Taco pinwheels are the perfect way to use up leftover taco meat and tortilla shells in a different way than just as tacos again by simply mixing cream cheese, salsa, and taco meat together and spreading over the tortilla shell before rolling up into a pinwheel. They easily can be made after a taco dinner with the leftover taco meat and then put in the refrigerator for the next day.
This family loves tortilla shells for lots of kinds of wraps and quesadillas, so these taco wraps were a big hit. Plus the filling was very similar to the baked tacos filling so knew they would be a hit.
Taco Pinwheel Ingredients
The ingredients for these taco wraps can be as basic or doctored up as you want. I made the basic version of these taco pinwheels with the following ingredients:
- Taco soft shell tortillas
- Leftover taco meat
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Salsa
- Cheese
Now, if you want to doctor these taco pinwheels up, here are some additional items you can layer on top of the filling before you roll it up.
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced onions
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced peppers
- Diced olives
How to Make Taco Pinwheels
To make these super easy taco wraps, begin by either slightly warming up some cream cheese to make it easily spreadable or let it sit at room temperature until soft. With a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and taco meat together. I am using ground beef taco meat with this recipe, but shredded taco meat will also work just fine.
To the creamy combination of meat and cream cheese, add salsa, mayonnaise, and shredded cheese. Mix together either with a spoon or the hand mixer. Then you are ready to spread the mixture out over the soft taco shell.
Start by putting about a half cup of the filling on the taco shell and spread out.
When the filling is spread out then you can add more shredded cheese or the additional toppings before rolling up into a tight pinwheel. Place the wraps on a plate to refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing into pinwheels.
Once the taco wraps are chilled, slice them into pinwheels. I recommend starting by cutting them in half and the middle and then slicing them in half-inch pinwheels from there. The keeps them easier to stay together as you get to the ends.
Go ahead and put them on a plate and serve immediately or save for later. They are perfect for school lunches or football tailgates. You will want to make them all the time.
Finger Food Recipes
๐ Recipe
Taco Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 5 soft taco tortilla shells
- 1 cup ground beef taco meat
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- ½ cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Begin by softening the cream cheese by setting it out to bring it to room temperature or heat up for 20-30 seconds in the microwave.
- Mix the leftover taco meat into the cream cheese with a hand mixer or spatula.
- Stir in the salsa, mayonnaise, and half the shredded cheese.
- Spread out over the tortilla shells. Then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese. Diced tomatoes, onions, black olives, and shredded lettuce can also be sprinkled over the creamy taco meat.
- Roll up the tortilla and refrigerate for one hour or more before slicing.
- Slice into half-inch pinwheels starting in the middle of the wrap and working to the ends.
Nutrition
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