If you are looking for a great seafood appetizer, this recipe for Filo-Wrapped Shrimp with Garlic Aioli is perfect for all your summer gatherings and entertaining!
Juicy, flavorful shrimp is wrapped in crispy, buttery filo, creating a wonderful texture contrast in every bite. Shrimp is mild on its own, but a sharp marinade of garlic, lemon zest, fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and olive oil, greatly imparts lots of flavor to this lean protein.
Although this dish is delicious on its own, it pairs so well with a spicy, garlicky aioli sauce that is easy to make ahead of time. The little tail of the shrimp stays intentionally outside the filo wrap and serves as a handle to pick up this yummy appetizer!
Ingredients for Filo-Wrapped Shrimp with Garlic Aioli
Choosing good quality filo pastry makes all the difference and it will make your wrapping really easy! For this recipe, I used the all purpose filo #7, by Fillo Factory.
- Filo pastry: buy one that is a medium thickness (I used Fillo Factory #7)
- Shrimp: large-sized, cooked, peeled and deveined, with the tails intact
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor
- Garlic: a couple of cloves of fresh garlic
- Lemon: the classic pairing for any seafood; zest for the marinade and juice for serving
- Spices: red pepper flakes for heat and paprika for depth of flavor
- Seasoning: sea salt
- Fresh herbs: fresh thyme (or fresh parsley)
How to Make the Filo-Wrapped Shrimp
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- Prepare the marinade and stir in the shrimp. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Score the underside of each shrimp in two to three places. This will help the shrimp stay straighter and will make it easier to wrap in filo. Cut the filo sheets into 4″ squares and stack them in a pile.
- Cut each square into two triangles. Place the shrimp towards the middle of each triangle, leaving the tail outside the base of the filo triangle. Fold one corner of each filo triangle over a shrimp. When you reach the middle of the triangle, fold down the top corner, then continue to roll the shrimp up in the filo.
- Place a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add some olive oil to a depth of about 1/4″. When the oil gets hot, shallow fry the shrimp for about 1 minute on each side.
- Shallow fry the shrimp in batches, for about 1 minute on each side, or, until the filo turns golden brown.
- Prepare the marinade and stir in the shrimp. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
How to serve it
This is a delicious appetizer on its own, served simply with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. If you have the time to make a great accompanying sauce, the following recipe for a quick garlic aioli will definitely elevate the whole dish!
Easy, Spicy Garlic Aioli Sauce
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients and refrigerate for half an hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. This is a great sauce that can be made ahead of time and will keep in the refrigerator for a week. It can also be used as a spread for chicken or turkey sandwiches, or, as an accompaniment to grilled meats or seafood.
- 2 medium cloves of garlic, grated
- 1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- a generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3/4 tsp. mustard
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup homemade or good-quality, store-bought mayonnaise
SHRIMP as A GREAT SOURCE OF HEALTHY PROTEIN
Shrimp is the most popular seafood eaten in the U.S. They are crustaceans related to crab, crawfish, and lobster. Shrimp are sustainable, nutrient-dense species, which are low in calories, rich in Omega 3s, and are a great source of lean protein. If you have never cooked with shrimp, give them a go; not only they are delicious, but they are also so easy to make!
This recipe is my new collaboration with my favorite filo brand, Fillo Factory. You can find their filo dough at many grocery stores, including Whole Foods and smaller local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to have a couple of boxes in the freezer!
- 4 sheets of filo, thawed overnight in the refrigerator (I used Fillo Factory #7)
- 24 large, cooked shrimp, shelled and deveined, with tails on
- 1 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- lemon zest from ½ lemon
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 1 TBSP. fresh thyme leaves, minced
- olive oil for the filo and for shallow frying
- 1 egg white (optional, for sealing the filo)
- --- lemon slices to serve
- Remove the filo from the refrigerator. Remove the filo dough from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using it and allow it to come to room temperature in its box. Wrap well the remaining filo and return it to the refrigerator.
- Prepare the marinade. Mix the 1 TBSP. of olive oil, grated garlic, lemon zest, paprika, chili powder, salt, and thyme in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pat the shrimp to dry it with paper towels and then fold them int0 the marinade. Set the shrimp aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Score the shrimp. Score the underside of each shrimp in two to three places with a sharp knife. This will help the shrimp stay straighter and make it easier to wrap them in the filo.
- Cut the filo sheets. Cut the filo sheets into about 4" squares with a sharp knife and stack them all in a pile.
- Wrap the filo around the shrimp. Cut each square diagonally into two triangles. Brush each triangle with some olive oil and place the shrimp in the middle, leaving the tail outside the base of the filo triangle. Fold one corner of each filo triangle over a shrimp (see photo). When you reach the middle of the triangle, fold down the top corner, then continue to roll the shrimp up in the filo. Seal that final corner with some beaten egg white.
- Cook the shrimp. When you have wrapped the rest of the shrimp in filo, it is time to cook them. Place a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add some olive to a depth of about ¼". When the oil gets hot, shallow fry the shrimp in batches, for about 1 minute on each side, or, until the filo turns golden brown.
- Remove from the skillet. Remove the shrimp from the oil with a slotted spoon, then place them on a rack to dry to allow any extra oil to drip off.
- Serve. Sprinkle some salt over the hot shrimp, squeeze some lemon juice (if desired) and enjoy! The shrimp pairs very well with a spicy garlic aioli, which you can make ahead of time!
--- You can easily defrost your frozen cooked shrimp by submerging the sealed bag with the shrimp in a bowl filled with cold water. Change the water a couple of times, until the shrimp feels soft. This will take about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.
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If you want more shrimp recipes, here are a few of my favorites to try:
- Easy Weeknight Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
- Delicious spaghetti with garlic shrimp, always a terrific option for a quick weeknight meal
- Shrimp saganaki with Feta cheese, the classic Greek dish that everybody loves
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