Caramelized celery root {celeriac}, roasted mushrooms, goat cheese, sweet and smokey date BBQ sauce, and spicy crispy garlic and chili oil... I could eat every single component in these crispy baked wonton cups all by their lonesome and be perfectly happy.

BUT, put them all together in a crispy wonton shell and you have a two-bite explosion of flavor that's built to impress.

A tray of Roasted Celery Root, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Wonton Cups with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil.

Whole Roasted Celery Root is a Revelation to Me

I was first introduced to the idea of roasting whole celery root in one of my all-time favorite plant-based cookbooks - Ottolenghi Flavor. It's hard to imagine the transformation that a humble celery root undergoes when rubbed with olive oil and salt and allow to roast for a couple of hours.

Celery Root (celeriac) is a knobby, strange looking root vegetable that doesn't look, on the surface, like it has much potential. But, pop it in the oven and let it roast for a few hours and it turns into this rich, creamy, caramelized delicacy that I can happily make an entire meal of.

In order to allow all the natural sugars in celeriac to carmalize and the flesh to get soft and creamy, you've got to let it roast for quite some time. But the preparation couldn't be easier.

Thoroughly scrub the outside of the celery root. Fill a large bowl with water and set it inside the sink. Plop in your celery root and start scrubbing. You can either use the rough side of a clean kitchen sponge or a vegetable scrubber. You'll be surprised at how dirty your water gets - it is a root vegetable after all. Pat the celeriac dry with paper towels.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Set the celery root on a piece of aluminum foil that's big enough to enclose it.
Drizzle some olive oil over the celery root, turning it around in the oil to coat. Then, sprinkle it all over with salt.
Wrap the foil up and around the celery root, enclosing it completely. Set it on the baking sheet and pop it in the oven.
Let it roast for 2 - 3 hours, until extremely soft, creamy and caramelized.

Sprinkling salt onto a whole celery root on a piece of aluminum foil.

A whole celery root wrapped in aluminum foil, ready to roast.

Three whole roasted celery roots on a cutting board.

So... roasted celery root can kind of look like a heart. Depending on who you are, this might be off putting. I found it slightly disturbing. But I got over it when I cut into it and took a bite, and had to force myself to not eat the whole thing right then and there. Seriously. So delicious.

Slicing a whole roasted celery root with a knife.

Slices of a whole roasted celery root on a cutting board.

Date BBQ Sauce is Sweet, Smokey, a Little Bit Spicy, and a Whole Lotta YUM.

Since I began working on this recipe, I've made the date BBQ sauce multiple times and put it over whatever we happened to have in our refrigerator. Here's what I've learned: It can make practically anything taste amazing.

Making the sauce is a super simple two-step process that takes about 15 minutes, and it will keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 days (probably longer).

Simply cook some chopped shallots and garlic in oil before adding Aleppo pepper, paprika, cumin, balsamic vinegar, water, and dates.
Let the whole thing simmer for a few minutes then add a squeeze of lime juice and puree it in a food processor.

That's it. Easy-peasy.

In these little appetizers, the sauce adds a sweet smokiness that brings out all the best qualities of the caramelized veggies and spicy chili oil.

Crispy Garlic and Aleppo Pepper Oil

If you're not yet on the Aleppo Pepper train, get on board this minute, because you're missing out. Aleppo pepper has a similar flavor profile to ancho peppers, but it's more mild and a little bit fruity.

The thing I love most about Aleppo Pepper is how much flavor you get for the amount of heat the pepper packs. Aleppo is about half as hot as crushed red chili flakes but packs double the flavor.

To make this flavored oil, simmer a healthy dose of Aleppo pepper with some coriander, salt, and garlic, until the flavor of the spices has been throughly infused into the oil and the garlic is deliciously crispy. Drizzle it over these little wonton cups to finish them off with a powerful punch of flavor, a bit of heat, and a nice garlicky crunch.

Psssssst! If you make a bit of extra chili oil it is absolutely FABULOUS as a dipping oil for bread or tortillas.

Stirring crispy garlic and Aleppo pepper chili oil in a small saucepan.

How to make Crispy Baked Wonton Cups!

Baked wonton cups couldn't be easier and they make the perfect container for appetizers and other finger food. Simply brush a wonton wrapper with oil and press it into a muffin tin. The oil makes the wonton wrapper nice and soft and slightly sticky, so it stays put when pressed into the tin.

Brushing a wonton wrapper with olive oil.

Pressing a wonton wrapper that's been coated in olive oil into a muffin tin.

Once all the muffin cups have been lined with wonton wrappers, put the pan in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Freshly baked crispy wonton shells in a muffin tin.

Then, simply fill them with goat cheese, BBQ covered roasted veggies, and even more date BBQ sauce. Pop them back in the oven to bake for another 8 minutes.

A crispy wonton shell with a teaspoon of goat cheese inside.

Roasted Celery Root, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Wonton Cups with Date BBQ Sauce in a muffin tin, ready to be baked.

Drizzle them with fresh lime juice, crispy garlic and chili oil, and some minced scallions.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy. Repeat.

Picking up a Roasted Celery Root, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Wonton Cup with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil

Someone holding a Roasted Celery Root, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Wonton Cup with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil on a cloth napkin.

Where Can You Buy Wonton Wrappers?

One time I tried to make wonton wrappers from scratch. It was a whole lotta work and they weren't even that good. Lesson learned. Happily, most supermarkets stock packages of pre-made wonton wrappers.

Most of the time they're in the refrigerated section of the produce department, close to the fresh herbs and other specialty items.

If your local market doesn't have wonton wrappers, you can use egg roll wrappers instead. Simply cut each egg roll wrapper in quarters to make them a similar size to wonton wrappers.

More small bite recipes

Potato-and-Mozzarella Croquettes Recipe

Photo Credit: www.foodandwine.com

These light and cheesy fried potato croquettes are breaded twice: They’re dredged in bread crumbs, dipped in beaten eggs seasoned with mustard and garlic, then dredged in bread crumbs once more. The payoff is a supercrisp, flavorful crust for the filling of soft mashed potato and melted cheese.

Spanish Avocado Smoked Salmon Bites

These little Smoked Salmon Appetizers are bursting with mind blowing amounts of flavor and guaranteed to impress. Homemade Cheddar and Chili Crackers are topped with a dollop of garlic mayonnaise, a slice of avocado, a few flakes of chili smoked salmon, and a spoonful of Chimichurri Sauce.

Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Cranberry Relish

Slices of toasted baguette spread with a thick layer of savory seasoned mayonnaise, a handful of peppery arugula, medallions of crispy panko fried chicken, and spicy cranberry relish.

Ham and Cheese Hand Pies with Butternut Squash and Green Chilies

Applewood smoked ham, sharp cheddar cheese, butternut squash, and spicy green chilies wrapped in pastry that’s nearly as buttery and flaky as a croissant.

Orange Cedar Roasted Salmon Appetizers with Almond Salsa

Homemade cheddar crackers are topped with garlic mayonnaise, fresh cilantro, orange slices, almond chili salsa and tender flakes of Cedar Roasted Applewood Salmon with Orange and Ginger.

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.

Yield: 24 wonton cups

Caramelized Celery Root Wonton Cups with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil

Rich, caramelized vegetables, goat cheese, sweet and smokey date BBQ sauce, and spicy crispy garlic and chili oil... I could eat every single component in these crispy baked wonton cups all by their lonesome and be perfectly happy. BUT, put them all together in a crispy wonton shell and you have a two-bite explosion of flavor that's built to impress.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 4 hours

Ingredients

For the celery root, mushroom, and date BBQ sauce filling:

2 Lbs Celery root (1 large, 2 medium, or 3 small)
3 ½ tablespoon + ¼ cup Olive Oil, divided
Salt
8 Oz Sliced Mushrooms
½ cup chopped shallot
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup water
¾ cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon lime juice

For the Crispy Garlic and Chili Oil:

½ cup evoo
3 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
2 teaspoon ground coriander
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse ground salt

To Assemble:

24 Wonton wrappers
About 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
6 oz goat cheese
2-3 fresh limes, cut into quarters
½ cup chopped chives

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
Fill a large bowl with water, drop in the celery root and scrub it well with a clean kitchen sponge or vegetable brush. Pat dry with paper towels. Set the celery root on a square of aluminum foil that's big enough to completely enclose it. If you're working with more than one root, set each on their own piece of foil. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoon of olive oil, rolling it around in the oil to coat. Sprinkle on all sides with a generous amount of salt. Fold the foil up and over the celery root to enclose it loosely. (See photos above.) Set the packet(s) on the baking sheet and roast for 2 hours.
Toss the sliced mushrooms with 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. After the celery root has roasted for 2 hours, remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the mushrooms out onto the sheet, next to the celery root. Put the pan back in the oven and let roast for 30 minutes longer. Let cool. (Can be done in advance; see note below.)
Make the Date BBQ Sauce: Add ¼ cup oil, shallot and garlic to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Cook until the shallot is soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, paprika, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pan and cook 1 minute longer. Add the vinegar, water, and dates and bring to a simmer. Let simmer gently for about 8 minutes, until the dates are soft. Let cool for at least 10 minutes then add to a food processor along with the lime juice and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt and/or lime juice if desired. (Can be done in advance; see note below.)
Make the chili and garlic oil: Add all the ingredients to a small skillet and set it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, with a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until the garlic is crispy, about 10 min. Let cool. Gentle simmer so spices don’t burn.
Sice off the ends of the celery root, cut it into 1-inch cubes, and add the cubes to a large bowl. (No need to peel the celery root once it's been roasted.) Roughly chop the mushrooms add them to the bowl with the celery root cubes. Toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Pour in ¾ cup of the date BBQ sauce and toss gently to coat. (Can be done in advance; see note below.)
Make crispy wonton cups: Heat oven to 375. Brush both sides of 12 wonton wrappers with a bit of oil and tuck each into a cup of a 12-cavity muffin tin. (See step-by-step photos above.) Bake for about 8 minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy throughout. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. If the bottoms aren't quite crisp, but the tops are starting to get too brown, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Remove from the oven, but leave the wonton cups in the muffin tins. Repeat with the remaining 12 wonton wrappers. (Can be done in advance; see note below.)
To assemble the appitizers: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Leaving the crispy wonton wrappers in the muffin tins, add about 1 teaspoon of goat cheese to the bottom of each cup, distributing it evenly between all 24 cups. Top with enough of the vegetable mixture to fill the cups, then spoon about 1 teaspoon of the remaining Date BBQ sauce sauce over each one. Place one muffin tin in the oven at a time and bake for for 8 minuntes. Remove from the oven, squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice over each one. Use the corners to lift the cups from the pan and set them on a serving tray. Drizzle with garlic chili oil, sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon of chives, and serve.

Notes

Make Ahead Prep Instructions:

The celery root and mushrooms can be roasted up to 48 hours in advance. Follow the recipe instructions through step # 3, then cover the vegetables and store in the refrigerator.
The Date BBQ Sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in a covered container or jar in the refrigerator.
After the veggies have been roasted, chopped, and coated in BBQ sauce (Step #6), the mixture can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
The wonton cups can be baked until crisp up to 24 hours in advance. Leave in the muffin tin, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature until ready to fill.

Cocktail Pairing Suggestions:

Sparkling Negroni. The Negroni cocktail is made of one part gin, one part sweet vermouth, and one part Campari. In this sparkling version, the traditional cocktail mix is topped with prosecco.

The Quarter Horse. The Quarter Horse Cocktail is a delicious blend of bourbon, ginger beer, Rose’s lime juice, and angostura bitters.

Caramelized Celery Root Wonton Cups with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil

Whole Roasted Celery Root is a Revelation to Me

Date BBQ Sauce is Sweet, Smokey, a Little Bit Spicy, and a Whole Lotta YUM.