Golden Winter Spring Rolls- Butternut Squash, Chicken and Feta Phyllo Bundles
Cozy, Festive and Bake from Frozen. Let’s get Christmas entertaining rolling. These Golden Winter Spring Rolls are everything we love about Christmas parties. Bake with warm spices, sweet roasted squash, creamy feta, and buttery phyllo. They’re elegant but easy to prep on a quiet Sunday afternoon and frozen for a later date. I like to double the recipe because the freeze and bake so well.
Why You’ll Love These
Make-ahead Friendly – Freeze them and bake straight from frozen
Holiday Flavours – Sage, squash, honey and chili flakes
Elegant but Simple – They look festive but are really easy, nothing fancy in whipping these up
Is This Recipe For You
Prep Time: 24 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 24 spring rolls
Occasion: Holiday entertaining, Thanksgiving appetizers, Christmas parties, fall gatherings, cocktail parties, make-ahead freezer appetizers.
What Do You Need
Fresh
- butternut squash
- chicken thighs
- onion
- garlic cloves
- sage
- feta
- phyllo pastry
- butter
From the Pantry
- olive oil
- honey
- cashews
- chili flakes
- sesame seeds
Prep Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Serves
24 spring rolls
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, cubed (3-4 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for frying
- 2 Tbsp honey, divided
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cashews
- 1 handful sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
For Assembly
- 10 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup melted butter ( you may need more to keep the phyllo pliable for folding)
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Steps
1
Make the Filling
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cubed squash with 2 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp honey. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-22 minutes, until golden and soft.
While the squash roasts, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Pan-sear or roast until fully cooked. Chop or shred into small pieces.
Sauté the the onion in a little oil in a skillet. Sauté until soft, add garlic and chopped cashews. Cook until golden and fragrant; about 5 minutes. Sir in the sage and chili flakes. Add 1 Tbsp honey to glaze everything lightly. Remove from heat
2
Mix the Filling
Combine in a large bowl: Roasted Squash, Cooked Chicken, Onion-nut Mixture, Crumbled Feta.
Taste and adjust seasoning ( more chili flakes, honey or sage if desired)
3
Assembling the Spring Rolls
Keep the phyllo covered with a barely damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
Use 1 heaping Tbsp of filling per spring roll.
- Lay out one phyllo sheet.
- Brush lightly with melted butter
- Place 1 heaping Tbsp of filling at the bottom of the sheet
- Roll up tightly like a cigar
- Halfway through rolling, fold in the sides to seal.
- Finish rolling and place seam-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush the top with a little butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Repeat until filling is used.
4
How to Freeze
Lay rolls in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Freeze for 2-3 hours until solid.
Transfer to a labeled freezer bag or container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months
5
Bake from Frozen
No thawing needed. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rolls on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and crisp. For extra browning, broil for 1 minute. Watch closely.
Tips and Tricks
Serve the spring rolls with a homemade cranberry sauce. Other options could be a hot honey drizzle, mint yogurt dip, or a garlic aioli.
FAQ
Can I make these vegetarian? Yes. Just leave out the chicken. You don’t have to make any other changes.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 small butternut squash peeled, cubed (3-4 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for frying
- 2 Tbsp honey divided
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cashews
- 1 handful sage leaves finely chopped
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chili flakes adjust to taste
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
For Assembly
- 10 sheets phyllo pastry thawed
- 1/2 cup melted butter you may need more to keep the phyllo pliable for folding
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cubed squash with 2 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp honey. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-22 minutes, until golden and soft.
- While the squash roasts, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Pan-sear or roast until fully cooked. Chop or shred into small pieces.
- Sauté the the onion in a little oil in a skillet. Sauté until soft, add garlic and chopped cashews. Cook until golden and fragrant; about 5 minutes. Sir in the sage and chili flakes. Add 1 Tbsp honey to glaze everything lightly. Remove from heat
Mix the Filling
- Combine in a large bowl: Roasted Squash, Cooked Chicken, Onion-nut Mixture, Crumbled Feta.
- Taste and adjust seasoning ( more chili flakes, honey or sage if desired)
Assembling the Spring Rolls
- Keep the phyllo covered with a barely damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Use 1 heaping Tbsp of filling per spring roll.
- Lay out one phyllo sheet.
- Brush lightly with melted butter
- Place 1 heaping Tbsp of filling at the bottom of the sheet
- Roll up tightly like a cigar
- Halfway through rolling, fold in the sides to seal.
- Finish rolling and place seam-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush the top with a little butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Repeat until filling is used.
How to Freeze
- Lay rolls in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Freeze for 2-3 hours until solid.
- Transfer to a labeled freezer bag or container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months
Bake from Frozen
- No thawing needed. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rolls on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and crisp. For extra browning, broil for 1 minute. Watch closely.
Join the Conversation
Have you made these for a holiday party or a freezer-stash night? If you did some twists please share them.
