Flaky Spinach and Ricotta Puff Pastry Pinwheels
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Flaky layers, earthy spinach, cheesy filling? These spinach and ricotta puff pastry pinwheels are the most delicious, crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties and holidays! With just a handful of ingredients, they come together quickly for an easy and elegant hors d’oeuvre. Seriously, I could eat 100 of these bites!
Lately, it seems that every time I open the fridge, there is a big tub of half-wilted spinach staring back at me. I know I can’t be the only one who buys a box of spinach and then proceeds to neglect it. Like, we all do this right?
If you too have a bag of greens in the fridge giving you a guilt trip, then buckle up because I have a lovely appetizer situation coming at you! These pinwheels were inspired by a cinnamon roll version that I learned how to make when I was in pastry school. But, I filled them with creamy ricotta, salty gruyère, parmesan, and a good dose of spinach because well, I needed to use it up.
This is by far one of my favorite appetizers to make for parties and holidays. They’re bite-sized, you don’t need utensils, and everyone loves those flaky layers. Have leftover ricotta? Make this whipped ricotta dip, pour some wine, and you’re ready to party!
An elevated pinwheel
I swear, every single get together I went to growing up had those tortilla pinwheels that were usually filled with cream cheese or ham and cheddar. Don’t hate me, but I honestly never liked them lol. But with this version, we’re using puff pastry which turns a basic app into a warm, buttery, flaky one. Amen.
- These pinwheels are so easy to make.
- You can make ahead and freeze them for later!
- They’re cheesy, garlicky, and have a hint of spice.
- Make them as a standalone party app or with other small bites.
Key ingredient – puff pastry
In pastry school, we made our own puff pastry but I’m not going to do that to you. This is supposed to be an easy party snack after all! So we’ll use frozen puff pastry instead. Sometimes, you can find all-butter versions and if you do, grab it immediately! If not, any frozen puff pastry will work.
You will also need fresh baby spinach, whole milk ricotta, gruyére, parmesan, garlic, chives, red pepper flakes, Morton’s Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, and an egg.
Make sure to thaw the puff pastry before making this recipe! You can thaw it at room temp for about 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Squeeze the ricotta
I tested this recipe at least 4 times and found one step to be very, very important. You need to squeeze all the liquid out of the ricotta before you add it to the filling. Otherwise, the extra liquid will make the pastries soggy which would be sad.
To remove it, spoon the ricotta into a square of cheese cloth. Gather the edges of the cheese cloth so you have a ‘pouch’ of ricotta. Squeeze the ricotta until no more liquid comes out. Doubled-up paper towels will work in a pinch, but they don’t work quite as well.
No cheese cloth? You can use a fine mesh sieve instead! Spoon the ricotta into the sieve over a bowl. Cover and let the ricotta drain for at least 4 hours in the fridge, but preferably overnight.
How to bake these pinwheels
- Add the ricotta, spinach, gruyère, parmesan, garlic, chives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl.
- Use a spoon to stir the filling together until it’s nice and smooth.
- Then, roll both sheets of puff pastry into 10×12-inch rectangles.
- Spread half the filling on a sheet of puff pastry. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
- Roll the puff pastry sheets tightly into two long longs.
- Next, freeze the logs for about 15-20 minutes, until they’re firm. Then, cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Roll the puff pastry fairly tightly to help the pinwheels stick together. If the roll is too loose, the pinwheels could spread apart when they’re baking.
- Place the chilled pinwheel slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Then, whisk an egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the pinwheels with the egg wash.
- Lastly, bake the pinwheels at 400°F (204°C) until they’re golden brown, about 15-16 minutes.
A few tips
- Always use freshly-grated cheese! Not only does it taste better but it melts better too. Pre-shredded cheese will clump up.
- Feel free to use frozen spinach. Just make sure to squeeze out extra liquid like you do with the ricotta.
- Make sure to seal the edge of the puff pastry when you roll it up. If it won’t stick, you can use a little egg wash to help it stay together.
- The pinwheels should be cold before you bake them. If they’re too warm, they will melt apart instead of coming out golden brown and flaky.
Freezer-friendly
One of the best parts of this recipe is that you can make it in advance! After you slice the pinwheels, place them on a sheet pan and freeze them until they’re solid, at least 2 hours. Pop the frozen pinwheels in a zipper bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
Then, bake them straight out of the freezer! Brush the pinwheels with egg wash and bake them until they’re golden-brown. You might just need to add 2-3 extra minutes to the bake time.
Store & reheat
To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. They might lost a bit of their crispiness in the fridge so if they do, reheat them at 350°F (177°C) for about 5-6 minutes.
Recipe yield
This recipe will make about 40 ricotta and spinach rolls, and you’ll want about 2-3 per person. Feel free to halve the recipe or double it for a crowd!
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Flaky Spinach and Ricotta Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (500 grams)
- 10 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped (284 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gruyère cheese (105 grams)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (35 grams)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives (6 grams)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound puff pastry (2 sheets/454 grams)
- 1 egg
Equipment
- 1-2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Cheese cloth
- Rolling Pin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Spoon the ricotta cheese into the middle of a square of cheese cloth. Gather the corners of the cheese cloth to create a 'pouch'. Squeeze the ricotta to remove as much extra liquid as possible. (In a pinch, doubled-up paper towels will also work but tend to fall apart. You might have to repeat the process 2-3 times.)
- Place the drained ricotta into a medium bowl. Add the spinach, gruyère, parmesan, garlic, chives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Next, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the puff pastry sheet all the way to the edges. Starting with the long end towards you, tightly roll the puff pastry into a long log. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and filling.
- Freeze the pinwheel logs for 15-20 minutes or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Once the logs are chilled, use a sharp knife to cut the logs into 1/2-inch slices. Line 6-8 pinwheels on the prepared sheet pan 2-3 inches apart. Refrigerate the remaining pinwheels for later.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the pinwheels with the egg wash.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes until the pinwheels are flaky and golden-brown. Repeat with the remaining pinwheels and serve them warm. Enjoy!
