A word of caution if you decide to make these: they’re stupidly addictive. Seriously. The recipe only makes a batch of 12 and they’re kind of meant to be party food. That means you could easily put a big dent in your supply of pre-dinner snacks intended for your guests. Consider making a double batch!
What Are Phyllo Cigars?
Phyllo cigars are little baked phyllo tubes that are stuffed with…well, just about anything! They come in sweet and savory varieties with all kinds of surprises inside. But one thing that you’ll rarely find is a vegan phyllo cigar. This recipe was the inspiration for my vegan phyllo cigars. I swapped out the feta with cashew cheese and took things up a notch by adding extra herbs. The result was delicious!
What You’ll Need
Raw cashewsWaterGarlicLemon juiceSalt & pepperKalamata olivesScallionsFresh parsleyFresh dillFrozen phylloOlive oilUnsweetened non-dairy milk
How to Make Phyllo Cigars
Refer to the following section for detailed instructions and tips, or scroll all the way to the bottom of the post if you’d like to skip to the recipe.
Make the Filling
You’ll need to soak your cashews before getting started, preferably overnight. To make your filling, drain and rinse your cashews, and add them to a food processor bowl with some water, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Blend everything up until smooth and creamy! Now add your olives, herbs, and some black pepper. Briefly blend the mixture again to chop and mix everything up. Give the mixture a taste-test and make any adjustments you deem necessary.
Make the Cigars
If you’re new to cooking with phyllo, know that it can be a little tricky! The sheets are super thin and easy to break. Have some extras on hand. You’ll also want to get a damp towel ready. Use this to cover your stack of phyllo sheets as you work, to keep them from drying out. Fire up the oven and get a baking sheet ready! Spread a phyllo sheet on the counter with a short end facing you. Brush the top half with olive oil. Now fold it in half, gently smoothing out any air bubbles. Now brush one side of the folded sheet with oil, and fold it again. You’ll end up with a four-layer phyllo rectangle. Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of your filling in a line, about a half inch from one of the shorter sides of your rectangle, then tightly roll everything up. Arrange your cigars on a baking sheet, seam-sides down, as you make them. Brush them all with some non-dairy milk before popping them in the oven. Bake the cigars until they’re browned and crispy. Let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
Can these cigars be made gluten-free? Yes, if you can find vegan and gluten-free phyllo dough. I’m not aware of any brands, but I did find this recipe that you can use to make your own.Leftovers and storage: Leftover cigars will keep for about 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge. The phyllo won’t stay super crispy, but they’ll still taste delicious. You can get some degree of recrisping by popping them in 400°F degree oven for a few minutes.Have some extra phyllo sheets on hand when you make these. I almost always break at least one!Can I use roasted cashews to make these? I don’t recommend it! Your filling will taste more like cashew butter and less like cheese. Raw cashews have a much more neutral flavor (roasting makes them taste nutty), so they work a lot better for making vegan cheese.Did you forget to soak your cashews? Try boiling them for 15 minutes instead. And next time, soak and freeze some cashews (freeze them right in the soaking water), so you’ve always got what you need on hand.Looking for more delicious vegan phyllo recipes? Try my vegan spanakopita or savory hand pies!
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