Pinwheel sandwiches aka tortilla roll-ups are delicious lunch recipes or simple match day appetizers. They are pre-made and can be customized to your taste with your favorite deli meats, vegetables and cheese.
Don’t forget about the cream cheese to put these rolls up! Please read more.
Maven’s simple tips
It will soften your bread. This is important to allow you to roll up the pinwheel sandwich. I do this in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.
Use a binder. Cream cheese is my favorite “binder”, but you can get creative here. Vegan or dairy-free cream cheese spreads work, but so are hummus and azaleas. Other ideas are listed below.
Go ahead…but not too far! I like to make these up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the fridge. You can make them up to 3 days in advance, but be aware that it may mean that the wrap will get a little soaked.
Customization. Below are many pinwheel sandwich ideas, but feel free to customize them to suit your taste.
It serves as a lunch or an appetizer. These will be simple lunch recipes and finger foods on game day. My kids love these too!
Pinwheel sandwich ingredients
Base – I like to use flour tortillas as a sandwich base, but you can also use Lavash, Flatbread, or Light of Lettuce. Spreads – This is what brings together the rollup. I like to use cream cheese, but other ideas include hummus, tutsiki, babaganoushus, or plague. Meat – My taste is for smoked turkey, but you can use sliced deli meat, thinly sliced chicken, cooked bacon or smoked salmon. Cheese – Sliced cheese works here, but there’s no denying the turkey + cheddar combo! Vegetables – Usually lush greens, but if you want, you can also use thinly sliced peppers, cucumbers, or fine carrots.
How to make a pinwheel sandwich
Step 1: Spread evenly
Soften the tortilla with microwaves for 30-40 seconds. Spread the soft cream cheese in an even layer over all four tortillas. Sprinkle evenly with ranch seasonings (or everything except bagel seasonings) over the tortilla.
Step 2: Add meat, cheese + vegetables
Two slices of turkey, two slices of cheese, along the bottom layer of a small spinach tortilla layer.
Step 3: Roll + Slice
Roll up the tortilla from the bottom into a log, then slice it into a 1-inch pinwheel
Simple swaps and replacements
Swap meat – Make another deli meat, such as chicken, salami, ham, etc., work in place of smoked turkey. Smoked salmon is also a creative alternative!
Change vegetables – I like to use spinach, but lush greenery works with these.
Use another cheese – sliced cheese works here.
Switch sauce – Instead of using cream cheese, you can replace it with hummus if you like. Tutuchiki would be just as great as pesto and other creamy sauces.
Add pickles – I love adding pickles sourness to the turkey pinwheel sandwich. We recommend using sliced bread and butter pickles.
Add Bacon – You can always add pre-cooked bacon and chopped bacon to serve “cob salad” type flavors to your pinwheel sandwich.
FAQ
The pinwheel sandwich is a tightly rolled sandwich made from wrap, tortillas or flatbread, and is named because it is cut into rounds. Usually it contains some kind of meat, cheese, vegetables, soaked or sauce.
yes. Pinwheel sandwiches can be configured up to one day. Note that we do not recommend making it more than 24 hours in advance as the longer they sit on it becomes softer the more.
I personally like to use flour tortillas as wrap in pinwheel sandwiches. Variations such as spinach and sandrite tomato tortillas can be used. You can also subdue with gluten-free wrap or lavash wrap if you like. Make sure to microwave it before rolling.
Yes – It helps to omit cheese and use hummus instead of cream cheese to combine sandwiches.
No, you don’t! I like the flavor it adds. Feel free to skip if necessary.
Storage Instructions
You can store pinwheel sandwiches in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 24 hours. They last longer (like for 2-3 days), but the longer you sit, the softer the softer it may be.
It is not recommended to freeze these.
More Sandwich Recipes:
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Pinwheel sandwich recipe
Pinwheel sandwiches aka tortilla roll-ups are delicious lunch recipes or simple match day appetizers. They are pre-made and can be customized to your taste with your favorite deli meats, vegetables and cheese.
Author: Davida Lederle Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 min
Total time: 10 minutes
yield: 4 Serving 1x
category: lunch
method: roll
cooking: Americans
4 Large flour tortilla (or lava or flatbread)
8 oz Soft cream cheese
1 tablespoon Everything except ranch seasonings or bagel seasonings
8 Slices to smoke turkey (or other deli meat)
8 Sliced Cheddar Cheese (or other sliced cheese)
1–2 Cup baby spinach
Soften the tortilla with microwaves for 30-40 seconds. Spread the soft cream cheese in an even layer over all four tortillas. Sprinkle equally with ranch seasonings on top of the tortilla. Two slices of turkey, two slices of cheese, along the bottom layer of a small spinach tortilla layer. Roll up the tortilla from the bottom into a log, then slice it into a 1-inch pinwheel. Serve immediately or store in the fridge 24 hours a day.
Note: Cream cheese holds these pretty well, but if you have problems, you can keep them together using a toothpick inserted in the middle.
