Ingredients
- Prepare the tuna salad: Open and thoroughly drain the tuna cans, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the drained tuna to a medium mixing bowl and use a fork to flake it into small pieces. Add mayonnaise, diced celery, minced red onion, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until well combined and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Prep your workspace: Lay out all your tortillas on a clean work surface or large cutting board. Having everything ready makes assembly quick and efficient.
- Spread the cream cheese: Using a butter knife or offset spatula, spread about 1 tablespoon of softened cream cheese evenly over each tortilla, going all the way to the edges. This acts as a “glue” to help seal the pinwheels and adds extra creaminess. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it spreads easily without tearing the tortilla.
- Add the greens: Layer fresh spinach or lettuce leaves over the cream cheese, covering the entire surface but leaving about ½ inch bare at the top edge. This bare edge will help seal the roll. Pat the greens down gently so they stick to the cream cheese.
- Spread the tuna salad: Spoon about ½ cup of tuna salad onto the bottom third of each tortilla (the edge closest to you). Use the back of your spoon to spread it in an even layer, about ¼-inch thick. Don’t overfill—less is more when it comes to rolling tightly!
- Add optional vegetables: If using shredded carrots or cucumber slices, sprinkle them over the tuna salad layer for extra crunch and color.
- Roll tightly: Starting from the edge with the tuna salad, begin rolling the tortilla away from you, keeping it as tight as possible. Use your fingers to tuck in the sides and maintain even pressure as you roll. The tighter you roll, the prettier your slices will be. Roll all the way to the bare edge, which should seal the roll closed.
- Wrap and chill: Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal. Place the wrapped rolls seam-side down in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours). This chilling time is crucial—it allows the cream cheese to firm up and helps everything stick together, making slicing much easier.
- Slice the pinwheels: When ready to serve, unwrap the rolls and place them seam-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, serrated knife, trim off both ends (about ½ inch from each side) for clean edges. Then slice each roll into ¾-inch to 1-inch thick rounds. Wipe your knife clean between cuts for the cleanest slices.
- Arrange and serve: Place the pinwheels cut-side up on a serving platter in a single layer so you can see the beautiful spirals. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until party time!
Instructions
- Drainage is key: Make sure to drain the tuna very well. Excess moisture makes the filling runny and can make tortillas soggy.
- Room temperature matters: Softened cream cheese spreads easily; cold cream cheese will tear your tortillas.
- Tight rolling technique: Roll as tightly as possible without squeezing out the filling. Practice makes perfect!
- Chilling is essential: Don’t skip the refrigeration time. Cold rolls slice cleanly; room temperature rolls fall apart.
- Sharp knife required: A serrated knife works best for clean cuts. Wipe the blade between slices.
- Make ahead friendly: These can be rolled and refrigerated up to 24 hours before slicing and serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pinwheels
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 385mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 20mg