If you are looking for an easy to make appetizer, you should try my spinach roll-ups. You can make it up to a month ahead and keep in the freezer.

This appetizer recipe is a long-time favorite. I actually forgot all about it until I was looking through my beloved recipe binder. I discovered this recipe when we were living in Canada. Canada has a great magazine called Canadian Living and I always found really good recipes in it. I miss that magazine come to think of it.
This Spinach and Bacon Roll-Up recipe is my favorite kind of recipe. It can be made up to a month ahead of time and kept in the freezer. You can broil them from frozen at any time that you would like.
I made these for a Christmas Eve Open House years ago and the next day I had numerous requests for this recipe. This easy appetizer recipe is a keeper and I am so happy that it is back in my rotation.
Spinach Roll-Ups Ingredients //
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- half of a small red onion diced
- 1 bag of spinach
- 1 brick of cream cheese
- 3 Tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon minced jalapeno
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- 8 slices of thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled

How to Make // The Steps
Step 1:
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
In a saute pan, cook the red onion in the olive oil until soft. Take the onions out of the pan and set them aside. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Drain out the water. Set that aside also.
Spread the cream cheese on a tortilla. I set up an assembly line and laid out all 10 tortillas. Sprinkle the red onions on the tortillas.

Step 2:
Add the spinach and bacon.

Step 3:
Sprinkle with cheese.

Step 4:
Roll the tortillas up. Put them in the fridge for an hour to firm up before you cut them.

Step 5:
If you are going to freeze them, I would wrap them in waxed paper and then put them in a freezer bag. I kept these in the fridge and used them the next day so I did not wrap them in the paper, just a Ziploc bag.

Step 6:
When you are ready to cook them off, trim the ends off of the tortillas and cut them into 6 slices. Make your clean-up a little easier than I did and line the pan with tin foil.

Step 7:
Put the tortillas under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Variations //
Take this recipe and use it as a springboard. You could make a Mexican version with maybe cheddar and tomatoes. Or maybe a Greek one with feta and olives and peppers. Really, you could use this technique and make a million different versions. You can drop the bacon to make it vegetarian.
These little babies are addictive. You have been warned.


Spinach Roll-Ups
Spinach and Bacon Tortilla Roll Ups - You can make these ahead of time and bake off as needed. These are so good, they won't last long.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- half of a small red onion diced
- 1 bag of spinach
- 1 brick of cream cheese
- 3 Tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon minced jalapeno
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- 8 slices thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper. In a saute pan, cook the red onion in the olive oil until soft. Take the onions out of the pan and set aside. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Drain out the water. Set that aside also. Spread the cream cheese on a tortilla. I set up an assembly line and laid out all 10 tortillas. Sprinkle the red onions on the tortillas.
- Add the spinach and bacon.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Roll the tortillas up. Put them in the fridge for an hour to firm up before you cut them.
- If you are going to freeze them, I would wrap them in waxed paper and then put them in a freezer bag. I kept these in the fridge and used them the next day so I did not wrap them in paper, just a Ziploc bag.
- When you are ready to cook them off, trim the ends off of the tortillas and cut them into 6 slices. Make your clean up a little easier than I did and line the pan with tin foil.
- Put the tortillas under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g
Tracy Rucker
Saturday 18th of May 2013
Bree you are woman after my heart and it seems that I have someone just like me I love to cook I love to please others through their tummies and I give out my recipes. You rock! Many cooks have the audacity to say I do not give out my recipes or it's a family secret. My response to anyone who tells me this "so you plan to take that delicious recipe to your grave where no one else to be able to make. Makes absolutely no sense. I always give out my recipes or tips on how I make my food taste so good. Not to mention no one can do it the same way that we do it. For those of you who are great cooks you know if you give someone everything that you use to make a dish I promise your most people cannot and will not be able put it down in the kitchen the way you do. I am excited and I am making these tonight. Decided to research spinach roll ups because my sister n law was making some and said that people love them. Did not get her recipe asked her what she did but was not really specific just said she took creme cheese and put spinach inside and then roll them up did not sound like enough info. Needless to say found yours and it sounds so good going to do it your way this time but taking your advice and playing with this recipe and doing it different ways.
Bridget
Tuesday 6th of March 2012
These are awesome! Will definitely be making them again.
bakedbree
Wednesday 7th of March 2012
Aren't they? I love how easy this appetizer is to make too.
Dani
Wednesday 12th of October 2011
very easy to make... it´s a good appetizer
bakedbree
Saturday 15th of October 2011
Thanks Dani! It freezes really well too.
tammy
Monday 29th of August 2011
was wondering if i took these to a tailgate if they could be heated on the grill in a skillet?
bakedbree
Monday 29th of August 2011
Sure thing. Sounds like a good thing to take to a tailgate!
JaJireh
Saturday 18th of December 2010
I ate the leftovers for breakfast, after a second run through the broiler! YUM! Thanks for this recipe. The measurements were perfect for flavor. I needed a simple pinwheel for an event, but wanted to work with what I had on hand. Your blend nailed. it! Did I mention leftovers? I'm talking about 10 out of the 60 I made! :D big hit! Thank you!
bakedbree
Wednesday 22nd of December 2010
Glad that you liked them. These are one of my favorite recipes.