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Easy Pinwheel Recipe
This pinwheel recipe has become my go-to appetizer for every party! These colorful tortilla roll-ups are loaded with Italian-inspired flavors…
This pinwheel recipe has become my go-to appetizer for every party! These colorful tortilla roll-ups are loaded with Italian-inspired flavors and look absolutely stunning on any party platter.
One of the best finger food recipes there is? A good pinwheels recipe! For years, I struggled to find the perfect pinwheel recipe that looked as good as it tasted. My early attempts were… let’s just say less than Instagram-worthy! The tortillas would unroll, the filling would ooze out, and they’d end up looking sad and misshapen.
After countless trials, I finally cracked the code to pretty and delicious pinwheels. This Italian-inspired version with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted mozzarella has become my signature party appetizer. The best part: Alex and I are sharing all the tricks to making a beautiful roll up so you’ve got perfect pinwheels for your appetizer trays!
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“Love these pinwheels! Served the Classic Pinwheels and the Black Bean Tortilla Rollups to a mixed crowd of 50+ adults and children and everyone loved them! Your website has so many amazing recipes! Thank you so much for all of the healthy lunch and snack ideas — I love your website!” -Karla
The secret to perfect pinwheels
1. Buy at least 10-inch tortillas
Size matters with pinwheels! Here’s what to know:
- Buy tortillas marked burrito size or at least 10-inch tortillas. Don’t buy the large tortillas that work for quesadillas or tacos: they’re too small and they make a roll-up that doesn’t have enough spirals.
- If you can’t find them, I recommend holding out for large tortillas if you’re serving these for entertaining. Of course if you don’t mind the look for less spirals, you can use any size you like.
2. Roll the tortillas very tightly
Many roll up recipes don’t provide any specifics on how to roll the pinwheels. But if you don’t roll it right, you’ll get haphazard looking tortilla roll ups. Here’s what to do:
- Spread on a thin layer of filling. I’ve found that ⅓ cup is a good baseline, then sprinkle any chunks of meat, cheese or veggies on top.
- Roll the tortillas as tightly as possible, especially at the beginning of the roll. If you’re not scrupulous about a tight roll at the beginning, you’ll have a hole in the roll. Then roll as tight as possible.
Tip 3: Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
The refrigeration time is important because it gives the filling time to set and makes just the right texture on the pinwheel. The 2-hour refrigeration helps the filling set and allows the tortillas soak up a bit of the moisture from the cheese filling. This causes them to puff out just a bit, which looks lovely when you cut into the pinwheel.
Flavor variations
There are lots of ingredients to customize if you want to get creative! Here are lots of ideas on how to make new flavors of pinwheels following this basic recipe:
- Mexican-style: Replace the Italian ingredients with salsa, cheddar cheese, black olives, and green onions for a southwestern twist (or try Mexican Pinwheels).
- Classic: Use cheddar cheese, add ranch seasoning to taste, use chopped red pepper, green onion and black olives as filling
- Pizza pinwheels: Spread pizza sauce over the cream cheese and add your favorite pizza toppings like pepperoni, bell peppers, and Italian cheeses.
- Spinach artichoke pinwheels: Substitute goat cheese for cream cheese and add roasted red peppers for an elegant appetizer worthy of sophisticated gatherings.
Storing leftovers
These pinwheel appetizers are perfect for entertaining because they can be made ahead:
- Make-ahead timeline: Prepare the rolls up to 24 hours in advance, but slice them just before serving for the freshest appearance.
- Storage method: Keep wrapped rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay good for up to 3 days, though the tortillas will soften over time.
- Serving presentation: Arrange on a platter with the cut sides up to show off those spirals.
- Slicing tip: Use a sharp knife and cut with a gentle sawing motion to prevent the filling from squishing out. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest slices.
Dietary notes
This pinwheel recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, find burrito-sized tortillas that are gluten-free. For vegan, use vegan cream cheese or your favorite vegan spread; omit the mozzarella or use vegan mozzarella.
Frequently asked questions
While flour tortillas work best for their flexibility, you can use whole wheat or even spinach tortillas for different flavors and colors. Just make sure they’re the large burrito size!
Don’t overfill (stick to ⅓ cup per tortilla), roll very tightly, and make sure your spinach is completely dry. Also, refrigerating long enough helps the filling set properly.
I don’t recommend freezing assembled pinwheels as the texture changes significantly.
Smaller tortillas won’t create the same impressive spiral effect, so I recommend finding 10-inch tortillas for best results.
Easy Pinwheel Recipe
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeThis pinwheel recipe has become my go-to appetizer for every party! These colorful tortilla roll-ups are loaded with Italian-inspired flavors and look absolutely stunning on any party platter.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 40 pinwheels
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 cups (5 ounces) fresh baby spinach leaves or ½ cup defrosted frozen spinach
- 4 burrito size 10-inch* flour tortillas
- 8 ounces cream cheese or soft goat cheese
- ⅓ cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil or jarred roasted red peppers
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the spinach: Place the spinach leaves in a skillet with ¼ cup water. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes until the spinach completely wilts down, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the spinach to a bowl. Add cold water to instantly cool it, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach. (If using frozen spinach, defrost it, squeeze out the liquid and finely chop it.)
- Chop the filling ingredients: Chop the sundried tomatoes or bell peppers.
- Make the filling: To a medium bowl, add the spinach, sundried tomatoes, cream cheese or goat cheese, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Mix it until it comes together into a smooth filling (we found it’s easiest to use clean hands to help break up clumps). Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired.
- Roll the pinwheels: Place a tortilla on a cutting board, and spread it with ⅓ cup of the filling. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Roll up the tortilla very tightly, making sure to keep the roll very tight at the beginning (to avoid a hole in the middle!). Repeat for all tortillas. Refrigerate in a sealed container for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to set. Slice off the ends of the rolls and discard, then slice into 3/4-inch slices to make pinwheels. They last up to 3 days refrigerated, but they taste best day of because the tortillas become softer over time.
Notes
*The 10-inch size is best for getting the best look to your pinwheels. We recommend getting this size if at all possible!
