Crispy prosciutto cups with figs and feta cheese are an elegant, sweet and savory appetizer perfect for dinner parties or holiday gatherings. Baked in the oven, these stuffed prosciutto cups create a delicious bite-sized snack where the natural sweetness of the figs pairs beautifully with the rich, salty prosciutto and the creamy, soft feta cheese.
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Italian prosciutto ham is not only delicious to eat, but when baked in the oven it crisps up to form savory cups that can be filled with various ingredients. For this recipe, I’ve chosen figs, which caramelize in the oven to enhance their natural sweetness. The feta cheese melts gradually, creating a perfect contrast that balances the flavors of the dish.
This appetizer is simple to make with just three main ingredients, yet it offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Which ingredients to use
- Prosciutto: I use thinly sliced prosciutto or Italian dry-cured ham for its delicate salty, rich taste. You can also substitute with other dry-cured ham such as French Bayonne, Spanish Serrano or Iberico ham, or German Black Forest ham.
- Figs: Use fresh figs that are ripe and juicy with a delicious sweet flavor, which can range from green to dark purple in color. Ripe figs should be soft to the touch with a tender texture.
- Feta: Opt for a block of feta cheese in brine rather than pre-crumbled feta for a richer taste and creamier texture. It’s easy enough to crumble the feta yourself.
- Oregano: I use dried oregano for its aromatic notes as it pairs great with the salty feta and sweet figs.
- Pepper: Freshly ground pepper adds a mild, earthy warmth. Since both the feta cheese and prosciutto are salty enough already I don’t add extra salt.
- Basil: For garnish, I use fresh basil leaves to add some extra freshness and vibrancy.
- Honey (optional): Honey complements the figs, prosciutto and feta cheese. Drizzle the honey over the cups before serving for extra sweetness.
How to make prosciutto cups
Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
These cups can be made using either a mini or standard muffin tray, resulting in prosciutto cups that are either small or slightly larger. For this recipe I’ve used a standard muffin tray which creates larger cups with more space for the feta and fig stuffing.
- Preheat the oven: Turn the oven to 400℉ or 200℃.
- Make the cups: To make each cup I use one thin slice of prosciutto. Cut the prosciutto in half and lay both halves crosswise in each cup of the muffin tin making sure to form a cup. Do so for each prosciutto slice.
- Stuff the cups: Chop the figs in equal pieces and stuff each cup with the diced figs. I use 1 fig per cup but this will be less if you use a mini muffin tray.
- Add the feta and seasoning: Crumble the feta over the figs and season with dried oregano and freshly ground pepper.
- Bake the cups: Place the tray in the middle of a preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy. It might not feel very crispy yet in the oven but it will after cooling down.
- Remove and cool: Take the tray from the oven and remove the cups carefully from the muffin tray. Leave to cool for a few minutes so the prosciutto can crisp up.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of honey then serve.
Tips for making the best stuffed prosciutto cups
- Prosciutto: It’s important to use thinly sliced ham which will crisp up nicely to form a cup.
- Don’t grease: Don’t grease the muffin tray as the prosciutto is already slightly greasy so will coat the muffin cups. Otherwise the prosciutto cups will come out way too greasy.
- Serve hot or cold: These fig appetizers are best served warm but can also be served when cooled down, so they’re perfect to make in advance.
- Make ahead: Leave the baked prosciutto cups to cool to room temperature and store in a sealed container in the fridge. They can be served cold or slightly warmed in the microwave, oven or airfryer.
- Seasoning: Any type of Mediterranean seasoning works with this recipe. Substitute oregano with dried basil, thyme, marjoram or parsley.
- Garnish: If honey is too sweet, an alternative can be balsamic glaze which is sweet and tangy. Opt for this homemade balsamic glaze for the best results.
More fig recipes to try
- Fresh fig salad with feta, prosciutto and arugula: Green salad with sweet figs, salty feta and delicate prosciutto ham
- Fig and ricotta tartlets: Puff pastry bites with fig and ricotta cheese
- Fig and feta salad with pomegranate: Finely sliced figs with feta cheese topped with pomegranate seeds
- Warm blue cheese and fig bruschetta: Bruschetta with a delicious combination of creamy gorgonzola and sweet figs.
Prosciutto Cup with Figs and Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 4 fresh figs
- 3 ounces (85 grams) feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 leaves fresh basil
Optional
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ or 200℃.
- Slice each prosciutto slice crosswise in half. Place 2 half slices of prosciutto cross-shaped into each cup of a muffin pan and do this for all slices. You need to make prosciutto cups so make sure the edges are up.
- Quarter the figs and add them in the prosciutto cups. One chopped fig per cup. Crumble the feta cheese on top. Sprinkle with oregano and freshly ground pepper.
- Place the muffin pan in the middle of a preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy and the figs are roasted.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Take the prosciutto cups carefully from the pan and place on a serving plate.
- Serve warm or cold with fresh basil leaves and optionally a drizzle of honey.
Notes
- Muffin pan: Depending on the size of the muffin pan, you will need 1 or 2 slices per cup. When using a mini muffin tray, add 1 prosciutto half in each cup. When using a larger muffin pan, place 2 prosciutto halves cross-wise in each cup.
- Figs: I use 1 fig per prosciutto cup
- Serve: Serve the stuffed prosciutto cups with figs preferably warm, but they can also be made ahead and served cold.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment with rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #thetastychilli and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
