Taco Pinwheels

Easy to make and easy to handle, taco pinwheels are one of the ultimate finger foods. What’s more, because they’re cut in cross sections, diners can easily identify ingredients and flavors before they chow down. This taco pinwheel recipe is rolled up using tortillas for a simple party appetizer that you don’t even need to cook.

Ingredients for Taco Pinwheels

• Cream cheese: Cream cheese adds great flavor and texture while binding the ingredients together in these taco pinwheels.
• Seasoned taco meat: If you don’t already have leftovers to work with, you can start fresh with ground beef and make seasoned taco meat.
• Cheddar: You can use a block of cheddar or choose a bagged shredded cheddar. Just know that the pre-shredded cheeses include anti-caking ingredients so they often don’t melt quite as well as block cheeses.
• Salsa: Because pinwheels are a roll-up finger food, we suggest using a thin salsa instead of one with a chunkier texture. This way, the salsa is more likely to stay inside the tortilla instead of falling out.
• Mayonnaise: This ingredient acts similar to cream cheese but has a tangy zip. If you’d like, you can substitute chipotle mayo for extra flavor.
• Olives: For Mexican-American recipes like this one, black olives are the usual choice. That said, you can use green olives if you like the extra briny punch they provide.
• Onion: We recommend using finely chopped sweet onion here, but you can also go for green onion for a milder flavor.
• Tortillas: Flour tortillas work best here, as they’re flexible enough to accommodate the filling of these taco pinwheels.
• Lettuce: The fresh crunch that lettuce provides helps balance the rich and creamy character of the other ingredients in this recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Make the filling

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In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the taco meat, cheese, salsa, mayonnaise, olives and onion.

Step 2: Spread and roll

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Spread the filling over the tortillas, sprinkle with lettuce and roll up tightly. Wrap in foil or reusable food wrap and refrigerate, allowing the rolls to set for at least one hour.

Editor’s Tip: You can secure the filled and rolled tortillas with toothpicks if needed.

Step 3: Cut and serve

Unwrap the tortillas from the food wrap and cut into 1-inch pieces. Serve with additional salsa.

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Taco Pinwheel Variations

• Replace the beef: Instead of ground beef, you can easily enjoy ground chicken or pork in this recipe. What’s more, the same taco seasoning you use on the beef will taste great with the other meats.
• Switch up the filling: Instead of cream cheese, why not try guacamole? You can spread on refried beans, sprinkle on some corn relish or try out Mexican coleslaw.

How to Store Taco Pinwheels

To store this taco pinwheel recipe, place the pinwheels in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to three days. Any longer and the tortillas will be too soggy.

Can I freeze taco pinwheels?

We don’t recommend freezing these taco pinwheels as it will alter the texture of the cream cheese and turn the tortillas soggy. Try one of our make-ahead appetizers instead if you’re looking to cut down on your day of prepping.

Taco Pinwheel Tips

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How do you keep pinwheels from getting soggy?

Other than eating them as soon as possible, the best way to keep pinwheels from getting soggy is to first lay down a piece of dry lettuce or slice of cheese on the tortilla. This will help create a barrier between the gooey filling and the soft tortilla.

How do you get pinwheels to stick together?

First, ensure your ingredients are thin, small and easy to roll. You’ll also want to use at least one binding ingredient, such as cream cheese. Apart from these two things, we recommend using toothpicks or even a layer of foil to hold the pinwheels together until they set.

Can I cut pinwheels the night before?

We recommend cutting the pinwheels after they’ve had the chance to set for at least one hour. That said, this recipe is great for making up to one day ahead of time so you can take it to a potluck or other gathering.