Vegan Sausage Pinwheels ~

This easy make-ahead appetizer is perfect for holidays, game days, and even for breakfast!

Sausage Crescent Pinwheels

I like these pinwheels because they’re easy to adapt to personal preferences and ingredients on hand. Any variety of vegan sausage can be used, from spicy Italian or chorizo to a milder breakfast-style flavor. Don’t love spinach? Leave it out or swap it for something else entirely (roasted red peppers are a good choice). Cheese can also be a nice addition. A light sprinkling of cheddar pairs especially well with breakfast sausage. For the pinwheels featured here, I opted for Hot Italian sausage links and chopped spinach and they were devoured on Super Bowl Sunday.

Ingredients for Vegan Sausage Pinwheels

You will need:

12 ounces Hot Italian-style vegan sausage
5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
4 ounces plain vegan cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dough

Ingredient Notes

Vegan Sausage – The sausage you choose will greatly affect the overall flavor of these pinwheels. My personal preference is for the Hot Italian variety of Beyond Sausage. It’s flavorful without being spicy. Vegan chorizo adds a spicy kick, just be sure to drain off any excess grease; chorizo tends to be extra oily. Breakfast-style sausage is also good for brunch.
Frozen Spinach – Make sure your spinach is completely thawed and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can. I like to squeeze the spinach by hand and then lay it out on a tea towel to dry further before using it in a recipe.
Vegan Cream Cheese – Use a brand you already know and love. Trader Joe’s brad is my favorite. Cream cheese is not a strong flavor in these pinwheels but it does act as a sort of “glue” for holding the filling together.
Refrigerated Crescent Dough – Pillsbury brand crescent dough is vegan. Look for the tube labeled “Rounds”. This one has 1-inch perforations already cut into the dough making it easy to know where to slice. If you use the Pillsbury dough with slanted perforations, simply roll out the dough and gently press them together forming one cohesive sheet.

How to Make Vegan Sausage Pinwheels

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

STEP TWO: Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble the sausage and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Drain to remove any excess grease and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach and cream cheese; stir to combine.

STEP THREE: On a parchment-lined surface roll out one package of crescent dough. Spread 1/2 of the sausage mixture over the dough leaving a 1/2-inch margin on each side. Starting at a shorter end, roll the dough into a log shape. Wrap in the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and sausage mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour to chill. Unbaked pinwheels can be refrigerated up to 1 day in advance.

STEP FOUR: Unwrap each pinwheel then use a serrated knife to slice into 1-inch rounds. Arrange at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

STEP FIVE: Bake 13 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

Italian Sausage Bruschetta
Vegan Pub Style Beer Cheese Dip
Vegan Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Mini Peppers
Vegan 7-Layer Party Dip
Dill Pickle Pinwheels

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