The Best Turkey Pinwheels (Easy Recipe Ready in 20 Minutes!)

These Turkey Pinwheels are tasty and healthy snacks loaded with vitamins, protein, and fiber, and they're also low in fat. Plus, it's a chance to get some veggies in, such as green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, or even sliced avocado. You can also customize these pinwheels by adding any of your family's favorite vegetables.

My kids need to more often than just breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and these pinwheels make the perfect snack. When they come home from school they're looking for something to eat right away, so it's very helpful to have something already prepared (I'm sure all of us who have kids will understand what I mean).

If you don't have anything ready they will try to fill their stomachs with whatever they can get. Instead, I have an excellent and quick recipe for you to prepare and give them something healthy to throw into those little stomachs until dinnertime comes. And prevents them from attacking the pantry! 

Want to learn how to make these delicious Turkey Pinwheels? Then keep on reading!

Table of Contents

• What are Turkey Pinwheels?
• What Makes This Turkey Pinwheels Recipe Special?
• What You Need to Make Turkey Pinwheels at Home
• How to Make Turkey Pinwheels (Step-by-Step)
• Tips for Making the Best Turkey Pinwheels Ever
• Recipe Variation Ideas for Turkey Pinwheels
• Ingredient Substitution Ideas
• How Far in Advance Can I Make These Pinwheels?
• Can I Make these Pinwheels the Night Before?
• Can I Add Bacon to My Pinwheels?
• How to Store Leftover Turkey Pinwheels
• Similar Recipes You'll Love
• Recipe Card
• The Best Turkey Pinwheels (Easy Recipe Ready in 20 Minutes!)
• Comments

What are Turkey Pinwheels?

Turkey Pinwheels are a roll-up of layered ingredients that contain turkey all on a square flour tortilla that is cut into slices. From the side, a pinwheel shows layers of ingredients that are served as an appetizer or a snack.

They are delicious and healthy snacks that can be easily customized with your family's favorite ingredients. They're made by rolling up a mixture of turkey, cheese, and vegetables in tortillas or flatbreads.

These pinwheels can be served as a snack or as part of a larger meal, and they are a popular choice for parties and gatherings because they are easy to make and can be prepared in advance.

The ingredients can be varied to suit your taste, but the basic idea is to create a flavorful and nutritious snack that can be enjoyed any time of day.

What Makes This Turkey Pinwheels Recipe Special?

Easy to make: This turkey pinwheel recipe is extremely easy to throw together. They may look fancy, but you can have them ready in less than 20 minutes!

Convenient: These pinwheels are great to have around for quick snacks, either for the kids or even for yourself at work. 

Healthy: Loaded with protein, vitamins, and minerals, turkey pinwheels are a great alternative to fatty or sugary snacks. 

What You Need to Make Turkey Pinwheels at Home

All you need are some simple, pantry staple ingredients to make these delicious Turkey Pinwheels at home. Let's look at each of these in more detail:

• Tortilla: We'll need some tortillas to roll the ingredients in. I have found that square tortillas work the best for this recipe. They can be found at Trader Joe's grocery store.
• Mayonnaise: I prefer using homemade mayonnaise, which takes the taste to the next level. You may add a little bit of garlic juice and herbs to mayonnaise, like chopped dill or parley as well.
• Turkey: We'll also, of course, need some turkey for our turkey pinwheels! I like to use seasoned turkey like sundried tomato turkey breast because regular turkey meat can be a little plain. Cracked pepper turkey is another great choice.
• Cheese: You can use your favorite cheese, but I prefer using American cheese for this recipe. The slightly tangy and salty taste goes really well with the turkey.
• Leaf lettuce: My preference is to use organic leaf lettuce, which enhances the flavor of these classic pinwheels. You can use regular lettuce too, just make sure it's fresh!
• Tomatoes: During the tomato off-season, I prefer to use tomato on the vine for this pinwheel recipe. I find them to be a little fresher than buying individual tomatoes. 
• Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper make everything more flavorful. You can add any additional seasonings too, like garlic powder or onion powder. 

How to Make Turkey Pinwheels (Step-by-Step)

Making these Turkey Pinwheels is incredibly easy and takes only 20 minutes! Here's how to make them step by step:

First, heat the tortillas in the oven for about a minute. Place them back in the bag and cover them with a towel so they stay warm without drying. 

Take one tortilla and place it flat on a large cutting board. Spread out 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on one side of the tortilla. 

Next, place 2 ½ slices of cheese toward one edge of the tortilla. Lay out deli turkey breast folded in half on top of the cheese.

Rinse a couple of leaf lettuce leaves and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place them on top of the turkey meat.

Place three slices of tomatoes on top of the lettuce, then sprinkle some salt and pepper to taste. 

Finally, gently roll the loaded tortilla tightly and slice it into 1-inch thick slices using a sharp knife.

Your delicious Turkey Pinwheels are ready to be served!

Tips for Making the Best Turkey Pinwheels Ever

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees before heating the tortillas. This will help warm them up quickly and evenly.

Don't overload the tortillas: Be sure not to overstuff the pinwheels, as they’ll be hard to roll if too full. Unroll them and take out some ingredients if they come out too big. 

Use cold ingredients: Make sure all ingredients are cooled before rolling. Warm ingredients may cause the tortillas to become soggy and difficult to roll up.

Recipe Variation Ideas for Turkey Pinwheels

• Change the meat: Try swapping out the turkey for other kinds of meat for a whole different flavor. Ham, pepperoni, and salami are all good choices. 
• Different sauce: If you're not a fan of mayonnaise, you can substitute it for other spreads like ranch dressing or mustard.
• Breakfast-inspired: Another idea is to use turkey, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and spinach to create a breakfast-style pinwheel. Serve with a side of fruit salad for a complete meal.
• Veggie-filled: Use turkey, hummus, cucumber, bell pepper, and avocado to create a healthy, vegetable-filled pinwheel. Serve with a side salad for a light lunch or dinner.
• Greek-inspired version: You can use turkey, spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives to create a Mediterranean-style pinwheel. Serve with tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Ingredient Substitution Ideas

If you are allergic to any ingredient or it simply isn't your favorite then you may substitute it with your favorite one. Here are some easy ways to substitute them:

• Mayonnaise: Instead of mayo, you can use regular or whipped cream cheese.
• American cheese: Some substitution ideas are Provolone, Colby jack, cheddar cheese, or Monterey jack.
• Green leaf lettuce: You can use your favorite greens like spinach, red leaf lettuce, or even romaine lettuce.
• Tortilla: If you're gluten intolerant, you may use some gluten-free tortillas or almond flour tortillas.

How Far in Advance Can I Make These Pinwheels?

These classic tortilla turkey pinwheel appetizers can be made 4 - 6 hours in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to serve.

Can I Make these Pinwheels the Night Before?

If you are planning on using fresh vegetables like leaf lettuce and tomatoes in your pinwheels, then I would not recommend making these pinwheels the night before as your vegetables will be soggy and wilted.

Can I Add Bacon to My Pinwheels?

Yes, absolutely! Be creative! You can make these as BLT Pinwheels. In my opinion, crispy bacon makes everything taste better! Check out the full tutorial on How to Broil Bacon in the Oven.

How to Store Leftover Turkey Pinwheels

Leftover turkey pinwheels can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. To store them, place the pinwheels in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Make sure you press out as much air as possible before sealing the container or bag. This will help keep your pinwheels fresh and delicious when you are ready to eat them again.

When you're ready to eat them, simply remove them from the container and reheat in the oven for a few minutes.

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• Turkey Croissan'wich Appetizers
• Turkey Sandwich Recipe

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This recipe was originally posted on October 4, 2014 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.