Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels

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Big plate of Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels for a crowd-pleasing summer appetizer

This recipe was originally going to be vegan calzones. But, friends, it’s too dang hot to turn on the oven right now.

So simple, heat-free summer appetizers it is!

Vegan parmesan cheese, frozen spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tortillas, garlic, and vegan cream cheese for making a vegan appetizer

This recipe is simple, requiring just 8 ingredients and 15 minutes to prepare! Just stir filling ingredients, spread into a tortilla, roll and slice!

And the flavors? Oh, they’re meant for each other.

Sun-dried tomatoes* pair with fresh basil, while fresh garlic and vegan parmesan cheese pack a serious punch to the vegan cream cheese base. A little spinach intensifies the green hue while boosting the nutritional content. Ooh, dreamy.

*Note: learn about the origins of sun-dried tomatoes here.

Spreading ingredients onto a tortilla for a vegan appetizer of Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Pinwheels
Cutting board filled with freshly sliced Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Pinwheels

So what do they taste like? FLAVOR BOMBS. They’re:

Creamy
Savory
Fresh
Basil-infused
Rich in sun-dried-tomato goodness
& Seriously satisfying

Plus, that color? How can you go wrong?

Where would one bring these pinwheels to, you ask? Answer: ALL of the summer parties. I brought these along to a BBQ recently and they were gobbled up in 10 minutes flat! I’d say they’re a crowd pleaser among vegans and meat-eaters alike.

Plate of delicious vegan Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels for a healthy snack

If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to know what you thought! Leave a comment and rate it – it’s super helpful for us (to continually improve our recipes) and other readers (to know why you loved it).

Don’t forget to take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels stacked on a plate for a vegan party appetizer

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels

Amazing, flavorful Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels that come together in 15 minutes with 8 ingredients. The perfect crowd-pleasing summer appetizer.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Large plate of Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels
4.88 from 63 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 20 (pinwheels)
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian-Inspired, Latin-Inspired, Vegan

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese (I love Trader Joe’s brand)
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not in oil // chopped // plus more for topping)
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry* // optional)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced (2 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 12 g)
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
  • 1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper
  • 2 large flour tortillas (ensure vegan friendliness on package)
  • 24 fresh basil leaves (DIVIDED)

Instructions

  • Add vegan cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, vegan parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.
  • Divide filling between two flour tortillas and spread into an even layer all the way to the edge. Top each with half of the fresh basil leaves (leaving one edge bare so the tortilla can stick to itself). Press basil down slightly to adhere.
  • Tightly roll up tortillas from one end to another, starting from the end with basil all the way to the edge, working toward the end that’s slightly bare.
  • Once rolled up, squeeze gently to compact everything and lay seam-side down for slicing.
  • Use a serrated knife to gently cut tortillas into 1/2-inch slices. Between the two tortillas, you should have a total of 20-22 pinwheels (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately, or chill for up to 24 hours, covered in the fridge. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-3 days, though best when fresh.

Video

Notes

*To prepare frozen spinach, thaw completely and transfer to a clean, thin towel. Hold over the sink and squeeze firmly to drain out all water. Use as instructed.
*Inspired by, loosely adapted from Spoon, Fork, Bacon.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 20 servings)

Serving: 1 pinwheel Calories: 48 Carbohydrates: 2.3 g Protein: 1 g Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 61 mg

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  1. Ally Braun says

    I have made this appetizer every Christmas for the last several years. Time and time again, it is a crowd favorite. Perfect for a party, delicious, and easy. No one ever knows they’re vegan too. Love this recipe!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad this recipe is a repeat for you, Ally. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  2. Cher says

    These look amazing! I’m hoping to make these for my daughter’s wedding as an appetizer. Could I make these ahead of time and cut the day of, or would they get soggy?
    Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cher, we think they would become a little soggy, but you could make the filling up to a couple days in advance and then assemble the day of serving. Hope that helps!

  3. Melanie says

    I made these for my mom’s surprise 80th birthday party yesterday and they were a huge hit. Everyone loved them and wanted the recipe. My husband insisted I make them again this weekend for tailgating. Delicious, super easy, and a definite keeper.

  4. Suzie says

    I made this today & it was way too salty to enjoy. I made the recipe as is with the exception of using sun dried tomato in oil and patting them dry.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Bummer! Sorry that was your experience, Suzie. Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil usually do have salt added, so that may have made a difference? The main sources of salt in this recipe are the vegan cream cheese and vegan parmesan cheese. Were you using store-bought or homemade vegan parmesan? If homemade, you could make it with less salt, if preferred! If using store-bought products, perhaps try a different brand!

  5. Mary says

    Hi, I am looking for a sun-dried tomato substitute that might go better with bubbly. Roasted red peppers? A mix of more herbs? Any thoughts? Thank you!

  6. Jayne says

    Delicious!
    I had whole wheat lavosh on hand, and this recipe was perfect for two.
    I had some Orech, which is a native spinach I’m growing for the first time, I chopped and microwaved it with a little water to steam it, let it cool and drained off the tablespoon of water and mixed it in.
    Big hit at the party and such a flavor bomb. Thank you.

  7. Paris says

    This recipe blew me away. I absolutely LOVED it. I didn’t change a single thing on the recipe. 10/10!

  8. Deb says

    Love love love this! Just made it for a picnic and it was delicious! Easy, colorful and very portable. And did I mention delicious?

    Thanks so much for sharing!

  9. Kathryn says

    Looking forward to trying this (with gluten-free tortillas).
    I realize they might cut differently from regular tortillas but I’m wondering how difficult it was to cut them when you’ve made them?

    They look delicious and so pretty! :-)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kathryn, we found them to be easy to cut when using flour tortillas, but haven’t tested it with gluten-free tortillas. You may want to warm the GF tortillas first, which makes them more pliable. Hope that helps! Enjoy!

  10. Seejay says

    So good! And easy to make, will definitely make them again! Next time I think I will add a little pimento for color as my sun dried tomatoes are very dark colored and I love to see red in my food!

    Thanks for the recipe!
    Seejay

  11. DJ says

    I cut the recipe in half as I made it for lunch for the hubby and me. I had roasted garlic yesterday and fresh basil and spinach in the garden. Otherwise, followed the recipe as written. This is a keeper!!! Yum 😄Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Fresh garden produce would make it extra YUM! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  12. CBo says

    Forgot to say in my comment (and can’t edit it!): we used regular cream cheese and parmesan, as I am still not sold on vegan cheese. DELICIOUS.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  13. CBo says

    SO delicious! SO easy. We used fresh spinach and could only find sun-dried tomatoes in oil so I dried the heck out of them with paper towels, and chopped them quite fine and they worked. I added a bit too much garlic so will add a little less next time. Amazing recipe. Love love love!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sandra, stay tuned for a homemade version coming soon :) In the meantime, we’d suggest Siete cassava flour tortillas.

  14. Ashley says

    Question!! I am making these for a gathering tomorrow and was going to make the cream cheese part now. I have never bought or used DRY sun dried tomatoes and the ones I have are difficult to chop, not as red as yours, and hard and chewy. I am scared to use them. Can you share what brand you used? All I could find were Mezzetta Sun Ripened Dried Tomatoes. Do they soften up? I sm going to hold off making them and 🤞🤞🤞 that I get am answer in time. Otherwise, I think I’m going to play it safe and use jarred sun dried tomatoes. Thanks for all your amazing recipes! 😊

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ashley, we typically use Trader Joe’s julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes. If yours are really hard, we’d recommend soaking them in warm water for 5-10 minutes to help them soften before cutting. Jarred sun-dried tomatoes would also be fine if you squeeze out excess oil. Hope you love the recipe!

  15. Olive-oyl says

    So forgiving! Made with sun-dried tomato basil tortillas because that’s what I had. Delish. I usually make these with salsa but really like this basil/spinach/sun dried tomato twist for a change. Absolutely do not skip the sun dried tomatoes, it adds so much. Also made a half batch with Boursin dairy free garlic & herb spread to get the container out of my fridge and that was tasty too! Making these again in a few days to bring to a volunteer group function.

  16. Christine says

    These pinwheels are the bomb! I served to a group of mixed eaters and everyone loved them! I should have made more . . . . they were asking for more! Your recipes are so easy and fun to make . . . . they always taste great and get a 5star rating from me. Sometimes I alter them, but this one I didn’t. Thanks for all you do to keep us eating tasty food that is healthy!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Christine! xo

  17. Danielle says

    Overall: I’ll be making these again.

    Extra 1: Next time I’ll mix the basil in with the cream cheese. Layering it meant there wasn’t much adherence throughout, so my rolls fell apart.

    Extra 2: I tried these topped with marinara. Wow! They’re so good!

  18. SFerd says

    This is a really great recipe to serve at a party. I’m so glad it was mentioned in a vegan FB group I’m a member of. As we were having about 20 people over, we made three batches using a food processor. We followed the recipe exactly which is rare for us!!

    The one warning I’d give to those using a food processor is to ‘pulse’ the mixture….don’t let it keep running. It’s more appealing looking to be able to see the different colors–it can look a bit brown all blended together. I bought 2 big containers of basil and put extra in the last batch when rolling which improved the taste and look of the pinwheels.

    Our guests raved about these, so we’ll definitely make again.

  19. Katherine says

    These were a huge hit at our party! None of our friends are vegan, and they were all crazy about them. Also, none of our other food was finished due to the heat, but this plate was gone an hour into the party! We used frozen spinach and sundried tomatoes in oil, and it worked out perfectly. We also used Sheese black pepper creamy spread. In future I’m not sure it would even need the parmesan or the basil if people didn’t have these ingredients/wanted to cut down the price to make these –> the garlic and sundried tomatoes carried most of the flavour. Thank-you Minimalist Baker for another amazing recipe! We always know a recipe from your website will be a hit.

  20. Maggie Richardson says

    I am OBSESSED with these! I’ve made them many times for potlucks/events, and many times just for myself/family! They are beloved by vegans and non-vegans alike. I don’t like the texture of frozen spinach so I usually opt for fresh and they’re still great!

      • ANN WORTHINGTON says

        I enjoyed several years ago and can’t recall – can you use fresh spinach ? it was very good – I do remember that ! Thank you !

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Ann! So glad you enjoy this recipe, fresh spinach should work here but we’d recommend chopping it well to help it wilt slightly. Let us know how it goes! xo

  21. B Tucker says

    I really wanted to like this because it’s such a beautiful dish but I found the addition of vegan parmesan spoiled the flavor for me – too vegan-y. I used fresh spinach because I couldn’t find frozen. Next time, I’ll omit the vegan parm and try frozen spinach.

  22. Ladonna says

    I made these for book club tonight and the ladies loved them! They asked for the recipe. These were yummy and so easy to make. I used a suggestion that you add everything into a food processor. That worked really well. I used whole wheat lavosh from Trader Joe’s.

    Thank you so much!!

  23. Diane says

    Just recently discovered and made these pinwheels. Took them to a party over the weekend, and I think they were gone in 15 minutes! They were absolutely delicious! The only thing I did differently was use the jarred julienne cut sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (my favorite), and cut them up. I drained them thoroughly and patted them dry. They worked out great and the flavor was simply amazing! I will be making them again this season for my family gathering. Thank you!

  24. Sarah says

    Dana,
    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I am trying to eat more plant-based, and I would love to go vegan one day. This was delicious!!!
    I used fresh spinach instead of frozen/thawed, and it worked great. It didn’t make as many as I would have hoped, but that’s okay. I will def make these again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sarah. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  25. Jen says

    These were amazing!! I made them for a crowd of non-vegans and they went down a treat. Keep an eye on the salt, I added salt and found it a bit salty. The nutritional yeast made it salty enough, I didn’t need to add more. Used fresh spinach leaves and on the suggestion of others, I chopped the tomatoes and spinach in the food processor and added in the rest and mixed it in the food processor. My ‘cream cheese’ was quite hard so would have been tough to mix by hand. I then topped with some more fresh whole spinach leaves and the basil before rolling.