These Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels are one of those easy little recipes that look like you fussed over them way more than you actually did. They’re filled with turkey, provolone, baby spinach, and a creamy cucumber dill spread, then rolled up and sliced into the prettiest little spirals.
I got the idea for these from my cucumber onion dip. I love that fresh cucumber and dill combination, and I thought, why not make the dip a little thicker and turn it into a spread for tortilla pinwheels? Add some turkey and cheese, roll everything up, and you have an easy lunch or appetizer that can be made ahead of time.
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The trick here is leaving the sour cream out of the cucumber dill spread. It’s great in the dip, but for these pinwheels I wanted the filling thick enough to stay put when they’re rolled and sliced. And make sure you squeeze that cucumber really well—you’ll still get plenty of fresh cucumber flavor without making the tortillas soggy.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels
- Easy to make: There’s no cooking involved. Just mix, spread, roll, chill, and slice.
- Fresh and creamy: Cucumber and dill lighten up the cream cheese filling and taste so good with turkey.
- Perfect for making ahead: Roll them up ahead of time and slice them when you’re ready to serve.
- Great for parties or lunch: Serve them as an appetizer, pack them for lunch, or make a platter for a picnic or get-together.
- They look pretty: The spinach adds a beautiful pop of green when the pinwheels are sliced.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Cream Cheese
Use one 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese and let it soften before mixing. Block-style cream cheese is important here because it’s thicker than the spreadable kind in a tub.
Cucumber
Fresh grated cucumber is what makes these pinwheels a little different. After grating it, squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can. Don’t skip this step!
Fresh Dill
Fresh dill gives the filling such a bright flavor. You can substitute dried dill if that’s what you have, but I really love fresh dill in this recipe.
Fresh Chives
A tablespoon of fresh chives, finely chopped — or substitute finely sliced green onion
Lemon Juice
Just a teaspoon brightens up the cream cheese spread.
Seasonings
Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper give the cucumber cream cheese plenty of flavor without making it complicated.
Dijon Mustard
A teaspoon of Dijon adds just a little zip to the filling and works especially well with turkey. You can leave it out if you prefer.
Flour Tortillas
Use large burrito-size flour tortillas. They’re much easier to roll and give you plenty of room for the layers.
Turkey
Thinly sliced deli turkey works best. I like to keep the turkey fairly simple so the cucumber dill flavor can still shine through.
Provolone
Provolone gives these a little extra flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
Baby Spinach
The spinach adds freshness, but honestly, I really love it here for the color. When you slice the rolls, that little layer of green makes the pinwheels look so pretty.
How to Make Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels
1. Prepare the Cucumber
Grate the cucumber using the larger holes of a box grater.
Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Gather everything together and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.
You may be surprised at how much water comes out! Getting rid of that excess moisture is what keeps the cream cheese spread thick and your tortillas from becoming soggy.
2. Make the Cucumber Dill Cream Cheese
Place the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and stir or beat until smooth.
Add the squeezed cucumber, dill, chives, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
Give it a taste. If you love dill like I do, you can always add a little more.
3. Assemble the Pinwheels
Lay one tortilla on a flat work surface.
Spread about one-fourth of the cucumber dill cream cheese mixture evenly over the tortilla. Take the spread fairly close to the edges.
Add a single layer of baby spinach leaves, followed by the sliced turkey and provolone.
Try not to pile everything too high. A nice even layer makes these much easier to roll.
4. Roll Them Up
Starting at one edge, tightly roll the tortilla into a log.
You want it snug enough to create that pretty spiral, but don’t squeeze so hard that all of your filling comes out the sides.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Chill
Wrap each tortilla roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Don’t rush the chilling time. It firms up the cream cheese and makes the pinwheels much easier to slice cleanly.
6. Slice and Serve
Remove the plastic wrap and trim off the uneven ends of each tortilla roll.
Using a sharp knife, cut the rolls into approximately 3/4-inch slices.
Arrange your Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels on a platter and serve chilled.
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Tips for the Best Pinwheels
Really squeeze the cucumber. This is probably my biggest tip. Cucumbers contain a lot of water, and we don’t want that moisture soaking into the tortilla.
Use block cream cheese. Spreadable cream cheese is softer and can make the filling too loose.
Don’t overfill the tortillas. It’s tempting, but too much turkey, cheese, or filling makes them difficult to roll and causes everything to push out the sides.
Roll them tightly. A snug roll gives you those nice defined spirals.
Chill before slicing. Give them at least an hour in the refrigerator. You’ll get much cleaner slices.
Use a sharp knife. Wipe your knife between cuts if cream cheese starts building up on the blade.
Variations
You can easily change these up depending on what you have in the refrigerator.
Try Swiss cheese instead of provolone, use chicken in place of turkey, or leave out the spinach if you prefer.
For a little extra crunch, you could also add very thin strips of bell pepper. Just keep additional vegetables to a minimum so the rolls don’t become too bulky.
Make Ahead and Storage
These pinwheels are a great make-ahead appetizer. You can prepare and roll the tortillas several hours before serving and keep them tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
For the freshest results, I like to wait to slice them until closer to serving time.
Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Because of the fresh cucumber, they’ll gradually soften the longer they sit.
I don’t recommend freezing these. The cucumber, spinach, and cream cheese filling won’t have the same texture once thawed.
What to Serve With Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels
These are perfect on an appetizer tray alongside fresh vegetables, crackers, cheese, or fruit.
They also make an easy light lunch with a bowl of soup, pasta salad, potato salad, or fresh fruit on the side.
And because they’re served cold, they’re especially nice for picnics, showers, parties, and summer get-togethers.
FAQ
How do I keep tortilla pinwheels from getting soggy?
The most important thing is removing as much moisture as possible from the grated cucumber. Squeeze it very well before adding it to the cream cheese. Also, don’t add sour cream to this spread. Keeping the filling thick helps prevent the tortillas from getting soggy.
Can I make turkey pinwheels the night before?
Yes. For best results, assemble and tightly wrap the tortilla rolls the night before, then refrigerate them whole. Slice them shortly before serving so the edges stay fresh and the spirals look their best.
Why do my pinwheels fall apart when I slice them?
They may not have been rolled tightly enough or chilled long enough. Wrap each roll snugly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. Also, use a sharp knife and don’t press down on the roll as you cut.
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Turkey Cucumber Dill Pinwheels
Equipment
Ingredients
Cucumber Dill Cream Cheese Spread
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup cucumber finely grated, measured before squeezing
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped or green onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinwheels
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 12 ounces deli turkey thinly sliced
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze very well to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Place the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix until smooth.
- Add the squeezed cucumber, dill, chives, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Lay the flour tortillas on a clean work surface. Divide the cucumber dill cream cheese mixture evenly among the four tortillas and spread almost to the edges.
- Top each tortilla with a thin layer of baby spinach, approximately 3 ounces of turkey, and 2 slices of provolone.
- Starting at one edge, tightly roll each tortilla into a log.
- Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Unwrap the chilled rolls and trim the uneven ends. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into approximately 3/4-inch slices.
- Arrange on a serving platter and serve chilled.
Notes
Notes
- Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cucumber to prevent soggy tortillas.
- Use block-style cream cheese rather than whipped or spreadable cream cheese for a thicker filling.
- Fresh dill gives the best flavor, but approximately 1 teaspoon dried dill can be substituted.
- Don’t overfill the tortillas or they’ll be difficult to roll tightly.
- For clean slices, thoroughly chill the rolls before cutting them.
- The Dijon mustard can be omitted if desired.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.