Description
These Easy Taco Pinwheel Appetizers are a flavorful and fun party snack featuring a creamy, cheesy taco-seasoned filling wrapped in soft flour tortillas. Perfect for gatherings or game day, they combine cream cheese, cheddar, green chilies, and seasoned ground beef or turkey rolled into bite-sized pinwheels that are chilled and sliced for easy serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 225 g cream cheese, softened
- 100 g shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (about 28 g)
- 115 g diced green chilies, drained
- 225 g cooked and crumbled ground beef or turkey
Wrap
- 4 large flour tortillas (approx. 25 cm diameter)
Garnish (optional)
- 30 g chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, taco seasoning mix, and drained diced green chilies. Stir the ingredients until fully blended, creating a smooth and flavorful mixture. Then, gently fold in the cooked and crumbled ground beef or turkey to evenly distribute the meat throughout the filling.
- Assemble the pinwheels: Lay one flour tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Evenly spread a portion of the filling mixture across the tortilla, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge to prevent filling from squeezing out during rolling. Carefully roll the tortilla tightly into a log shape, ensuring the filling stays inside. Wrap the rolled tortilla securely with plastic wrap to maintain its shape. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Chill the rolls: Place the wrapped tortilla rolls in the refrigerator and chill for at least 60 minutes. This chilling step firms up the filling and tortillas, making them easier to slice cleanly into pinwheels without losing shape or cause the filling to spill out.
- Slice and serve: Remove the chilled rolls from the refrigerator and unwrap them carefully. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into approximately 2.5 cm wide pinwheel slices. Arrange the pinwheels on a serving platter. Optionally, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro to add a fresh herbal note and a burst of color. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For a lighter option, use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to mix easily with other ingredients.
- The taco seasoning packet typically contains about 28 grams, but adjust to taste if using homemade seasoning.
- Chilling the rolls is crucial for clean slicing; do not skip this step.
- Pinwheels can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated, making them great for entertaining.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the meat and consider adding black beans or cooked lentils.
