Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry Pinwheels

As hard as I’ve tried to like a variety of greens, many of them are too bitter for my tastes, so spinach is one of my few go-tos. It works out well, since it’s also a key ingredient in one of my favorite appetizers of all time – spinach-artichoke dip (which, it turns out, is also good stuffed in mushrooms). For some reason, I haven’t discovered a great homemade spinach-artichoke dip so I’m not sharing one this week but maybe by next year’s Super Bowl I’ll have one for you 🙂

I still wanted to make something with spinach for this week, and I had a few goals in mind as I set out do so. First, it had to be quick and easy. I always try to plan my menu with a few simple things to balance out some of the more time-consuming items. Also, there needed to be cheese – everything is better with cheese, including spinach. I opened my fridge and discovered a block of Gruyere that really needed to be used, plus I knew I had some puff pastry in my freezer, so that’s where this idea started to take shape.

This appetizer really is as simple as mixing together some spinach and cheese, then rolling it up in a sheet of puff pastry. Gotta love that, right? Not only are these pinwheels a cinch to put together, they’re completely addictive! The buttery puff pastry, the nutty, melty Gruyere cheese, and of course the spinach are so good in combination. The pinwheels are great warm from the oven, but they are equally delicious at room temperature. If Gruyere isn’t your thing, just substitute your favorite cheese – these are super adaptable. I bet these would also be great with pepperoni in place of the spinach and maybe mozzarella cheese instead of Gruyere. That’s definitely the version Shane would be rooting for 🙂

(Just an FYI – I used puff pastry from Trader Joe’s here, and since their sheets tend to be a bit smaller than many store-bought brands, I had a little bit of leftover filling. If you use the bigger sheets from Pepperidge Farm, you can probably roll them out slightly larger and add all of the filling.)

I’m not going to put together a separate round-up post of Super Bowl recipes, but there are some old favorites from the archives that I don’t want you to miss. Any of these recipes would be great additions to your menu! Enjoy 🙂

Soft Pretzel Bites

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Hot Buttered Pretzels

Baked Tortilla Chips

Cookies and Cream Mini Cheesecakes

Slow Cooker Sticky Wings

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Slow Cooker Tequila Lime Chili

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Roasted Onion and Bacon Dip

Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies

Cheez-It-Ish Crackers

Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry Pinwheels
adapted from Pepperidge Farm

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wrap the spinach in a towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can. If you don’t, the puff pastry may end up soggy.

Combine the spinach, both cheese, the salt and pepper, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together.

Place the sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a roughly 12×12-inch square, lifting and turning as you go to ensure it’s not sticking. Brush a thin layer of the egg wash over the surface of the puff pastry, then spread the spinach/cheese mixture in an even layer.

Roll the puff pastry like a jelly roll and pinch to seal at the seam. Cut the roll into approximately 20 1/2-inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of each lightly with the egg wash.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pinwheels are golden brown.