15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (2024)

Chicken Phyllo Turnovers

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (1)

Credit: Christopher Testani; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Phyllo dough is what flaky, mouthwatering dessert dreams are made of. Use this store-bought pastry dough to make desserts (like these decadentChocolate-Pecan Phyllo Turnovers), appetizers (these Air Fryer Spanakopita Bites are incredibly easy), main dishes (Chicken Pot Pie, anyone?), and more.

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Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Parmesan Rolls

Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Parmesan Rolls

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (2)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Parmesan Rolls Recipe

Make an easy meatless appetizer stuffed with veggies. The filling is a mix of ricotta, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and spices that's packaged jelly-roll fashion with small sheets of phyllo. Soak the tomatoes in advance, or substitute well-drained oil-packed sun dried tomato strips.

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Cherry-Apricot Turnovers

Cherry-Apricot Turnovers

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (3)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke

Cherry-Apricot Turnovers Recipe

Top a layer of phyllo with a vibrant filling of brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, cherries, and apricots. They bake in 15 minutes and freeze easily in zip top plastic bags, so make extra to save time when the next craving hits.

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Pork Tenderloin in Phyllo

Pork Tenderloin in Phyllo

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (4)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke

Pork Tenderloin in Phyllo Recipe

Fancy enough for company but easy to pull off on a weeknight, this no-fuss entrée is made by wrapping sheets of phyllo around whole pork tenderloin. Check to make sure your oven is calibrated to the right temperature if you want the phyllo to brown nicely. Serve with hot mango chutney to bring out the sweet flavor of the phyllo.

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Chicken Potpie

Chicken Potpie

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (5)

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Chicken Potpie Recipe

To make this pie quick enough for a weeknight, use leftover or rotisserie chicken and microwave frozen potatoes and veggies for the filling. The phyllo crust is simplicity itself–just sheets of phyllo layered on top. One assembled, bake time is a quick 30 minutes.

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Apples Baked in Phyllo with Pear-and-Pecan Filling

Apples Baked in Phyllo with Pear-and-Pecan Filling

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (6)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Apples Baked in Phyllo with Pear-and-Pecan Filling Recipe

This pretty apple dumpling-like dessert is made by stuffing diced pears, pecans, and a splash of brandy into cored Granny Smith apples and then wrapping each one with a sheet of phyllo sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. No cutting or elaborate twisting required. Add a dollop of whipped topping and serve.

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Greens-and-Cheese Pie (Hortopita)

Greens-and-Cheese Pie (Hortopita)

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (7)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Greens-and-Cheese Pie (Hortopita) Recipe

While plenty of spinach and feta pies are passed off as Greek inventions, this flavorful vegetarian main dish is the real thing. A combination of spinach, tangy mustard greens, sweet fennel, feta and herbs, its flavors are sinfully lush. Even better, the phyllo sheets don't need to be cut or wrapped. This recipe requires a little bit of preparation, but the show-stopping result is a guaranteed pleaser for family dinners or nights when company's coming.

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Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (8)

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Apple Strudel Recipe

Why mess with old-fashioned pastry dough when you can make an easier and healthier strudel with sheets of phyllo dough? Even better, the filling is super simple to make with just six ingredients: apples, butter, sugar, golden raisins and cinnamon.

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Chocolate-Pecan Phyllo Turnovers

Chocolate-Pecan Phyllo Turnovers

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (9)

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Chocolate-Pecan Phyllo Turnovers Recipe

Pecan pie fans will love these sweet little turnovers. Each phyllo triangle is filled with a mixture of toasted nuts, cinnamon, cardamom, honey, and chocolate chips, making them gooey on the inside and crisp on the outside. Allow the phyllo to fully thaw overnight in the refrigerator so that it will be less prone to sticking together.

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Skillet Vegetable Pie

Skillet Vegetable Pie with Goat Cheese

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (10)

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Skillet Vegetable Pie Recipe

Crisp, buttery phyllo makes a beautiful crust for this veggie-filled skillet pie—no dough-making required. A meatless meal doesn’t mean it has to be skimpy, and even though this filling is meatless, broccolini, butternut squash, and mushrooms make it hearty and satisfying.

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Air Fryer Spanakopita Bites

Air Fryer Spanakopita Bites

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Credit: Karen Rankin

Air Fryer Spanakopita Bites Recipe

Is there anything your air fryer can’t do? Soup, probably. It would be terrible at soup. But it can rock out these super-crunchy spanakopita bites! These savory Greek phyllo pastries are filled with spinach and salty cheeses with just a little hit of lemon and heat.

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DIY Toaster Strudel

how to make toaster strudel video hero

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (12)

Credit: Photo by Time Inc. Video Studios

DIY Toaster Strudel Recipe

It’s actually way easier than it looks: Start with frozen phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter. Then fold the pastry and brush with egg wash. Add a bit of cream cheese and jam (or just jam. Or Nutella. Or peanut butter. Or apple butter. Or—OK, anything you want). Fold the phyllo around the fillings and bake the pastry until golden brown.

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Fried Feta with Honey Is the Sweetest Breakfast

EC: Fried Feta with Honey Is the Sweetest Breakfast

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (13)

Credit: All Photos by Teresa Sabga

Fried Feta with Honey Is the Sweetest Breakfast Recipe

Although the cheese softens as it fries, it still manages to hold its shape and remain sharp and salty. The golden phyllo crust adds a delightful crunch. It’s then smothered in honey for good measure and ultimate happiness.

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Caramel Apple Rose Tart

EC: How to Turn Caramel Apples Into a Rose Tart

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (14)

Credit: Photos by Teresa Sabga

Caramel Apple Rose Tart Recipe

This easy Pinterest-inspired dessert recipe tastes of autumn and, despite your skepticism, it will NOT fail. Phyllo dough cups are filled with apples drowned in caramel. If you’re not into phyllo dough, a buttery and flaky pie crust will work too. We tried this apple recipe with a few varieties and found that Granny Smith were our favorite.

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Little Lamb Pastries

Little Lamb Pastries

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (15)

Credit: Brain Woodco*ck; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Little Lamb Pastries Recipe

The filling is based on picadillo, a Latin dish of ground meat with flavorings that vary by region. This version, with sweet raisins and salty olives, is Cuban-influenced. You can freeze unbaked pastries up to a month ahead; bake from frozen for a few minutes longer.

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Chicken Phyllo Turnovers

Chicken Phyllo Turnovers

15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (16)

Credit: Christopher Testani; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Chicken Phyllo Turnovers Recipe

This appetizer is based on bisteeya, a traditional Moroccan pastry that pairs savory, spiced meat and flaky phyllo with a dusting of cinnamon and powdered sugar. Make ahead: Freeze unbaked pastries for up to 1 month; bake frozen, unthawed pastries 5 additional minutes or until browned.

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15 Phyllo Dough Recipes You'll Love (2024)

FAQs

How many layers of phyllo dough should I use? ›

Typically, phyllo dishes should have a finished thickness of 3 to 10 sheets per layer. (A one-pound box of phyllo contains about 20 sheets.) Tip: Phyllo pastries can often be very brittle when baked. We recommend using a serrated knife to cut the finished dish to prevent all of the filling from squishing out.

Why do you put vinegar in phyllo dough? ›

The acids in vinegar also help increase the flexibility of gluten so the dough stretches more easily. Traditionally, filo was made by hand, stretching the mixture into sheets with one's knuckles, rather than the fingertips that are more likely to cause tears.

Is it better to use butter or olive oil for phyllo dough? ›

Tip #2: Add Butter or Oil for Flaky Phyllo Layers

For those who don't want to use dairy, you can substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter. Just make sure you're doing one or the other—you will not achieve that delicious, flaky texture without the extra fat!

Which is healthier phyllo or puff pastry? ›

Even better, switch your pastry from shortcrust or puff to filo. This is the lowest-fat pastry by far, with 2.9g fat per 100g. This compares with 26.2g for puff or 31.4g for shortcrust. Filo is the lowest-calorie option too, and it's easy to use.

Do you have to butter each layer of phyllo? ›

In order to get golden, individual layers, you need to brush each layer of phyllo with butter or oil. Use a pastry brush, and remember that each sheet will soak up around 1 Tbsp. of fat, so plan accordingly.

What do you brush on phyllo dough when layering? ›

Phyllo needs butter or olive oil brushed between all sheets to get it's crispy texture. If they are sticking together, two sheets can be used at once and it will work. I use sweet unsalted butter, or extra-virgin olive oil. Use a soft bristle pastry brush, so not to tear the dough.

Do you thaw phyllo dough before using? ›

Bring phyllo dough to room temperature prior to use (about 2 hours). Phyllo must be completely thawed and at room temperature for best results. Unopened phyllo has a refrigerated shelf life of 4 weeks thus it can be on hand and ready to use whenever needed.

How do you crisp phyllo? ›

Lay 1 sheet of Phyllo on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Repeat to form a six-sheet stack of Phyllo. Bake the layered Phyllo for about 15 minutes or until fully browned and crisp throughout.

Why did my pie dough turn GREY? ›

“Well-wrapped, pie dough can be stored in the fridge for two to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months,” says David. “After day three in the fridge, you can expect your dough to oxidize, turning a grayish color.” This is completely normal, but can be postponed by adding a bit of vinegar to your recipe.

Why do Italians use olive oil instead of butter? ›

In Italy, meat consumption was forbidden during Lent, so people reached for fish and vegetables instead. To prepare these foods, they began using olive oil since it was the only fat not sourced from animals.

Do you brush filo with egg or butter? ›

Filo Pastry contains virtually no fat but a light brushing of melted butter, ghee or oil imparts a sheen to the baked recipe and adds to the eating qualities.

How do you moisten phyllo dough? ›

Bring the packaged phyllo to room temperature before opening and using. Remove the thawed phyllo from the package and unroll the sheets. Cover the unrolled phyllo with a sheet of waxed paper covered by a damp towel to keep it moist.

Is Pepperidge Farm puff pastry the same as phyllo? ›

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily.

Can diabetics eat phyllo dough? ›

The phyllo dough topping is infinitely more interesting than a standard crust. This recipe and other comfort food favorites made for people with diabetes is available in The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook.

Is filo pastry bad for cholesterol? ›

And there are reasons to feel good about phyllo: Because the dough has no trans fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol and just 160 calories per 5 sheets, it makes the perfect substitute for puff pastry, ready-made piecrusts and refrigerated pie dough.

How many layers of phyllo are there? ›

Phyllo dough is usually found in the frozen food section, either in flat squares or in rolls. One package contains dozens of paper-thin sheets of phyllo. Most preparations use 5 or more of these sheets stacked together. These sheets can become gummy if too damp or brittle if too dry.

How to layer phyllo dough? ›

The magic of phyllo sheets comes in the layering. You'll brush oil or melted butter between each layer of phyllo. I'm using olive oil for this spinach pie. Oil the dish, add a sheet of phyllo, brush with oil, top with another phyllo sheet and repeat.

How many layers of puff pastry do you use? ›

This expands the space between the flour layers. Ultimately, in classic puff pastry, you want to create 729 layers of folded dough. Seems like overkill, but all of those hundreds of layers are what create pâte feuilletée's ethereally light and delicate flakiness.

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