These Cheesy Taco Pinwheels are made with seasoned ground beef and a creamy, cheesy filling all rolled up in a tortilla and air fried! They’re a great way to use up leftover taco meat and they’re perfect for party appetizers too!
I don’t know about you but whenever I make tacos there is usually leftover taco meat. This is probably because I plan for leftovers, since it always gets used in some new way – whether we make air fryer fried tacos or taco egg rolls!
These air fryer cheesy taco pinwheels are a fun way to use up that leftover taco meat while switching things up from the usual taco. I’m keeping the filling pretty simple with a cream cheese and sour cream mixture combined with seasoned ground beef and shredded cheddar.
These are perfect dipped in salsa, queso, or guacamole, which makes them pretty perfect as a party snack.
If you enjoy these taco roll ups then I bet you’ll also like these crack chicken pinwheels.
Ingredient Notes:
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Ground Beef – You’ll need about a half pound of ground beef for this recipe if you’re starting from scratch. Otherwise, this recipe is perfect for using up your leftover taco meat.
Taco Seasoning – I usually keep things simple and just use a packet of the taco seasoning from the store but this taco seasoning recipe would work well too! We’re only using a half pound of ground beef here so don’t use an entire packet of taco seasoning or it’ll probably be a little too over seasoned.
Dairy – We’re making this a creamy filling by stirring in cream cheese and sour cream and then sprinkling cheddar over it all.
Tortillas – You’ll need some large flour tortillas for to prepare these roll ups. Corn tortillas would also work!
These taco tortilla roll ups were made for dipping! You can serve it with all kinds of good stuff like salsa, guacamole, queso, nacho cheese sauce, Rotel dip, and more!
How to Make Cheesy Taco Roll Ups:
- Taco Meat – Add some ground beef to a small skillet and brown it. When cooked through, drain the grease and add 1/4 cup of water and the two tablespoons of taco seasoning. You shouldn’t need a whole packet! Stir and let it cook until the liquid has evaporated. Alternately, use around 1 cup of leftover taco meat.
- Filling – Add the seasoned taco meat, cream cheese, and sour cream to a bowl and mash it together with a fork until it is well combined. You can add salt to taste. Once you’ve prepared the filling divide in evenly between 2 tortillas and spread it to the edges. Finally, sprinkle on the cheddar cheese.
- Roll & Cut – Roll each tortilla up tightly and use a sharp knife to trim the ends off and then cut each tortilla into 5 pinwheels.
- Air Fry – Arrange the pinwheels in your air fryer basket in an even layer and then air fry at 370 degrees for 5 minutes. We line our air fryer with this air fryer parchment paper so that nothing sticks.
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Substitution & Variations:
You easily can switch things up and make these air fried taco pinwheels your own with different ingredients/toppings. Pretty much any traditional taco topping should work well. Here are a few good ways to change this recipe up:
Toppings – Just about any taco topping you can think of works here. Onion, cilantro, bell pepper, jalapenos, and black olives are all good choices. Finely mince everything so that it fits nicely in the tortilla.
Cheese – Aside from the cream cheese filling I’m topping these taco roll ups with shredded cheddar. You could easily change that up and use a different type of cheese. A cheese sauce or crumbled queso fresco would work well too.
Taco Meat – I prefer seasoned ground beef for tacos but that doesn’t mean you can’t switch it up with a different protein. Ground chicken or turkey work well and so does shredded chicken, beef, or pork!
FAQ:
You can keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in your fridge for about 3 to 4 days. The tortilla roll ups can be reheated in the air fryer or the microwave.
To make these taco pinwheels ahead of time, follow the recipe as directed and either refrigerate the uncooked pinwheels for up to 24 hours and then air fryer as directed, adding 1 minute to the cook time, or cook completely, refrigerate, and reheat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
We use large flour tortillas, between 8-10 inches in size for this recipe.
Recipe Tips!
Because we’re only using a half pound of ground beef for the taco meat you’ll want to be sure you don’t use an entire packet of taco seasoning or it will likely be too much. A couple tablespoons should do the trick!
When slicing the roll ups use a serrated knife for the best results!
Comments & Reviews
Betty says
I will be making these often and also, for parties or any other excuse to make them. They are delicious!
Kelley says
Love, love, love these. Easy peasy and so much flavor. I used zero carb tortillas….so good. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Karly Campbell says
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed these. Thanks, Kelley!
Az Anna says
You never say what to do with the mister! What am I missing??
Karly Campbell says
Oh, sorry for the confusion! I had to go hunt to find where we talked about a mister and I see that it’s linked in the equipment needed section of the recipe card. That auto populates there because most air fryer recipes do need a bit of oil misted on, but we should have removed it on this one. You don’t use it here.
Marcia says
I am making these for the second time. They were such a hit. This is a recipe I will keep. Thank you.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you liked them! Thanks for the review, Marcia!