Turkey Roll Ups With Cheese (Pinwheels)
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As a mom, I’m always looking for snack and lunch ideas that actually work with my family’s schedule—and these turkey roll ups check all the boxes. After testing and tweaking, I found the perfect filling-to-tortilla ratio so they stay rolled, hold their shape, and slice into picture-perfect swirls–without chilling first. Whether you’re packing lunches, prepping for a road trip, or just need something simple on hand, these pinwheels are a total win.
Why You’ll Love These Turkey Roll Ups
- You can easily double or quadruple the recipe for easy lunches all week.
- These are kid-friendly, adult-approved, and totally customizable.
- They don’t get soggy and hold up well for days in the fridge.
- Pinwheels are the perfect addition to school lunchboxes.
If you’re looking for more easy and portable little sandwiches, try my ham and cheese crescent rolls or my homemade Uncrustables.
What’s In Turkey Roll ups?
Here are the ingredients you’ll need. Substitutions can be found below, and full ingredient amounts will be on the recipe card.
- Flavored cream cheese—the cream cheese adds extra flavor, a moisture barrier, and helps the roll stay together. I love using a Cabot brand cream cheese (not sponsored, just a fan) in the garden vegetable or chive flavors.
- Lettuce- The lettuce adds another moisture barrier between the veggies and the tortilla, keeping the wrap from getting soggy as it sits.
- 8-inch whole wheat tortillas—Soft flour tortillas are the best for roll ups. They hold everything together tightly without cracking.
- Thinly sliced turkey– use your favorite deli turkey here. I love a honey glazed turkey.
- Shredded cheddar cheese—I’ve tried both shredded and slices of cheese, and found that the shredded cheese works so much better for rolling.
- Red bell pepper strips– I love the pop of sweetness and crunch from the bell peppers.
- Shredded or matchstick carrots– much like the cheese, shredded carrots roll up super easily. If you can’t find shredded carrots, you could try using a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons instead.
How to Make Turkey Pinwheels
Step 1:
Place the tortilla on a cutting board and spread the cream cheese evenly across the surface, but leave a small border around the edges untouched.
Step 2:
Arrange leaves of lettuce in a single layer over the cream cheese.
Place the turkey slices on top of the lettuce in a flat and even layer, don’t overlap if you can help it. Cut the pieces of turkey if necessary to fit.
Step 3:
Sprinkle the shredded cheese and carrots over the turkey.
Add the pepper strips evenly across the top.
Step 4:
Time to roll up. Starting from the bottom, roll the tortilla up from the bottom tightly (like making a cinnamon roll).
End seam side down on the cutting board, and give the roll a squeeze to help it stick.
Step 5:
Trim off the ends with a knife and then slice the log into 4 to 6 pieces, depending on how thick you want your pinwheels.
Serve right away or store turkey pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overfill. Too much filling makes it challenging to roll up the tortilla.
- Layer flat. Flat and even layers mean the roll ups will hold tightly and won’t spill out.
- Use plenty of cream cheese. It’s the glue that keeps everything together, and protects the tortilla from getting soggy.
- Slicing options. For snack-size bites, cut the rollups 1″ thick. For lunchtime portions, go with 1½”.
- Skip watery veggies. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini will make things soggy, so avoid those.
Variations and Substitutions
These little turkey rolls are as easy as it gets—but there’s plenty of room to mix things up. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Try different spreads: instead of making turkey roll ups with cream cheese, try spreading hummus, goat cheese, or boursin on the tortilla instead.
- Play with veggies: try sliced apples (not a veggie but still great with turkey), sprouts, any color pepper, spinach, baby kale, onions, or avocado.
- Swap the cheese: American, Swiss, or provolone all work great. If you’re feeling spicy, try a pepper jack.
- Tortilla options: spinach, sundried tomato, gluten-free, and low carb tortillas are great options for these roll ups.
Storage For Turkey Rolls
Store rollups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They’re great for meal prep, picnics, and lunchbox packing!
FAQs
No, the vegetables won’t hold up well after freezing.
It depends on your ingredients, but when made with lean turkey, whole wheat tortillas, and lots of veggies—they’re a nutritious and well-balanced snack or light meal.
Absolutely! These roll ups hold up really well in the fridge and are perfect for making ahead.
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Easy Turkey Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 (8 inch) whole wheat tortilla
- 3 tablespoons of flavored cream cheese, garden vegetable and chive flavors are my favorite.
- 4 big leaves of lettuce
- 1-2 slices of deli turkey
- 2 tablespoons of shredded or matchstick carrots
- 2-3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 red pepper strips, sliced very thin
Instructions
- Place the tortilla on a cutting board and spread the cream cheese evenly across the surface, leaving a small border around the edge of the tortilla.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves in a single layer over the cream cheese. Try not to overlap too much, or the rollup will be too bulky.
- Place the turkey slices on top of the lettuce in a flat, even layer. Trim them if necessary to cover the tortilla and don't overlap the slices.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese and carrots over the turkey. Add the pepper strips across the top in an even layer.
- Starting from the bottom, roll the tortilla up tightly into a log. Gently press the log to help it hold it's shape and place seam-side down.
- Trim the ends, then slice the log into 4 pinwheels. If you want them smaller, you can slice the log into 1" pieces and giving you six snack sized pinwheels instead.
- Store any uneaten rollups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
