Mediterranean Appetizer Pinwheels

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These tasty Mediterranean Appetizer Pinwheels start with frozen puff pastry sheets and are layered with gooey cheeses, salty olives, spinach, and roasted peppers.

A beautiful and delicious addition to any appetizer buffet, puff pastry pinwheels are golden brown, cheese, and filled with savory Greek-inspired ingredients.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed it by now or not, but I really like Greek flavors and have posted several recipes with Kalamata olives and Feta cheese on my blog in the past.

In fact, on vacation in February, I enjoyed a Greek salad by the pool at our resort — on more than one occasion. They are so very good!

Just before our vacation, we had friends over for a Greek-inspired meal with Mediterranean pinwheels and Greek Chicken Kabobs — both were a big hit!

You can also pair this recipe with several other of my Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like Healthy Greek Coleslaw, Greek Heirloom Tomato Salad, or Mediterranean Salmon.

Key ingredients & substitutions for Puff Pastry Pinwheels

• Cream cheese — Use the cream cheese as a mild base for the flavorful spinach and artichoke hearts.
  
• Frozen chopped spinach — Frozen, pre-chopped spinach will make your life a little easier. However, you can use chopped fresh spinach leaves.
  
• Marinated artichoke hearts — It’s easy to grab a jar from the store. But like with spinach, you can start with a fresher ingredient and marinate the artichokes yourself. 
  
• Seasonings — You’ll need kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If you don’t have kosher salt in the pantry, you can substitute it for half the amount of table salt.
   
• Frozen puff pastry — Making a puff pastry from scratch is tedious. If you have the confidence and skill — Go for it! Otherwise, using a frozen product is an excellent shortcut and just as tasty.
  
• Crumbled feta cheese — Either a block or pre-crumbled feta cheese will do the trick. You can also try other cheeses like parmesan and gorgonzola.
  
• Sliced kalamata olives — Stick with kalamata olives rather than substituting with black olives. Kalamata olives have a fruitier taste, while black olives are salty and mild. 
  
• Jarred red peppers — Using a jarred product will avoid the need to roast the red peppers when prepping for this recipe. 
  
• Shredded Swiss cheese — If you aren’t a fan of Swiss cheese, you can use fontina, cheddar, or gouda cheese as an alternative.

Variations

Change it up from time to time by adding new ingredients to the recipe. Try any of the following:

• Your choice of pesto
• Dijon mustard
• Prosciutto
• Parmesan cheese

How to make pinwheels with puff pastry

This cheesy and flavorful appetizer starts with a frozen puff pastry and is layered with feta, olives, spinach, and more Greek-inspired ingredients.

STEP 1 | Preheat the oven

Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and get your baking sheets ready by lining them with parchment paper.

STEP 2 | Create your cream cheese mixture

In a large mixing bowl, drop in your softened cream cheese. Next, ensure your frozen spinach is thawed and dried, then add it to the bowl, along with the artichoke hearts. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top.

With an electric mixer, cream the tasty ingredients on a low speed until they are thoroughly combined.

STEP 3 | Assemble your pinwheels

Layout one sheet of the thawed puff pastry on a hard surface, like a cutting board or an extra lined baking sheet. Spread half of your freshly made cream cheese mixture onto the pastry and save the rest for the second sheet.

Next, you’ll layer half of the feta cheese, olives, roasted red peppers, and Swiss cheese evenly onto the cream cheese. Then, you’re ready to roll — literally. Tightly roll the puff pastry sheet into a log and place it in the fridge for 10 minutes. Cooling the log will help to slice it.

Follow the same steps for your second sheet of pastry and the remaining half of the ingredients.

STEP 4 | Slice the pastry pinwheels

Take your first cooled log out of the refrigerator and use a sharp serrated edge knife to cut ½ inch slices. Then, place your pinwheels onto your baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You want each thick piece to be about 1 inch apart to avoid the puff pastry from sticking together as it rises.

Remove the second log from the fridge and repeat these steps.

STEP 5 | Bake your pinwheels

Place the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until the pinwheels are a beautiful golden brown.

When they’re all finished, remove them carefully to a cooling rack. You can serve the appetizer pastries warm or at room temperature- it is up to you!

Storing

Store your deliciously baked pinwheels in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months baked. Also, you can freeze your unbaked pinwheels for 30 days in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

One of the best things about these Mediterranean pinwheels is how versatile and adaptable they are. You can keep it simple by plating the pinwheels on a serving tray and adding a dipping sauce in a small bowl in the middle. These appetizers are beautiful on their own, with the vibrant colors of the various ingredients.

Or, of course, you can complement this recipe with other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

Here are some of my recipes that will pair well with the pinwheel puff pastries:

• Chopped Mediterranean Salad– Add a fresh and light Greek-inspired arugula salad with all your favorite ingredients- chickpeas, pickled red onions, feta cheese, and olives.
• Layered Greek Hummus Dip– Dive your pinwheel appetizer into creamy hummus, topped with crunchy Greek salsa, kalamata olives, tangy capers, and crumbled feta.
• Mediterranean Salmon– Enjoy salmon grilled with juicy tomatoes tossed with a sweet spice rub, ready in just 20 minutes!