A delicious pepperoni appetizer wrapped in a flour tortilla to resemble the Italian sandwich. These pepperoni pinwheels have a herby cream cheese spread with specks of crunchy vegetables and topped with pepperoni, ham and cheese. Italian pinwheels are tart, creamy, delicious and perfect for a party appetizer, holiday or quick lunch!
Pinwheels make a great party appetizer since you can get 6-8 slices off of a tortilla! Roll up 10 flour tortillas and you have 60 slices! What a way to feed a big crowd efficiently! These pepperoni roll-ups not only look pretty but taste super delicious! Like the Italian sandwich these tortilla roll ups are tart, colorful and packed with a dry meat like salami or pepperoni. The cream cheese spread works like glue for the tortilla and fillings to stay in place. It makes a great finger food appetizer you probably never knew was this tasty!
What ingredients make the Italian Pinwheels?
Common ingredients seen in Italian roll-ups are:
- Provolone cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Genoa salami
- pepperoni
- lettuce
- herb cream cheese spread
- red bell peppers
- banana peppers
- olives
- tomatoes
What spread works best for tortilla roll-ups?
A cream cheese based spread works best for pinwheels. The sticky cream cheese texture works like glue for the tortillas and you can flavor up the spread anyway you like. Herbs and fresh veggies go very well in this spread.
Can you make pinwheels ahead of time?
Yes, Pinwheels can be made the night before if your cream cheese spread is nice and thick. Mixing in sour cream or mayo may soften the tortillas so you want to make sure to use a thick spread in order for these to be served well for later.
How to avoid soggy pinwheels?
Soggy pinwheels can be a result of fresh veggies soaking into the tortillas or a wet spread. The thicker spread the better. I recommend using a pure cream cheese based spread which can be seasoned to taste over something too creamy or wet. And of coarse additional add-ins like veggies can always be added to the cream cheese.
What are some creative ways to serve Italian pinwheels?
Pinwheels can be served as an appetizer for large crowds, a school lunch, quick on-the-go lunch, potluck, as a finger food and many other gatherings. It’s small pinwheels size makes a great snack too!
How to make Italian pinwheels?
- In a small bowl beat cream cheese, banana peppers, Italian dressing mix, onion, red bell pepper and mozzarella cheese until well combined.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over a burrito sized tortilla.
- Layer ham, pepperoni and cheese over the spread and roll-up.
- Cut each tortilla into 6 equal pieces. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.
Can I substitute Italian dressing mix for the pinwheels spread?
An herbed cream cheese spread is recommended for the Italian pinwheels, but if you don’t have an Italian dressing mix packet on hand you make your own Italian dressing mix from pantry items.
Other Appetizers to check out-
Italian Pinwheels
Ingredients
SPREAD:
- 3 Tbsp banana peppers chopped
- 1/4 cup onion diced
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese grated
PINWHEELS
- 10 tortillas burrito size
- 10 slices ham
- 5 oz pepperoni
- 10 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl beat cream cheese, banana peppers, Italian dressing mix, onion, red bell pepper and mozzarella cheese until well combined.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over a burrito sized tortilla.
- Layer ham, pepperoni and cheese over the spread and roll-up.
- Cut each tortilla into 6 equal pieces. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.
Nutrition per serving
