Tortilla roll-ups are always a hit for tailgating, game day, or cocktail parties. Also known as “pinwheels”, these corned beef tortilla roll-ups are a fun twist on traditional versions. With ingredients of corned beef, sauerkraut, and cream cheese these easy appetizers have all the flavors of a classic Reuben sandwich.

Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary and make up a batch of these Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups this week!

Tailgating season is upon us and the holidays are coming up quickly, who needs a tried and true easy recipe to serve at all of your upcoming parties and family get-togethers? With just a few simple ingredients, you will have a tray of these tasty tortilla roll ups that offer a festive presentation, too.

My taco tortilla roll ups are super tasty. They have black olives, green chiles, and cheddar cheese in the cream cheese spread, and I serve them with salsa for dipping. I got to thinking, that the flavors of a classic Reuben Sandwich would make a delicious pinwheel recipe, too, and I was right!

This easy party appetizer is sponsored by my friends at Frank’s Kraut but my opinions here and my lifetime love of their sauerkraut are all my own.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE CORNED BEEF TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

These Reuben tortilla pinwheels are simple to make, easy to serve, and delicious to eat. They are perfect for making ahead of time and easy to transport if bringing them to a party. Roll-ups are also ideal for a picnic lunch or an alternative for a sandwich to bring to work or for after school snacks.

You will love the ease of this recipe which incorporates all of the traditional flavors of a Reuben sandwich. And, if you love everything Reuben, check out these Reubenized appetizer recipes: Reuben Cheese Ball, Crock Pot Reuben Dip and Reuben Wonton Purses.

HOW DID THE REUBEN SANDWICH GET ITS NAME?

The Reuben is often thought to originate in Germany or Ireland, but it was actually first invented in America in the early 20th century. Some argue that the Reuben was created in New York, but I prefer to believe that it originated right here in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, at the well-known Blackstone Hotel.

A Jewish Lithuanian-born grocer, named Reuben Kulakofsky, was the maker of the first Reuben Sandwich. Reuben attended a weekly poker game held at the Blackstone Hotel between the years of 1920-1935. The group came to refer to themselves as “The Committee.” The Committee loved the sandwich so much that they convinced one of the other poker players, Charles Schimmel, who just happened to be the hotel’s owner, to put the sandwich on the hotel’s lunch menu.

And with that, the Reuben sandwich came to fame. That’s the story I know and I’m sticking to it!

Check out my post for more information on the Reuben sandwich and How to Reubenize anything!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR REUBEN PINWHEELS

Flour Tortillas – Typically flour tortillas are used for roll-ups. You will want to choose tortillas that are at least 10 inches in diameter.
Cream cheese – Soften your cream cheese by taking it out of the fridge for 30-60 minutes before assembling your pinwheels.
Caraway seeds – the caraway seeds give the roll-ups that “rye bread” appeal the Reuben has with their nutty, bittersweet flavor.
Deli corned beef – You can use leftover corned beef for this recipe, or ask them to slice it a little on the thicker side at the deli counter.
Green onions – chopped green onions are not in a classic Reuben sandwich, but they really elevate this recipe.
Frank’s Kraut – hands down the best sauerkraut on the planet!
Swiss cheese – You will need to use shredded cheese which you can find pre-shredded in the market but I recommend grating your own.

HOW TO MAKE REUBEN-STYLE TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

Pinwheel recipes are one of the quickest appetizers to toss together, and they are great make-ahead snacks. Find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

FIRST: Whip the cream cheese and the caraway seeds together with your electric mixer.

SECOND: Scrape the bowl and add the corned beef, green onions, and kraut. Beat together, scraping the bowl once while it mixes.

THIRD: Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the flour tortillas, spreading it to the edge of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese and roll it up.

FOURTH: Tightly wrap each roll-up in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Chilling it overnight will be even better and make slicing the pinwheels even easier the next day.

FIFTH: Remove the plastic wrap cut off the end of the tortillas first, and then slice it into ½ – 1-inch slices.

Serve with Thousand Island dressing for dipping if desired.

Love them? Pin them!

Don’t forget where you found the recipe for these Reuben Style Pinwheels! Pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board before you go!

TIPS AND TRICKS

Here are a few tips to help you make the best pinwheels!

In order for the flavors to meld well and also be easy to slice, chill the roll-ups for at least 3 hours.

When serving, garnish the platter of pinwheels with more sliced green onions.

For easy serving and to help keep the roll-ups together, you can plate each one on its side (not laying flat) and stick a toothpick in each one.

Should you have any leftovers, the roll-ups will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days or up to 2 months in the freezer. Be sure to place them in an airtight container.

Serve these Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-ups with Thousand Island dressing on the side for a true Reuben experience. Here’s my recipe for Homemade Thousand Island Dressing – so good!

THE BENEFITS OF SAUERKRAUT

There are many health benefits to eating sauerkraut both from the cabbage and the fermentation process. Sauerkraut can aid in digestion due to the presence of probiotics and high fiber. It is also high in vitamins such as Vitamin C & K, folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium.

It has been shown to aid in losing weight as it is low in calories, sugar, and fat, plus high in fiber which helps you to feel full longer. Adding a portion of sauerkraut daily can strengthen your immune system, improve your digestion, possibly reduce your risk of certain diseases, and even help you lose weight!

Frank’s Kraut

I have had a longtime relationship with Frank’s Kraut. Sure, it started way back when I was a kid, as it was the only sauerkraut my grandparents bought, and then my own parents. It was a household name in our German/Polish family.

Fast forward to 2015 when I posted my first recipe for them, a Reuben Burger. Years have gone by, and I have oodles of sauerkraut recipes and Reubenized recipes here for you to enjoy. All made with my family’s favorite sauerkraut.

I have the utmost respect for this company and its support of our farmers. All of the cabbage used for making Frank’s Kraut is grown and harvested in Northwest Ohio. Acres of green cabbage are truly a site to behold! Read all about How Frank’s grows their cabbage for their sauerkraut on their webpage.

The Ultimate Guide to Sauerkraut

LOVE KRAUT LIKE WE DO?

You will find loads of sauerkraut recipes at FranksKraut.com, too.

And don’t forget to check out all of the goodness they share year-round on their social pages: Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Twitter.

Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups FAQ’s

How do you keep cream cheese pinwheels from getting soggy? This should not be too much of a problem as the flour tortilla shouldn’t absorb the cream cheese mixture very much. You can place a “barrier” such as a lettuce leaf or spinach between the tortilla and cream cheese mixture, but this will alter the recipe. To avoid sogginess, serve the pinwheels within 24 hours.

Can you make tortilla pinwheels the night before? Yes! These pinwheels need to chill for at least 3 hours, but overnight is even better. They will actually be easier to slice after chilling for 24 hours.

What is sauerkraut? Sauerkraut literally translates to “sour cabbage”. Sauerkraut is finely cut raw fermented cabbage and is well known in German and Polish cuisine. Its distinctive sour flavor is a result of the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage leaves.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Cream cheese – For a lower calorie version, you can substitute Neufchatel cheese. I have also seen recipes with sour cream, however, this will result in a much “wetter” filling and may not hold up as well.

Caraway seeds – You could substitute fennel seeds if you can’t find caraway seeds. Fennel seeds and caraway seeds are both in the carrot family and fennel has a similar essence and licorice notes to caraway. You can use an equal amount of fennel seeds for the caraway seeds.

More Sauerkraut Recipes to Love

Need something to bring to that next party or tailgate? These Reuben-Style Tortilla Roll-ups make the perfect appetizer! Let’s get to the recipe!

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Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups in a blue bowl with dressing

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Print Recipe

Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups

Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary and make up a batch of these Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups. Tortilla roll-ups are always a hit for tailgating, game day, or cocktail parties. Also known as “pinwheels”, these corned beef tortilla roll-ups are a fun twist on traditional versions. With ingredients of corned beef, sauerkraut, and cream cheese these easy appetizers have all the flavors of a classic Reuben sandwich.

Prep Time10

Additional Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Cold Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: #CelebrateFlavor, corned beef, cream cheese, Frank's kraut, onion, Reuben Pinwheels, Reuben Style Tortilla Roll-Ups, Swiss Cheese, Thousand Island Dressing, Tortilla Pinwheels, tortillas

Servings: servings

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

Ingredients

5 - 10- inch tortillas
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese softened
¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ pound deli corned beef chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
2 green onions sliced
½ cup Frank’s Kraut drained and chopped
1 - 8 ounce Swiss cheese shredded

Instructions

With your electric mixer, whip the cream cheese and the caraway seeds together.
Scrape the bowl, and add in the corned beef, onions, and kraut. Beat together, scraping the bowl once while it mixes.
Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the flour tortillas, getting it all of the way to the edge of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese and roll it up.
Tightly wrap each roll-up in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Overnight is even better.
Remove the plastic wrap and slice.
Serve with Thousand Island dressing for dipping if desired.

Notes

Should you have any leftovers, the roll-ups will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days or up to 2 months in the freezer. Be sure to place them in an airtight container.

Nutrition

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