Description
These easy Taco Pinwheels wrap all your favorite taco flavors into fun, bite-sized spirals perfect for parties, game days, or quick snacks. Soft tortillas are rolled with a creamy, cheesy, seasoned meat filling, then chilled and sliced for colorful, grab-and-go bites everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 large flour tortillas (8–10 inch)
- 1 cup (8 oz / 225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked ground beef or turkey, seasoned with taco seasoning and cooled
- 1/2 cup salsa (thick and chunky works best)
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and cooled taco-seasoned ground meat, salsa, black olives, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir until the mixture is evenly combined, smooth, and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Lay one tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Spread a generous, even layer of the taco mixture over the tortilla, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
- Starting from one long side, roll the tortilla up tightly into a log, keeping the roll firm so the filling stays inside.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, creating 8 logs.
- Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours, to firm up and make slicing easier.
- When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and use a sharp knife to slice each log into 1-inch pinwheels.
- Arrange the pinwheels cut-side up on a serving platter. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure the cooked meat is fully cooled before mixing so it doesn’t melt the cream cheese and make the filling runny.
- Use a thick salsa to avoid adding too much liquid, which can make the pinwheels soggy.
- Chilling time is important; it helps the rolls firm up so they slice cleanly without squashing.
- You can prepare the rolls a few hours in advance and slice right before serving for the freshest look.
- Adjust spice level easily by choosing mild, medium, or hot salsa and taco seasoning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: No-Bake, Chilled
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3–4 pinwheels
- Calories: ≈210 kcal
- Sugar: ≈2 g
- Sodium: ≈420 mg
- Fat: ≈14 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈13 g
- Fiber: ≈1 g
- Protein: ≈9 g
- Cholesterol: ≈40 mg
Keywords: taco pinwheels, tortilla roll-ups, party appetizer, make-ahead snacks, taco roll ups