These Cream Cheese Pinwheels are such an easy and stunning appetizer that they are the FIRST things to go every time. Not only that, but they are also a perfect addition to any back to school lunch box or breakfast table. Veggie loaded and quick to make. What else do you need?
We love savory breakfasts, not to mention quick savory recipes. On a busy weekday, we make sandwiches with 5-minute Oil-free Hummus or 5-minute Tofu Cream Cheese then loaded them with a rainbow of veggies. If we plan ahead, we can mix things up and make one of our Roasted Veggie Spreads. If we have a little bit more than 5 minutes (usually on weekends), we love to make our Savory French Toast with Bruschetta.
This recipe also started out as a breakfast. When I finally perfected a Flourless Protein-packed Tortilla recipe, I really really wanted for my 4-year old daughter to try. There was no way she would eat a whole tortilla wrap, so I cut them into pinwheels. And all of a sudden they were a hit and quickly became a requested appetizer for family gatherings.
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What are veggie pinwheels?
Pinwheels are these cute little tortilla roll-ups filled with your favorite spread and filling. My husband calls them sushi look-a-likes. I call them chameleons, as they change colors depending on your mood or on what you have in your pantry. You can’t go wrong by making pinwheels if you have these 3 main ingredients:
- tortilla
- spread
- veggies
So do you wanna make people-go-crazy-about-it vegetable pinwheels?
All right. In short, take a large tortilla, add a generous layer of your favorite spread and then arrange your favorite veggies on top. Roll the tortilla up tightly, chill, cut and impress your party guests.
Ingredients to make healthy cream cheese pinwheels
Out of all the vegetarian pinwheels, let us show you how to make healthy pinwheels, that are loaded with the rainbow of fresh veggies.
- tortilla of your choice (we used this 2-ingredients grain-free tortilla recipe)
- cream cheese of your choice (we used this tofu cream cheese recipe)
- red bell pepper
- corn (fresh or canned)
- cucumber
- carrots
- lettuce
Can I add more veggies?
I mix and match depending on what do I have available. To fully pack and successfully roll up the tortilla we recommend keeping the number of different veggies to 5-6. These are some of our favorite add-ins:
- bell peppers in all color,
- shredded cabbage (purple is especially fun due to its lovely color),
- fresh spinach leaves, arugula or kale
- spring onion, scallion, or chives
- daikon radish (thinly sliced or cut to matchsticks)
- olives (my husband loves them)
Let us know in the comments what is your favorite combination of veggies.
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How to prep veggies for pinwheel filling?
Cut bell pepper to stripes
I consider bell pepper as a cube and cut off all four sides of this cube. Lay it flat with skins up and cut nice, thin stripes approx. 1/4 inch wide (about 5 mm).
Julienne carrots
I have a Sauteed Julienne Carrots recipe, where I explain it in detail which carrots to choose and how to cut carrots julienne-style. In short, choose young carrots, not baby carrots. Cut them in half to have approx. 4-inch long (approx. 10 cm) carrot stalks. Then, cut them in quarters vertically 1/4-inch thick (approx. 5 mm).
Cut cucumbers to stripes
Slice through the length of the cucumber to create columns that are approx. 4 inches long (about 10 cm). Now, slice them length-wise to create thin cucumber slices (about 2-3 mm). Finally, take each slice and cut them to matchsticks.
Shred lettuce
We usually go with iceberg or romaine lettuce. You can definitely a use pre-shredded lettuce mix for a quicker finish.
How to make cream cheese pinwheels?
Step 1 – Collect all your prepared and cut vegetables and arrange them in small bowls for easy access.
Step 2 – Take your favorite brand of tortilla and lay it flat. (On the photos and in the video we use our homemade Flourless Protein Tortillas)
Step 3 – Add a generous layer of cream cheese and coat your tortilla entirely. (On the photos and in the video we use our homemade Tofu Cream Cheese Spread)
Step 4 – Add the veggies starting from the bottom up until the top. Leave a little room on both sides so you when you roll them up the end of the tortilla sticks to the roll-up.
Step 5 – When your tortilla is all filled up, roll it tightly.
Step 6 – Depending on the cream cheese you use, you might need to chill the tortilla roll ups (covered in cling foil) in the fridge to set them completely.
Step 7 – You can cut them approx. 1-1.5 inch (about 2-3 cm) before serving. You can prepare them the day before. In that case, cover them up tightly with cling foil or pack them up to an airtight container.
The last step is to amaze your kids when they open up their lunch boxes or impress your party when you serve this gorgeous pinwheels as an appetizer.
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Top tips to make perfect cream cheese pinwheels
- Don’t stack your veggies, try to arrange them in thin layers.
- Don’t cut them too short or they might fall out of the pinwheels.
- Apply a generous layer of cream cheese, so the veggies don’t fall out (this is especially true for corn).
- Roll the tortilla up tightly. The tighter it is the nicer will be the pinwheels.
- Discard the end pinwheels… Khm… I mean eat the end pinwheels. They are yummy, but usually not good looking.
FAQs and Substitutions
What can I use instead of Cream Cheese?
Cream cheese pinwheels are classic. But if you’d like to spice things up, you can definitely change it to any spread you like e.g. hummus or sour cream or marinara sauce or pesto sauce. Let us know which one is your favorite.
What kind of vegetables can I add?
We recommend keeping the number of different veggies to 5-6. These are some of our favorite add-ins: bell peppers in all color, shredded cabbage (purple is especially fun due to its lovely color), fresh spinach leaves, arugula or kale, spring onion, scallion, or chives, daikon radish (thinly sliced or cut to matchsticks), olives (my husband loves them).
This Cream Cheese Pinwheels recipe is meat-free, dairy-free and egg-free. It is suitable for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free diets. Gluten-free only if you use certified GF tortilla or use a homemade tortilla recipe.
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More veggie recipes
You can browse through our Vegan Condiment Recipes to sub cream cheese or check out these recipes for breakfast and appetizer inspiration
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What more you need to try it? If you’re ready, watch this short video:
Cream Cheese Pinwheels with Fresh Veggies
Ingredients
- 3 Tortilla (10-inch, large) or use our homemade Flourless Protein Tortilla recipe
- 12 Tbsp Cream cheese or use our Tofu Cream Cheese recipe
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 6 Young carrots
- 6 Tbsp Sweet corn (canned)
- 2 cup Shredded lettuce
Equipments You Need
Instructions
Preparing the veggies
- Cut bell pepper to stripes - I consider bell pepper as a cube and cut off all four sides of this cube. Lay it flat with skins up and cut nice, thin stripes approx. 1/4 inch wide (about 5 mm).
- Julienne carrots - I have a Sauteed Julienne Carrots recipe, where I explain it in detail which carrots to choose and how to cut carrots julienne-style. In short, choose young carrots, not baby carrots. Cut them in half to have approx. 4-inch long (approx. 10 cm) carrot stalks. Then, cut them in quarters vertically 1/4-inch thick (approx. 5 mm).
- Cut cucumbers to stripes - Slice through the length of the cucumber to create columns that are approx. 4 inches long (about 10 cm). Now, slice them length-wise to create thin cucumber slices (about 2-3 mm). Finally, take each slice and cut them to matchsticks.
Making cream cheese pinwheels
- Lay flat your tortilla and add a generous layer of cream cheese
- Add the veggies starting from the bottom up until the top. Leave a little room on both sides so you when you roll them up the end of the tortilla sticks to the roll-up.
- When your tortilla is all filled up, roll it tightly.
- Depending on the cream cheese you use, you might need to chill the tortilla roll ups (covered in cling foil) in the fridge to set them completely.
- You can cut them approx. 1-1.5 inch (about 2-3 cm) before serving. You can prepare them the day before. In that case, cover them up tightly with cling foil or pack them up to an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Collect all your prepared and cut vegetables and arrange them in small bowls for easy access.
- Don't stack your veggies, try to arrange them in thin layers.
- Don't cut them too short or they might fall out of the pinwheels.
- Apply a generous layer of cream cheese, so the veggies don't fall out (this is especially true for corn).
- Roll the tortilla up tightly. The tighter it is the nicer will be the pinwheels.
- Discard the end pinwheels... Khm... I mean eat the end pinwheels. They are yummy, but usually not good looking.
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