This Vegan Pinwheels Recipe is an easy finger food appetizer that the whole family will love. It's full of flavor from tofu ricotta, sun-dried tomato, roasted garlic, and spinach.
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Tortilla roll ups are the perfect appetizer during the holiday season with festive red and green colors.
These vegan pinwheels contain a beautiful medley of savory flavors, from creamy vegan ricotta to sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
Plus, they come together quickly for a low-stress but fun appetizer that will fit right in on your holiday table with cranberry ricotta crostini or a charcuterie board.
Need a few more reasons to love this vegan pinwheel recipe?
- They can easily be made gluten-free.
- They are no-bake and only take a couple of minutes to prepare.
- They are the perfect size for a quick snack!
Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients to make vegan tortilla pinwheels:
- Tortillas are the essential outer layer to hold the delicious filling of these roll-up sandwiches. Use store-bought tortillas, homemade flour tortillas, or gluten-free tortillas. Flatbread or lavash bread could also work.
- Tofu Ricotta is the creamy spread that holds these pinwheels and their fillings together. It also provides a fresh, slightly tangy taste that complements the sweetness of the sundried tomatoes and roasted garlic.
- Sundried Tomatoes are sweet, chewy, and pack flavor into a concentrated bite, perfect for this vegan pinwheel appetizer.
- Roasted Garlic gives a ton of flavor to these pinwheels. Keep reading for a quick and easy way to roast garlic for this recipe. Garlic powder can also be substituted.
- Spinach brings a crisp texture to the filling and gives these red and green pinwheels extra color.
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
Quick Way to Roast Garlic
These pinwheels include roasted garlic to boost the flavor. For a quick and easy appetizer, roasting garlic can really add to the preparation time, generally taking at least 45 minutes. If you have time and want to prepare a lot of garlic, check out this post and learn how to roast garlic in the oven.
But if you’re in a pinch and need roasted garlic, you can do it on the stovetop:
- Place individual garlic cloves in a saucepot and submerge the cloves in olive oil.
- Bring the oil to a boil, then lower to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oil should still be bubbling the whole time.
- Remove the cloves from the oil and allow them to cool a bit.
How to Make the Perfect Pinwheel
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the best vegan pinwheels with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach:
- Place tofu ricotta, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and spinach into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix all of the ingredients until they are evenly distributed throughout the ricotta. Taste the filling and add a pinch of salt and pepper, if needed.
- On a cutting board, lay a large tortilla down and scoop about ½ cup of the pinwheel filling on top. Spread the filling into an even layer, to the top and bottom edges but not the sides. The filling should resemble a rectangle.
- Tightly roll the tortilla into a pinwheel starting from the bottom and rolling away from you to the top.
- Cut off the two ends of the rolled tortilla about 2” from the edge.
- Cut the remaining log into 8 equal-sized small pieces, about .75” in width.
Top Tip
My top tip to get the perfect circular pinwheel every time is to use a serrated knife and gently saw back and forth when making the cuts. Otherwise, your pinwheels will become oval if you chop with too much force!
Pinwheel Variations
Here are a few ways to customize your vegan pinwheel sandwiches:
- Tortilla Color - I made this recipe with a store-bought spinach wrap for a festive green color, but feel free to change the color by using sun-dried tomato or regular wheat tortillas. You could even use 3 different colored tortillas and display them in a fun design on a serving platter.
- Add Extra Green and Red - Blend fresh basil leaves, green onions, or spinach into the ricotta, or add a layer of nut-free pesto for an aromatic and herby kick. Instead of sun-dried tomatoes, add a layer of cranberry salsa, chutney, red bell pepper, or thin slices of tomatoes.
- Change the Spread Inside - Change up the spread that goes inside. Instead of tofu ricotta, you could use vegan cream cheese, hummus, or chickpea salad.
- Change the Flavor Combinations - Make veggie pizza pinwheels with tomato sauce and vegan cheese. Or Mediterranean pinwheels with creamy hummus, artichokes, olives, and vegan feta. Or vegetable pinwheels with a mixture of cream cheese and your favorite veggies like bell peppers and carrots.
Storage
Vegan tortilla roll ups can be made up to a day ahead but are best served the day of to ensure the roll-ups don’t get soggy.
The actual process of assembling the pinwheels doesn't take more than 5 minutes, but if you wanted to make these even further ahead of time you could prepare the filling and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Another make-ahead option is to assemble the pinwheels the day before but wait to cut them. Instead, tightly wrap the roll up in plastic wrap and place it inside an airtight container or plastic bag to prevent any excess moisture.
If serving these pinwheels as a holiday appetizer, make sure not to leave them out at room temperature for more than 1 or 2 hours.
FAQ
Make sure to spread the filling all the way to the top edge of the tortilla. If there isn’t enough filling at the edge, the roll-up won’t stay closed.
There is a delicate balance between making sure the pinwheels stay together when rolled and making sure they don’t get soggy.
The ricotta filling in this recipe is quite moist, which is why the roll-ups can be made too far ahead of time. If you’re hoping to make these pinwheels last a bit longer, you can create a moisture barrier of whole spinach leaves between the ricotta filling and the tortilla.
This recipe uses a spread for the filling for easy preparation. You can also layer the fillings instead of mixing them with the spread for more of a layered look when you cut the pinwheels.
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Easy Vegan Pinwheels Recipe with Sun-Dried Tomato
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Ingredients
- 3 large tortillas spinach, sun-dried tomato, plain, or gluten-free
- 1 cup tofu ricotta cheese or vegan cream cheese
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoons roasted garlic 1 head of garlic
- 1 cup spinach packed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place tofu ricotta, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and spinach into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix all of the ingredients until they are evenly distributed throughout the ricotta. Taste the filling and add a pinch of salt and pepper, if needed.
- On a cutting board, lay a large tortilla down and scoop about ½ cup of the pinwheel filling on top. Spread the filling into an even layer, to the top and bottom edges but not the sides. The filling should resemble a rectangle.
- Tightly roll the tortilla into a pinwheel starting from the bottom and rolling away from you to the top.
- Cut off the two ends of the rolled tortilla about 2” from the edge.
- Cut the remaining log into 8 equal-sized small pieces, about .75” in width. Use a serrated knife and gently saw back and forth when making the cuts to ensure a circular pinwheel.
Notes
- Vegan tortilla roll ups can be made up to a day ahead but are best served the day of to ensure the roll-ups don’t get soggy.
- The actual process of assembling the pinwheels doesn't take more than 5 minutes, but if you wanted to make these even further ahead of time you could prepare the filling and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Another make-ahead option is to assemble the pinwheels the day before but wait to cut them. Instead, tightly wrap the roll up in plastic wrap and place it inside an airtight container or plastic bag to prevent any excess moisture.
- If serving these pinwheels as a holiday appetizer, make sure not to leave them out at room temperature for more than 1 or 2 hours.
* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
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