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Reuben Pinwheels

A delicious appetizer that’s a little out of the ordinary!

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We’ve made Reuben Soup, Reuben Casserole, Reuben Sliders, even Reuben Dip… so why on earth hadn’t we ever thought to make that wonderful sandwich into a pinwheel?! At least we finally came to our senses. Here they are — Reuben Pinwheels. Corned beef (or pastrami), Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut, rolled into flaky puff pastry and served with a homemade Thousand Island dressing that’s super simple but beats the bottle every time.

What Do You Need to Make Reuben Pinwheels?

  • Puff Pastry — just one sheet; thaw it first!
  • Cream Cheese
  • Pastrami or Corned Beef — whatever you prefer. I’m a pastrami girl.
  • Swiss Cheese — grated, but grate it yourself for best melting.
  • Sauerkraut — you’ll drain this well before using.

And of course, Thousand Island Dressing, but you’ll make your own. For that you need:

  • Mayo — the base of the dressing and what makes it creamy.
  • White Onion — you’ll grate it to mute the flavor a bit.
  • Ketchup
  • Pickle Relish — definitely sweet!
  • Lemon Juice — white vinegar works too.
  • Sweet Paprika

How Do You Make Reuben Pinwheels?

You want to make your dressing first so it has time to chill and for the flavors to meld, but making the dressing is just a matter of stirring the ingredients together and tucking it in the fridge while your puff pastry thaws.

Then, you’ll take some of that dressing, mix it with some cream cheese, and spread it all over the puff pastry sheet. You can roll the puff pastry out a bit first to smooth out the creases if you’d like to, but it’s not totally necessary. Top that evenly with the chopped meat, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. But major note on the sauerkraut — make sure you’ve drained it very well first; you don’t want soggy pinwheels. Then, roll the puff pastry up “jelly roll style,” starting with the long side furthest from you and moving towards yourself.

Wrap it up in plastic wrap and chill it for an hour or so to make for easier slicing. All that’s left to do is bake and get to dipping!

Yield(s): Yields 18-20 pinwheels

15m prep time

15m cook time

1h inactive

Allergens: Gluten, Milk

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For the Thousand Island dressing:
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon white onion, grated or very finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Kosher salt, to taste
For the pinwheels:
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing
  • 1/2 cup pastrami or corned beef, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup sauerkraut, squeezed in a paper towel to remove excess liquid
Preparation
  1. Whisk dressing ingredients together to combine and chill until ready to serve.
  2. Unroll the puff pastry and lightly roll out, if desired, to erase any creases.
  3. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon of water, then brush puff pastry with egg wash. Set remaining egg wash aside.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and dressing. Spread over puff pastry.
  5. Top evenly with pastrami or corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut.
  6. Roll puff pastry up "jelly roll" style towards you. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge, at least 1 hour but up to 24.
  7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Remove plastic wrap and slice roll into 18-20 pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush any exposed puff pastry with reserved egg wash.
  9. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, then serve with Thousand Island dressing for dipping.

Recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen.