Homemade Turkey Breast Pinwheels

Here is my favorite turkey breast pinwheels recipe, with tender sliced turkey rolled up with cream cheese, fresh herbs, and colorful veggies for a simple appetizer that looks fancy but comes together in minutes.

These pinwheels are my go-to for parties and game day gatherings. I love how you can make them ahead of time and just slice them up when guests arrive. Plus, they disappear so fast that I’ve learned to always make a double batch!

What Kind of Turkey Breast Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to grab boneless, skinless turkey breasts from your butcher or grocery store meat counter. Fresh turkey breast works great, but if you can only find frozen, just make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator for a day or two before you start cooking. The key here is getting breasts that are relatively even in thickness so they’ll roll up nicely and cook evenly. If your turkey breasts are on the thicker side, you can always butterfly them or pound them out a bit with a meat mallet to get a more uniform thickness for rolling.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Turkey breasts: You can use chicken breasts instead if turkey isn’t available. Just make sure they’re pounded to an even thickness so they roll up nicely. Cooking time might be slightly shorter with chicken.
• Sharp white cheddar: Any good melting cheese works here – try sharp yellow cheddar, gruyere, fontina, or even pepper jack if you want extra heat. Just stick with something that has good flavor since it’s a key part of the filling.
• Fresh sage: If you don’t have fresh sage, you can use 1 tablespoon of dried sage instead. Fresh thyme or rosemary also work well, though they’ll give you a different flavor profile.
• Regular cut bacon: Thick-cut bacon works too, but you might need fewer slices. Turkey bacon is an option if you prefer, though it won’t crisp up quite the same way.
• Red pepper flakes: Leave these out if you’re not into spice, or add more if you like things hot. Cayenne pepper works as a substitute – just use about half the amount since it’s stronger.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making turkey breast pinwheels is not pounding the turkey to an even thickness, which leads to uneven cooking where some parts dry out while others stay undercooked – aim for about 1/2 inch thickness throughout.

Rolling the pinwheels too loosely causes the filling to fall out during cooking, so make sure to roll tightly and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine every 2 inches to keep everything in place.

Since turkey breast is naturally lean, it’s easy to overcook it past 165°F, so pull the pinwheels from the heat when they reach 160°F internally and let them rest for 10 minutes to reach the safe temperature while staying moist.

Don’t skip letting the rolled turkey chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing and cooking, as this helps the pinwheels hold their shape and makes cutting clean slices much easier.

What to Serve With Turkey Breast Pinwheels?

These turkey pinwheels are pretty filling on their own, so I like to keep the sides simple and let them shine. A basic arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the bacon and cheese really nicely, or you could go with roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans for something warm. Mashed potatoes or a wild rice pilaf work great if you want something more substantial, and they’re perfect for soaking up any juices from the turkey. Since the pinwheels have bacon and sage already built in, cranberry sauce on the side adds a nice sweet-tart contrast that reminds you of Thanksgiving dinner.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover turkey pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They’re great for quick lunches or snacks throughout the week, and honestly taste pretty amazing cold too!

Freeze: These pinwheels freeze really well if you want to make them ahead. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze them whole or already sliced into individual portions.

Reheat: To warm them back up, let frozen pinwheels thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes until warmed through, or microwave individual slices for about 45 seconds to a minute.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4300
• Protein: 410-440 g
• Fat: 230-250 g
• Carbohydrates: 6-10 g

Ingredients

For the turkey rolls:

• 2 large boneless, skinless turkey breasts (about 2.5 lb each)
• 2/3 lb sliced bacon
• 6 oz shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage

For seasoning:

• 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt, to taste

Step 1: Prepare and Pound the Turkey Breasts

• 2 large boneless, skinless turkey breasts (about 2.5 lb each)

Place one turkey breast on a large cutting board and butterfly it open.

Cover it with plastic wrap, then use a meat pounder or rolling pin to pound the turkey to an even 1/2-inch thickness.

Remove the plastic wrap.

Repeat this process with the second turkey breast.

Butterflying and pounding ensures the turkey rolls up evenly and cooks uniformly.

Step 2: Assemble, Fill, and Roll the Turkey

• 2/3 lb sliced bacon
• 6 oz shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage
• 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Lay strips of bacon across the entire surface of each prepared turkey breast, trimming any excess bacon that overflows the edges.

Evenly spread half the shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons of the chopped sage, 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes over the bacon on each breast.

Carefully roll each turkey breast up lengthwise into a tight cylinder.

Secure each roll by tying it closed with butcher twine at 2-inch intervals.

I find taking your time to roll tightly gives a beautiful spiral and helps the cheese stay inside.

Step 3: Season the Turkey Rolls

• 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
• kosher salt, to taste

Once the turkey rolls are tied, season the outside of each roll with the remaining black pepper and kosher salt to taste.

This step adds flavor to the roasted exterior of the turkey rolls.

Step 4: Grill and Cook the Turkey Rolls

• turkey rolls from Step 3

Light a chimney full of charcoal.

When the charcoal is fully lit and covered with gray ash, pour it onto one side of the grill to set up two-zone (direct/indirect) cooking.

Slice each turkey roll halfway between every piece of butcher twine, then place the sliced rolls, cut side down, on the hot side of the grill.

Cook, flipping occasionally, until the turkey is well seared on each side and the internal temperature reaches 145-150°F.

If the rolls aren’t done after searing, move them to the cool side of the grill, cover, and continue cooking until the proper temperature is reached.

I like to use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the turkey is perfectly cooked and juicy.

Step 5: Rest, Slice, and Serve

Transfer the cooked turkey rolls to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes to retain their juices.

Remove the butcher twine, transfer the rolls to a platter, and serve immediately.

Resting is key for juicy, tender slices.

Homemade Turkey Breast Pinwheels

Delicious Homemade Turkey Breast Pinwheels recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 4150 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the turkey rolls:

• 2 large boneless, skinless turkey breasts (about 2.5 lb each)
• 2/3 lb sliced bacon
• 6 oz shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage

For seasoning:

• 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

 

• Place one turkey breast on a large cutting board and butterfly it open. Cover it with plastic wrap, then use a meat pounder or rolling pin to pound the turkey to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Remove the plastic wrap. Repeat this process with the second turkey breast. Butterflying and pounding ensures the turkey rolls up evenly and cooks uniformly.
• Lay strips of bacon across the entire surface of each prepared turkey breast, trimming any excess bacon that overflows the edges. Evenly spread half the shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons of the chopped sage, 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes over the bacon on each breast. Carefully roll each turkey breast up lengthwise into a tight cylinder. Secure each roll by tying it closed with butcher twine at 2-inch intervals. I find taking your time to roll tightly gives a beautiful spiral and helps the cheese stay inside.
• Once the turkey rolls are tied, season the outside of each roll with the remaining black pepper and kosher salt to taste. This step adds flavor to the roasted exterior of the turkey rolls.
• Light a chimney full of charcoal. When the charcoal is fully lit and covered with gray ash, pour it onto one side of the grill to set up two-zone (direct/indirect) cooking. Slice each turkey roll halfway between every piece of butcher twine, then place the sliced rolls, cut side down, on the hot side of the grill. Cook, flipping occasionally, until the turkey is well seared on each side and the internal temperature reaches 145-150°F. If the rolls aren’t done after searing, move them to the cool side of the grill, cover, and continue cooking until the proper temperature is reached. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the turkey is perfectly cooked and juicy.
• Transfer the cooked turkey rolls to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes to retain their juices. Remove the butcher twine, transfer the rolls to a platter, and serve immediately. Resting is key for juicy, tender slices.