for the walnuts. If you’re nut-free, you can also leave out the nuts.

This recipe calls for a teaspoon of honey, but if your grapes are very sweet, you can easily omit it.

I like the mild flavor of fresh thyme here, but you can also substitute a pinch (about ⅛ teaspoon) of dried thyme. Crumble it in your fingers before adding it to the pan.

Try these variations:

• Instead of grapes, substitute a peeled, chopped apple or pear. 
• Instead of sauteed fruit, fill each cup with two teaspoons of fresh cranberry orange relish.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or allspice to the fruit.
• Garnish the baked phyllo cups with a thin slice of fresh lemon or orange zest.

These roasted grapes phyllo cups come together in a few quick steps:

First, Pan roast your grapes. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and saute the grapes and thyme for about 10 minutes or until they are soft and golden. 

Second, line a baking pan with the mini phyllo cups and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Third, smash about half the roasted grapes to release their juice. Leave the rest whole.

Fourth, fill each mini phyllo cup with some smashed grapes, one whole grape, and some juice. Add a sprinkle of chopped walnuts and blue cheese to each cup. Bake them for 6-8 minutes.

Serve these mini phyllo cups warm or at room temperature. Arrange them on a platter or cheese board.

To prep this appetizer ahead, saute your grapes and refrigerate them until you’re ready to fill the phyllo cups. Once baked, the phyllo cups will start to soften after about two hours, so don't bake them until you're ready to serve.

You can use the leftover blue cheese on a cheese board or a fig and arugula salad with blue cheese.

You can also freeze blue cheese to use in another recipe. Many recipes (like my blue cheese vinaigrette salad dressing) call for just a few ounces of blue cheese, and I always have leftover cheese. I keep it in a tightly sealed container in the freezer for future recipes. 

Keep a few extra boxes of mini phyllo cups in your freezer. They’ll keep frozen for months, and you can fill them with so many sweet or savory fillings, so they’re ideal for a quick, easy appetizer.