Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels

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Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels are fun party appetizers that are family-friendly and make delicious finger food for a party, picnic, or lunch!

Burrito Sized Tortillas are filled with ham salad made with ham, cream cheese, celery, mayo, mustard, relish, and more, for a make-ahead, budget-friendly party appetizer!

These make flavorful bite-sized pinwheels that are an easy make-ahead Appetizer Recipe for a Game Day party or pot luck. Pair them with other appetizers like queso, or Ham and Swiss Sliders, and you have a party!

Why You’ll Love Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels

• Flavor. Each pinwheel is loaded with the flavor of ham salad with salty ham, tangy mustard, sweet relish, and red onion. It is a classic flavor combination that is extremely popular.
• Bite-Sized Finger Food. These traditional tortilla roll-ups make perfect party appetizers because they are a perfect size, with no knife or fork required.
• Easy to make. Very easy to make, and it can all be done ahead of time.
• Budget-friendly. You likely have many or all of the ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry right now, which makes it easy on the wallet. It is a great way to use up leftover ham.

Why This Pinwheel Recipe Works

• Popular Flavor Combination. This recipe uses a popular flavor combination with its use of the ham salad. The salty ham with the zesty mayo and sweetness of the relish all combine for a perfect flavor combination.
• Make-Ahead. Make these Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels ahead of time and refrigerate until you are ready to slice and serve cold.
• Double Recipe easily. If you need to feed a larger crowd, this recipe is easy to double.
• Step by Step Photos. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions are included, with photos of each step, on how to make the ham salad and roll the tortillas for the perfect pinwheels.

How To Make Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels

Ingredients and Substitutions

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Ham. I used chopped ham. This is a great recipe to use leftover ham.
• Hard-Boiled Egg. Don’t skip. It gives the ham salad filling extra flavor and texture.
• Celery. This adds that little bit of crunch to the recipe.
• Red Onion. I love using red onions because they add so much color and flavor.
• Cream Cheese. This gives a creamy texture without being soggy.
• Mayonnaise. This adds that creaminess.
• Dijon Mustard. This mustard adds that zing that gives it a distinct flavor. You can use any type of mustard that you like.
• Pickle Relish. I used sweet relish but, if you prefer, you could use dill relish.
• Black Pepper. A little black pepper is all that is need. I don’t add any additional salt since the ham and relish are already salty as is.
• Tortillas. Definitely use the large burrito-sized flour tortillas. The smaller sizes don’t give that nice swirl. You need a large size tortilla to make a nice roll.

Step By Step Directions (With Photos)

Make The Ham Salad

• Place the ham, egg, celery, red onion, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, and pepper into a food processor.
• Pulse a few times to break up the ingredients and then scrape down the sides. Continue to pulse until everything is combined and well chopped up, you can leave this a little on the chunky or smooth side depending on your preference.

Make The Tortilla Pinwheels

• Place a tortilla on a clean work surface. Spread 1/4th of the ham salad mixture over the tortilla leaving a ½ inch border around the outside of the tortilla.

Roll The Tortilla Pinwheels

• Take the bottom of the tortilla and begin to roll it over itself to form a log. Try to roll it tightly but not so tight that the tortilla breaks.

Wrap In Plastic Wrap

• Take a large piece of plastic wrap and roll the log into the piece of plastic wrap tightly and tuck the ends under. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Refrigerate and Serve

• Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight is best. Discard the plastic wrap and cut them into about ½ inch slices. Serve immediately.

Pro Recipe Tips and FAQs

• How To Keep The Ham Salad Pinwheels from getting soggy?
  • While these are fantastic make-ahead appetizers, I recommend making them 4 to 24 hours before the party. If you make them 2 days ahead, then they may get soggy. In addition, don’t add too much mayonnaise or mustard. Follow the instructions for the appropriate measurements.
• How To Make Perfectly Shaped Pinwheels?
  • The key is to roll the burrito-sized tortilla with filling as tightly as you can, and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but not more than 24 hours.
• How To Keep Pinwheels From Unrolling?
  • Don’t overfill each tortilla. Follow the instructions for the specified amount of filling.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This is important for the structure of the pinwheels.
• How Far In Advance Can I Make Tortilla Pinwheels?
  • The ideal time to make these pinwheels in advance is 4 to 24 hours before serving.
• How Long Do Tortilla Pinwheels Last?
  • Up to two days in the refrigerator, but any longer than that and they can begin to get soggy.
• Can I Freeze Tortilla Pinwheels?
  • Yes. Up to 3 months. However, to keep the pinwheels from sticking together, place the pinwheels laying flat on a platter and freeze for about 2 hours until frozen. Then remove them and place them in a freezer-safe bag. This way each pinwheel will be frozen but not stuck together to other tortilla pinwheels.

Variations of Tortilla Pinwheels

• Southwest Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels – Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels with a kick from Rotel.
• Vegan Veggie Pinwheels – These Vegan Veggie Pinwheels are loaded with broccoli and carrots.
• Cranberry Turkey Pinwheels – Cranberry sauce, cajun turkey, and scallion cream cheese rolled in tortillas make the perfect holiday appetizer!
• Keto Spinach Pinwheels – Keto spinach pinwheels with red pepper, goat cheese, and pesto are wrapped in mozzarella fathead dough to create an easy low-carb appetizer. 

What To Serve With Ham Salad Pinwheels

• Creamy Avocado Dip. Serve with a creamy dip like this creamy avocado dip for dipping.
• Pineapple Salsa. Have a Hawaiian Luau theme by adding this pineapple salsa which goes great with ham.

More Party Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love

• Toasted Spinach Pesto Ravioli – Ravioli that is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside and absolutely phenomenal flavor!
• Meatballs with Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce – These meatballs are tender and juicy and flavorful appetizer meatballs that are super easy to make for a party.
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas – Chicken, onions, bell peppers, bacon, and ranch dressing for an incredible flavor combo inside that cheesy crispy tortilla!
• Potatoes and Chorizo Empanadas – Stuffed with spicy chorizo and potato filling, and wrapped in a buttery, golden, flaky pastry, these Potato Chorizo Empanadas make awesome Mexican appetizers or a main dish.

Recipe

Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels Recipe

By Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

4.84 from 6 votes

Ham Salad Tortilla Pinwheels are fun party appetizers that are family-friendly and make delicious finger food for a party, picnic, or game day!

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 36 pieces

Calories 48

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces cooked ham roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 hard-boiled egg roughly chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• ▢ 1/2 cup diced red onion
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 4 Burrito sized tortillas

Instructions 

• Place the ham, egg, celery, red onion, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up the ingredients and then scrape down the sides. Continue to pulse until everything is combined and well chopped up, you can leave this a little on the chunky or smooth side depending on your preference.
• Place a tortilla on a clean work surface. Spread 1/4th of the ham salad mixture over the tortilla leaving a ½ inch border around the outside of the tortilla. Take the bottom of the tortilla and begin to roll it over itself to form a log. Try to roll it tightly but not so tight that the tortilla breaks.
• Take a large piece of plastic wrap and roll the log into the piece of plastic wrap tightly and tuck the ends under. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
• Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight is best. Discard the plastic wrap and cut them into about ½ inch slices. Serve immediately.

Video

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Notes

1. I normally do not add salt, as several other ingredients, like the ham and relish already have a salty flavor. Therefore, I only add pepper without the salt.
2. If you don't like sweet pickle relish you can use dill pickle relish or chopped up pickles of your choice. I think the sweetness really works for these rolls.
3. I would use these rolls within 2 to 3 days of being stored in the fridge because the longer they are refrigerated, the more likely that they may turn the tortillas soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg