Let’s talk about one of the most legendary, can’t-stop-eating-it appetizers of all time: the glorious, warm, and gooey Spinach Artichoke Dip. It’s that rich, creamy, cheesy, and incredibly addictive dip that is always the undisputed star of any party. It is a true, foolproof crowd-pleaser that everyone loves.
But as delicious as it is, serving a messy dip can sometimes be a little bit tricky for a mingling crowd. What if you could take all of that amazing, classic flavor and wrap it up in a neat, elegant, and incredibly easy-to-eat little package? It is the perfect, brilliant evolution of a beloved appetizer.
Today, we are making these incredible Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels. This simple recipe uses a sheet of buttery puff pastry to transform your favorite dip into a beautiful, golden, and flaky finger food. Get ready to discover your new favorite way to serve a classic.
The Ultimate Party Appetizer: Easy Spinach Pinwheels
These Easy Spinach Pinwheels are the perfect party appetizer. The wonderfully light, flaky, and buttery puff pastry is the perfect vessel for the rich, savory, and creamy spinach and artichoke filling. They are a simple yet incredibly elegant bite-sized snack that always impresses guests and disappears from the platter in minutes.
A Perfect Vegetarian Appetizer for Easy Puff Pastry Recipes
You will find that this is a fantastic vegetarian appetizer that is a guaranteed hit with absolutely everyone at your party, vegetarian or not. It is also one of the absolute best easy puff pastry recipes you can possibly find. Using a sheet of store-bought, frozen puff pastry is a brilliant shortcut that makes this impressive-looking appetizer unbelievably simple to make.
Your Guide: How Do You Keep Puff Pastry From Getting Soggy on the Bottom?
For anyone wondering how to keep puff pastry from getting soggy on the bottom, the most important secret is to make sure your filling is not too wet and that your oven is properly preheated and hot. It is absolutely crucial to squeeze all the excess moisture out of your thawed spinach and to use a thick, not watery, filling. Baking the pinwheels on a hot baking sheet also helps the bottom of the pastry to cook quickly, puff up, and become beautifully golden and crisp.
Why You’ll Love These Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels
You are going to love this recipe because it has all the addictive, cheesy, and creamy flavor of spinach artichoke dip, but in a neat, easy-to-eat, and completely mess-free format. You’ll also adore how incredibly easy this appetizer is to make, thanks to the brilliant and simple shortcut of using store-bought puff pastry. Plus, they look so wonderfully elegant and beautiful on a party platter, making them perfect for any special occasion.
Nutritional Benefits
This delicious vegetarian appetizer is a wonderful party treat that you can feel good about serving. The spinach and artichokes in the filling are absolutely packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy dietary fiber. By making your own simple filling from scratch at home, you also have complete control over all the ingredients and can avoid the preservatives found in some pre-made dips.
Full Recipe
Are you ready to create the most popular appetizer at your next party with surprising ease? This detailed guide will walk you through every simple step, from creating the creamy filling to baking these pinwheels to flaky, golden perfection. Get ready to master a new go-to recipe that will make you look like an entertaining genius.
An easy, elegant, and incredibly delicious recipe for Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels. This crowd-pleasing vegetarian appetizer features a creamy spinach and artichoke filling rolled up in a flaky, buttery puff pastry and baked until golden. This is the perfect, easy-to-eat finger food for any party, potluck, or holiday gathering.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Yield: 16-20 pinwheels | Category: Appetizer, Snack | Method: Baking | Cuisine: American | Diet: Vegetarian
Essential Ingredients for Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels
This elegant and impressive party appetizer comes together with a handful of simple, delicious ingredients.
- Puff Pastry: 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
- Spinach: 1 package (10 oz / 280g) of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
- Artichoke Hearts: 1 can (14 oz / 400g) of artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
- For the Creamy Filling:
- 4 oz (½ block) of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Aromatics: 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Seasoning: Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients Notes
A little more detail on our key ingredients will ensure your pinwheels are a spectacular success.
- The Puff Pastry: The ultimate shortcut for this elegant recipe is using a sheet of store-bought, all-butter frozen puff pastry. Be sure to follow the package directions for thawing the pastry properly before you try to unroll it. A good quality, all-butter puff pastry will give you the flakiest and most delicious result.
- The Spinach: The most important step in this entire recipe is preparing the spinach correctly. You must use frozen, chopped spinach that has been completely thawed and then squeezed bone-dry. Any excess water left in the spinach will make your filling watery and your final pinwheels soggy.
- The Creamy Filling: Our simple and delicious filling is made with a base of softened cream cheese, which provides a wonderful, creamy binder. The freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds a nutty, salty flavour, while the shredded mozzarella provides that classic, gooey, cheesy goodness that everyone loves.
- The Artichoke Hearts: For the best texture, it is a great idea to use canned artichoke hearts that are packed in water, not oil. Be sure to drain them very well and then finely chop them so that they incorporate beautifully into the creamy filling and are easy to roll.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels
Let’s walk through the incredibly simple steps to create this impressive and delicious party appetizer.
- Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Puff Pastry. First, preheat your oven to a hot 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully unroll your thawed sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface.
- Step 2: Create the Creamy Filling. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, the grated Parmesan cheese, the shredded mozzarella cheese, and the minced garlic. Stir everything together until it is well combined.
- Step 3: Add the Spinach and Artichokes. To the cheese mixture, add the very dry, chopped spinach and the finely chopped artichoke hearts. Season the filling with a little salt and pepper and stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Step 4: Assemble the Pinwheels. Spread the prepared spinach and artichoke filling in an even layer all over the surface of your sheet of puff pastry, leaving a small border along one edge.
- Step 5: Roll and Slice. Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the puff pastry up into a log. Use a sharp, serrated knife to carefully slice the log into ½-inch thick pinwheels.
- Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection. Arrange the sliced pinwheels flat on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is beautifully puffed up, golden brown, and cooked through.
- Step 7: Serve and Enjoy. Let the pinwheels cool on the pan for a few minutes before you transfer them to a serving platter. These are delicious served warm.
Storage Options
These delicious spinach artichoke pinwheels are at their absolute best when they are served fresh and warm from the oven, while the pastry is at its flakiest. If you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat them and bring back some of their flaky texture, it is best to warm them in an air fryer or a toaster oven for a few minutes.
Variations and Substitutions
This simple and elegant recipe is a wonderful template that you can easily adapt to your tastes. For some extra savory flavour, you can add some cooked and crumbled bacon or some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes to your filling mixture. You can also easily substitute the mozzarella cheese with another good melting cheese, like a nutty Gruyère or a simple provolone. For a bit of a spicy kick, feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your filling.
Practical & valuable Tips
I cannot emphasize this enough: the most important tip for this recipe is to squeeze your thawed spinach until it is as dry as you can possibly get it. For the cleanest slices and the neatest pinwheels, it can be very helpful to chill your filled and rolled log of puff pastry in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you slice it. Finally, for the most flavourful result, always use freshly grated Parmesan cheese from a block instead of the pre-grated kind.
Frequently Asked Questions
- My pinwheels were soggy on the bottom. What did I do wrong? A soggy bottom is almost always because the filling was too wet. It is absolutely crucial to squeeze every drop of moisture out of both your thawed spinach and your drained artichoke hearts. Using a hot, preheated baking sheet can also help the bottom of the pastry to cook quickly and become crisp.
- Can I make these pinwheels ahead of time? Yes, this is a fantastic make-ahead appetizer! You can fully assemble and roll the log, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready, you can simply slice the chilled log and bake the pinwheels as directed.
- Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen? You can, but you will need a very large amount of it (about 10-12 cups of fresh spinach) and you must cook it down first. You would simply sauté the fresh spinach in a pan until it has completely wilted, then let it cool and squeeze it just as dry as you would with the frozen variety.
- Can I freeze these pinwheels? Yes, these freeze beautifully. The best method is to freeze the unbaked, sliced pinwheels. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. You can then bake them directly from frozen, adding about 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- What is the best way to serve these pinwheels? These pinwheels are a perfect, self-contained appetizer that is fantastic served on its own while it is still warm from the oven. They are also delicious served with a side of a simple marinara sauce or a creamy ranch dressing for dipping.
Conclusion
These Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels are your ultimate secret weapon for an appetizer that is both incredibly easy and wonderfully elegant. It’s a dish that takes the beloved, classic flavours of a party dip and transforms them into a flaky, beautiful, and crowd-pleasing finger food. It is a foolproof, impressive, and delicious recipe that is guaranteed to be the star of your next get-together. This is a Vegetarian Appetizer Recipe you will make for every party. If you love this easy and delicious dish, don’t forget to share it and save it to your favorite appetizer board on Pinterest!














Leave a Comment