These Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups are a fun twist on a classic turkey sandwich. They are perfect for school lunches, a quick and easy workday lunch, or even a picnic. In this post, I'll walk you through how to make them perfectly every time with easy step-by-step instructions, expert tips, and answers to common FAQs.
Why this Recipe Works
When back-to-school time rolls around, easy lunches are a must for the kids' lunchboxes. These Turkey and Cheese Pinwheel Roll-Ups are the ideal solution when you are looking for a quick lunch recipe that is tasty, convenient, and versatile. The cream cheese acts like a secret glue, ensuring each bite is perfect, and my expert tips and FAQs help to guarantee success every time!
- Simple & Quick: With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep, you can have a healthy and satisfying meal ready in no time. Perfect for busy weekdays!
- Versatile: You can easily mix and match with your favorite fillings to suit your family and make this recipe your own.
- Snack or Meal: These turkey pinwheels can be your main lunch dish or work as a delicious snack. Slice them up for a shareable party appetizer, or enjoy a roll-up as a quick bite. Plus, they're perfect for parties and a great appetizer for game day.
- Make Ahead - These turkey and cheese roll-ups can be made a day ahead, so they're great for meal prep and perfect for the kiddo's school lunch box.
Ingredient Notes
- Tortillas - I use large tortillas labeled for wraps. Tortillas labeled as burrito-sized will also work well. You can use plain flour tortillas or flavored varieties like spinach or whole grain tortillas too. I do not recommend corn tortillas for this recipe.
- Turkey - I like to use sliced deli turkey in these wraps. You can substitute other deli meats or use homemade sliced turkey if you prefer.
- Cheese - I used Swiss cheese, but you can swap different kinds of cheese like provolone or cheddar cheese for a different flavor. If you are making them ahead, avoid using American cheese, as it can melt and become too mushy when wrapped with the other ingredients for too long.
- Lettuce - Use your favorite lettuce here. For romaine and other varieties with a large spine, you will want to remove the spine so it's easier to roll up the wrap. Fresh spinach is another great option for these too!
- Cream Cheese - The cream cheese is important to help hold the wraps together, so I don't recommend skipping it. But you can use less and just coat the top edge if you prefer. If you are dairy-free, you can use hummus, nut butter, or other substitutes.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Lay your tortilla on a clean surface or a cutting board. Spread a thin, even layer of softened cream cheese over one side of a tortilla.
- Lay 2-3 pieces of lettuce on top, leaving about 2 inches of the cream cheese exposed at the top of the wrap.
- Place the turkey slices on top of the lettuce, then 2 slices of cheese, and then add the tomato slices.
- Starting at the bottom closest to you, roll the tortilla up towards the exposed cream cheese at the top, tucking the ingredients in as you go if needed. The exposed bit of the cream cheese at the top will help to hold the wrap together.
- To make slicing easier, wrap the tortilla tightly with plastic wrap and chill for an hour if time allows. This will give the cream cheese time to firm up and hold the wrap together better. Trim the unfilled edges of your wrap, then slice it in half. Cut each half into thirds before serving.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to leave around 1 to 2 inches of the cream cheese exposed when you add your ingredients and roll them up towards that end so the exposed cream cheese will hold the wrap together.
- Wrapping the tortilla roll ups in plastic wrap and chilling them for around an hour before slicing them will help firm them up to make slicing easier.
- Trim around a half inch from each end of the wrap before cutting into slices. The ends will not have as much of the filling ingredients.
What to Serve with Turkey Roll-ups
This turkey pinwheel recipe is perfect for little kids and a great meal for a bento lunchbox. You can pair them with kid-friendly sides like sliced fruits and veggies, crunchy snacks like Veggie Straws or Goldfish, or my homemade chocolate cherry granola bars for something sweet.
For grown-up options, they are perfect with a side of pasta salad like my Greek Orzo Pasta Salad, Pesto Tortellini Salad, or Hawaiian Mac Salad.
Check out his post for more bento box lunch ideas!
Recipe Variations
This turkey roll-up recipe can easily be modified by adding or substituting ingredients. Adding bacon, diced avocado, and a drizzle of ranch dressing is one of my personal favorite variations.
Swapping in ham or other meats like chicken salad or tuna salad works great. And for a Costco turkey pinwheel copycat, try mixing cranberry sauce with the cream cheese spread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
These turkey roll-ups can be made a day ahead. They will still be okay to eat for a few days, but they will get a little mushy.
The order of the layers is important to prevent soggy pinwheel sandwiches. Adding the lettuce first helps add a barrier between the tortilla and the other ingredients and helps to keep the tortilla from absorbing moisture.
Leaving a little bit of the cream cheese exposed at the end helps to hold these turkey roll ups together.
More Lunch Recipes
📖 Recipe
Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large tortilla wrap
- 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 2-3 leaves lettuce
- 3 slices turkey deli meat
- 2 slices sliced Swiss cheese, or Provolone
- 3-4 thin slices tomato
Instructions
- Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over one side of a tortilla.
- Lay 2-3 pieces of lettuce on top, leaving about 2 inches of the cream cheese exposed at the top of the wrap.
- Place the turkey on top of the lettuce, then 2 slices of cheese, and then add the tomato slices.
- Starting at the bottom closest to you, roll the tortilla up towards the exposed cream cheese at the top, tucking the ingredients in as you go if needed. The exposed bit of the cream cheese at the top will help to hold the wrap together.
- To make slicing easier, wrap the tortilla tightly with plastic wrap and chill for an hour if possible. Trim the unfilled edges of your wrap, then slice it in half. Cut each half into thirds before serving.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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