Southwestern Cream Cheese Tortilla Rollups
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These Southwestern cream cheese tortilla rollups are great for lunches — or as a party appetizer! Read tips on how to customize them with your favorite flavors.
I’m not going to lie to you, the idea of packing lunches for my kids every day when they are in school kind of scares me. Okay, it really scares me.
Between food allergies and my kids’ general pickiness, it gives me a headache just thinking about it. I hate feeding my kids the same thing day after day after day after day so thinking of new ideas is very important to me.
I always try to give my kids protein, vegetables, and fruit at every meal. Might sound relatively simple but sometimes it requires creativity to think past mac and cheese with peas and a bowl of applesauce.
The great thing about a lunch like these cream cheese tortilla rollups is that you can customize them to fit the tastes of your kids. I use cream cheese, homemade taco seasoning, shredded cheese, black beans, and cilantro. The kids like to dip them in mild salsa or sour cream.
How to make these your own:
Use whatever you might have in your pantry. Here’s some ideas:
- Use a flavored cream cheese! I used plain cream cheese but chive and onion would be great. If your kids like things spicy, try jalapeño cream cheese.
- Use pinto beans instead of black beans.
- Use chopped green onions instead of cilantro.
- Add some finely diced red bell pepper (1/4 to 1/2 cup).
- If you’re an onion loving family, add some finely diced red onions (1/4 cup or so is probably good).
- Leave the beans out and throw in some leftover taco meat from taco night!
- Try dipping these in guacamole.
The trick to making these is to make them in advance. This helps you with getting those lunches made, but it will also help with the flavor and texture of these tortilla rollups. If you’ve ever made the classic pickle roll ups, you know what I’m talking about. The same goes for these vegetable cream cheese roll ups.
It allows the tortilla to soften slightly and the cream cheese to firm up. You can easily make these the night before, roll them up in plastic wrap, and all you’ll have to do the next day is slice them and add them to your lunch boxes.
Looking for more lunch ideas? Try:
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ingredients
- one (8-ounce) container of plain spreadable cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded Mexican style cheese (or sharp cheddar)
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, optional
- 3-4 whole wheat tortillas (fajita size)
- for dipping: salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt and/or sour cream
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese and taco seasoning until well combined. Add shredded cheese and stir again until combined. Add black beans and cilantro, stirring again to combine. Try to avoid squishing too many of the black beans.
- Spread this mixture onto a tortilla all the way to the edges in an even layer (you’ll use about 1/2 cup for each tortilla). Tightly roll up tortilla with the filling on the inside. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and rolled.
- Place wrapped rolls in fridge and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into pinwheels about 1/2-inch thick.
- Serve with Greek yogurt or sour cream and salsa for dipping. Guacamole would be excellent too.
Notes
- Serving size: 1/2 of a tortilla (about 3-4 roll-ups).
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
**Disclosure: I am thrilled to be a dairy ambassador for Milk Means More. I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
These look so yummy, Rachel! I love roll-ups like these.
Liz says
Will you adopt me???? What a yummy lunch idea! My poor kids got pb sandwiches!!!
Tammy says
These just look wonderful! I would love this for lunch today :)
Susan | LunaCafe says
I’m IN LOVE with this idea! Something quick and easy that I can make in advance for lunch. Also easy to eat on the go, which seems a must these days. And infinitely variable. WOW! Running to the market to buy the tortillas. :-)
Kate @ Diethood says
These look delicious!! I can totally see them on my table. Perfect party appetizer!
Malinda @countrysidecravings says
These look really good!! And yes packing school lunches is not fun!!
Jenny flake says
These look amazing!! Love these southwestern flavors!
Marye says
These look really good! I know my kids would like them!
Nutmeg Nanny says
These rollups look great! Like you I would leave in the cilantro (I’m obsessed with it!) but even without it I’m sure it was still delicious.
Mary says
My kids would be in heaven with these roll ups! Pretty much anything with cream cheese gets our thumbs up. (And that lunch box? LOVE it!)
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
Ok these are the cutest things on earth!!! I love your bento/lunch tin as well – so FANCY!!!!
Christie says
When my daughter first started school, I tried to make something different every day in all kinds of cute shapes and sizes. She wanted the same thing every day. At home she hates to eat the same thing. I guess she just needed the comfort of the same thing every day at lunch. I beat she would like these. I certainly would!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
These are SO cute!! I want these in my lunchbox :)
Jenna says
This looks like a great healthy lunch menu option. I’m not very good at packing my own lunch, I always go to the deli and I need to start bringing my own lunch.
Aggie says
Oh my gosh Rachel, I absolutely love these!! A few years into packing lunches, I have to say I have a pretty good formula down. Usually a sandwich of some sort, fruit, fruit, sometimes yogurt and a crunchy snack of some sort (carrot sticks, celery, cucumbers, pretzels, trail mix, crackers). It sometimes feels boring to me but kids never complain, they actually like the routine of it. But every now and then I get extra creative – on the days I’m out of our regular stuff lol.
I could totally serve these as an appetizer. Love roll ups whenever I’m at a party!