Go Back
Roast beef horseradish pinwheels

Roast beef horseradish pinwheels

These roast beef horseradish pinwheels combine tender deli roast beef, tangy horseradish cream cheese spread, fresh vegetables, and soft flour tortillas into elegant spiral appetizers. The recipe serves 6-8 people and takes only 20 minutes of active preparation time, plus chilling time for optimal flavor development. Perfect for entertaining, these pinwheels can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
  • - Sharp chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Plastic wrap
  • Serving platter
  • Small offset spatula (optional, for spreading)

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large flour tortillas 10-12 inches
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves stems removed
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preparing the horseradish cream cheese spread for your roast beef horseradish pinwheels. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, prepared horseradish, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well-combined, ensuring no lumps of cream cheese remain.
  • Lay one flour tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, spread approximately one-quarter of the horseradish cream cheese mixture evenly across the entire surface of the tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges to prevent spillage during rolling.
  • Layer one-quarter of the roast beef evenly over the cream cheese spread, ensuring complete coverage while avoiding overlap that could make rolling difficult. Distribute one-quarter of the spinach leaves over the roast beef, followed by one-quarter of the sliced red onion and one-quarter of the shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Starting from one edge, tightly roll the tortilla into a log shape, applying gentle but firm pressure to ensure the roast beef horseradish pinwheels hold together. The cream cheese spread will act as an adhesive to keep the roll secure. Wrap the completed roll tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal.
  • Repeat this process with the remaining three tortillas and filling ingredients. Place all wrapped rolls in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the rolls to firm up for easier slicing.
  • When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from each roll and use a sharp chef's knife to slice each log into 1-inch thick rounds, creating the characteristic pinwheel appearance. Arrange the roast beef horseradish pinwheels on a serving platter with the spiral pattern facing up.

Notes

The quality of roast beef significantly impacts the final taste of these roast beef horseradish pinwheels, so choose premium deli meat when possible. If the cream cheese is too cold, it will be difficult to spread and may tear the tortillas. Room temperature cream cheese blends more easily and creates a smoother spread. Adjust the amount of horseradish according to your heat preference, keeping in mind that the flavor will intensify slightly during the chilling period.