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Pumpkin Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Golden, flaky, and deliciously morish, these Pumpkin and Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect appetizer. Filled with roasted pumpkin, fresh spinach, and crumbled feta. 

Pinwheels on plate next to knife, tea towel with extra pinwheel on a plate behind.

If you’re interested in more quick and easy savory appetizer recipes, you have got to try my Pizza Pinwheels, this gorgeous Caramelized Onion & Tomato Pastry Tart, and this Potato & Broccolini Pastry Tart.

🥘 Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make. 
  • Healthy filling.
  • Make them ahead of time.
  • Freezer-friendly. 
  • Lunch box fillers. 
Pinwheels on plate.

Looking for recipes using puff pastry sheets? You’ve come to the right place! 

I like to deviate a little from our usual ham and cheese and pizza pinwheels. So, have you ever thought of filling puff pastry with pumpkin? They’re just perfect for fall and let’s be honest, all year round! 

These vegetarian puff pastry pinwheels are rolled up with an easy roasted pumpkin, spinach, and feta cheese filling. 

They’re delicious as a snack or for lunch.

Or served alongside cozy soups such as my Vegetable Lentil Soup or this fall favorite Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup.

You can make them into a meal alongside these Easy Air Fryer Canned Potatoes or these Oven Roasted Smashed Garlic Potatoes.

Pinwheels sitting on a plate with knife next to the plate.

Perfect served as a savory pastry appetizer or included on the dinner plate next to your main dish. 

You’ll also love that you can make these ahead of time, which works out great as a quick lunch idea when you serve them cold. 

This recipe will also show you how to properly roll up pastry with a filling with step-by-step images. The tighter the pinwheel scroll, the better for the filling to stay locked in.

A bite taken out of one pinwheel sitting on top of the other pinwheels on a plate.

🥗 Serving Suggestions

Wondering what to eat with these pumpkin pinwheels? Especially if you would like to serve them as a main meal? Here are some ideas:

📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

To make this recipe you need butternut pumpkin, fresh spinach, feta cheese, olive oil, dried mixed Italian herbs, salt, pepper and frozen puff pastry sheets.
  • Butternut pumpkin – can be substituted with Jap or Kent pumpkin. 
  • Olive oil – or your favorite cooking/roasting oil for vegetables. 
  • Puff pastry – I use frozen square sheets. If your puff pastry comes in rectangle sheets, follow the recipe as normal but roll the pastry up starting at one of the shorter ends. To make these gluten-free pinwheels, simply use frozen sheets of gluten-free puff pastry.
  • Feta cheese – be sure to crumble the feta into small chunks so you can sprinkle it over the pumpkin filling. Can be substituted with goat’s cheese or ricotta cheese, with the excess liquid removed. 

🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)

How to make these delicious pumpkin and spinach puff pastry pinwheels from scratch in 7 easy steps!

A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.

Step one: Place chopped pumpkin in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Drizzle over the oil and toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender. 

Chopped pumpkin in roasting dish.

Step two: To a high-speed food processor, add cooled pumpkin, spinach leaves, herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, it’s ok if it’s still a little chunky.

Roasted pumpkin, spinach, dried herbs, salt and pepper in a food processor, blended.

Step three: Spoon half of the pumpkin mixture over one sheet of pastry and spread it out evenly to the edges. 

Spreading the pumpkin spinach mixture over the pastry sheet.

Step four: Sprinkle over half of the crumbled feta.

Sprinkling over the crumbled feta cheese.

Step five: Roll the pastry up tightly over the mixture until you reach the end and you have a long log. 

Rolling the pastry up tightly to create a long log.

Step six: Using a sharp knife, slice the pinwheels, about 2-3cm (1-inch) in width. Place pinwheels on the lined baking sheet. Repeat this method with the second sheet of pastry. 

Slicing the pastry log into individual pinwheels.

Step seven: Bake for 25-35 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve and enjoy straight from the oven.

Unbaked pinwheels on baking sheet.

💭 Tips For Recipe Success

  • Allow the cooked pumpkin to cool down before blending it and spreading it over the pastry sheets. If the mixture is too warm, it will cause the pastry to turn soggy leaving it difficult for you to manage and roll up. 
  • Roll the pastry up tightly to avoid loose pinwheels. If they’re not tight enough, the filling will fall out. 
  • To make these gluten-free, use frozen sheets of gluten-free puff pastry, thawed. 
  • To use frozen spinach, defrost it before starting and drain out the liquid by squeezing it out in a sieve and then dabbing it with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. 
Pinwheels on the plate next to a decorative knife.

⏲️ Make Ahead & Storage Instructions

  • Store leftover baked pinwheels in a sealed container, refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

What’s great about puff pastry pinwheels is that you can make them ahead of time and store and freeze them either un-baked or baked. Here’s how:

To make and store unbaked pinwheels ahead of time

  1. Prepare the pinwheels as per the recipe instructions but don’t bake them. 
  2. Place the individual pinwheels in a sealed container.
  3. Pop them into the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. 
  4. Bake as per the recipe instructions.

To make and store baked pinwheels ahead of time

  1. Prepare and bake the pinwheels as per the recipe instructions. 
  2. Allow them to cool down completely. 
  3. Place pinwheels in a sealed airtight container.
  4. Pop them into the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
  5. Re-heat pinwheels from the fridge in a preheated oven or air fryer at 180ºC (356ºF) until warmed through. 
  6. Or serve them cold or at room temperature.

To freeze unbaked pinwheels

  1. Prepare the pinwheels as per the recipe instructions but don’t bake them. 
  2. Place the individual pinwheels onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. 
  3. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly sealed container or zip-lock bags. 
  4. Label them with the date and what they are. 
  5. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
  6. Bake from frozen as per the recipe instructions, adding a further 5-10 minutes of cooking time if needed. 

To freeze baked pinwheels

  1. Prepare and make the pinwheels as per the recipe instructions. 
  2. Allow them to cool down completely. 
  3. Place the pinwheels onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour.
  4. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly sealed container or zip-lock bags. 
  5. Label them with the date and what they are. 
  6. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
  7. Re-heat from frozen in a preheated oven or air fryer at 180ºC (356ºF) until warmed through. 
The baked pinwheels together on a plate from above looking down.

💬 Recipe FAQ’s

Can you make pinwheels ahead of time?

Yes! They can be stored in the fridge or frozen, unbaked or baked! Scroll up to see detailed instructions on how to do so.

Can I serve these pinwheels cold?

You can! Serve them cold straight from the fridge or sit them on your kitchen bench and bring them to room temperature before serving. Best enjoyed from the fridge within 3 days of making.  

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes! Simply use gluten-free puff pastry sheets instead of regular sheets. You can find gluten-free puff pastry from your local supermarket, health food store, or online. 

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

Yes! Be sure to defrost the spinach before starting. Then drain off the excess liquid by placing the thawed spinach in a sieve and pressing down to squeeze out the liquid. Then use sheets of paper towel to dab and remove excess moisture. Then use as per the recipe instructions. 

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

Pinwheels on a plate next to a knife and tea towel.

Pumpkin and Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Samantha Pickthall
Golden, flaky, and deliciously morish, these Pumpkin and Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect appetizer. Can be made ahead of time!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Servings 20 pinwheels
Calories 174 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 500 g butternut pumpkin skin removed, chopped into small chunks
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
  • Salt & pepper, to season
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place chopped pumpkin in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Drizzle over the oil and toss to coat.
  • Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
  • Thaw the pastry while the pumpkin cools.
  • To a high-speed food processor, add cooled pumpkin, spinach leaves, herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Blend on high until well combined and mostly smooth, it’s ok if there are some small chunks of pumpkin throughout.
  • Working with one sheet at a time, place the sheet of thawed pastry on a large chopping board.
  • Spoon half of the pumpkin mixture over the pastry sheet and spread out evenly to the edges.
  • Sprinkle half of the crumbled feta over the pumpkin.
  • Starting at one edge, roll the pastry up tightly over the mixture until you reach the end and you have a long log.
  • Using a sharp knife, slice the pinwheels, about 2-3cm (1-inch) in width.
  • Place pinwheels on the lined baking sheet.
  • Repeat the above method with the second sheet of pastry.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden.
  • Serve and enjoy straight from the oven.
  • Store leftover pinwheels in a sealed container, refrigerated for up to 3 days. To make them ahead of time and freeze, refer to the detailed instructions within this blog post.

Notes

Allow the cooked pumpkin to cool down before blending it and spreading it over the pastry sheets. If the mixture is too warm, it will cause the pastry to turn soggy leaving it difficult for you to manage and roll up.
Roll the pastry up tightly to avoid loose pinwheels. If they’re not tight enough, the filling will fall out.
To make these gluten-free, use frozen sheets of gluten-free puff pastry, thawed.
To use frozen spinach, defrost it before starting and drain out the liquid by squeezing it out in a sieve and then dabbing it with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Substitute the fresh spinach for arugula (rocket leaves).
Substitute the feta for goat’s cheese or ricotta cheese, with excess liquid removed.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2975IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was!

First published in June 2021, this recipe was updated in January 2024 to include new step-by-step images, expert recommendations, storage guidelines and more.

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