Pinwheel sandwiches aka tortilla roll-ups are a delicious lunch recipe or easy game-day appetizer. They can be made in advance and customized to your liking with your preferred deli meat, veggies and cheese.
Don’t forget the cream cheese to keep these roll-ups holding together! Read on for more.
Maven’s Quick Tips
Soften your bread. This is critical to ensure you can roll-up your pinwheel sandwiches. I do this for 30-40 seconds in the microwave.
Use a binder. Cream cheese is my preferred “binder” but you can get creative here. Vegan or dairy-free cream cheese spread works but so does hummus or even tzatziki. More ideas are listed below.
Make ahead…but not too far ahead! I like to make these up to 24 hours in advance and store in the fridge. You can make them up to 3 days in advance but note that it may mean the wraps get a little soggy.
Customize. Lots of pinwheel sandwich ideas below but feel free to customize to your liking.
Serve as lunch or appetizers. These make an easy lunch recipe or finger food for game day. My kids love these too!
Ingredients in Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Base – I like using flour tortillas as my sandwich base but you can also use lavash, flatbread or even large pieces of lettuce.
- Spread – this is what keeps your roll-up together. I like use cream cheese but other ideas include hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush, or even pesto.
- Meat – My preference is for smoked turkey but you can use any sliced deli meat, thinly sliced chicken, cooked bacon or even smoked salmon.
- Cheese – any sliced cheese works here but I can’t deny a turkey + cheddar combo!
- Veggies – typically leafy greens but you can also use thinly sliced peppers, cucumbers or shredded carrot if desired.
How to Make Pinwheel Sandwiches
STEP 1: SPREAD EVENLY
Soften your tortillas in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. Spread your softened cream cheese in an even layer over all 4 tortillas. Sprinkle ranch seasoning (or everything but the bagel seasoning) equally over tortillas.
STEP 2: ADD MEATS, CHEESE + VEGGIES
Along the bottom layer of the tortilla layer on 2 slices of turkey, 2 slices of cheese and a small handful of spinach.
STEP 3: ROLL + SLICE
Starting from the bottom roll up your tortilla into a log and then slice into 1-inch pinwheels
Easy Swaps & Substitutions
Swap the meat – Add a different deli meat like chicken, salami or ham will work in place of smoked turkey. Smoked salmon would be a creative substitute too!
Change the veggies – I like using spinach but any leafy green will work in these.
Use a different cheese – Any sliced cheese will work here.
Switch the sauce – instead of using cream cheese you can replace it with hummus, if desired. Tzatziki would also be great as would pesto or any other creamy sauce.
Add pickles – I love adding the acidity of pickles to my turkey pinwheel sandwiches. I’d recommend using sliced bread and butter pickles.
Add bacon – to give your pinwheel sandwiches more of a “cobb salad” type flavor you can always add cooked and chopped bacon.
FAQs
Pinwheel sandwiches are tightly rolled sandwiches made in a wrap, tortilla or flatbread and then cut into rounds – hence the name! They typically include some type of meat, cheese, veggies and dip or sauce.
Yes. Pinwheel sandwiches can be made up to a day in advance. Note that they will soften the longer they sit so I don’t recommend making them more than 24 hours before.
I personally like using flour tortillas as my wrap for pinwheel sandwiches. You can use any of the varietals like spinach or sundried tomato tortillas. You could also sub in gluten-free wraps or lavash wraps, if desired. Just be sure to soften them in the microwave before rolling.
Yes – simply omit the cheese and use hummus in place of cream cheese to help bind the sandwiches together.
No you do not! I just like the flavor it adds. Feel free to skip, if desired.
Storage Instructions
You can store pinwheel sandwiches in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. They will last longer (more like 2-3 days) but may get soggier the longer they sit.
I do not recommend freezing these.
More Sandwich Recipes:
Pinwheel Sandwich Recipe
Pinwheel sandwiches aka tortilla roll-ups are a delicious lunch recipe or easy game-day appetizer. They can be made in advance and customized to your liking with your preferred deli meat, veggies and cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Roll
- Cuisine: American
- 4 large flour tortillas (or lavash or flatbread)
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning or everything but the bagel seasoning
- 8 slices smoked turkey (or other deli meat)
- 8 slices cheddar cheese (or other sliced cheese)
- 1–2 cups baby spinach
- Soften your tortillas in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.
- Spread your softened cream cheese in an even layer over all 4 tortillas.
- Sprinkle ranch seasoning equally over tortillas.
- Along the bottom layer of the tortilla layer on 2 slices of turkey, 2 slices of cheese and a small handful of spinach.
- Starting from the bottom roll up your tortilla into a log and then slice into 1-inch pinwheels.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for 24 hours.
Note: The cream cheese ensures these hold together fairly well but if you have any issues you can always use a toothpick inserted through the middle to keep them together.
