Grilled lamb tortilla pinwheel skewers are loaded with seasoned ground lamb, melted cheddar, and a smoked paprika oil brush that gives them a golden, crispy exterior on the grill. Serve them with a cool, tangy homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Save

What Are Lamb Tortilla Pinwheel Skewers?

Seasoned ground lamb with jalapeños, shallot, and parsley gets spread onto flour tortillas, topped with cheddar cheese, rolled into tight logs, sliced into rounds, and threaded onto skewers.

The raw lamb cooks through on the grill while the tortilla crisps around it, so there is no pre-cooking required. A smoked paprika oil brushed on the outside gives the tortillas a reddish-golden color and an extra layer of smoky flavor.

The tzatziki dipping sauce brings a cool, tangy contrast that balances the rich lamb and smoky char. If you enjoy grilled lamb recipes, the chipotle garlic lamb kabobs and chimichurri lamb lollipops are great options too.

Ingredients

• Ground lamb
• Jalapeños, diced
• Shallot, diced
• Fresh parsley
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Large burrito-size flour tortillas
• Olive oil + smoked paprika (for brushing)
• Skewers
• Plain Greek yogurt (for tzatziki)
• Cucumber
• Garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice

Save

Save

Make the Lamb Filling

In a large bowl, combine 2 lbs ground lamb, diced jalapeños, diced shallot, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is fully combined and evenly distributed.

Ground lamb has a higher fat content than ground beef, so the mixture binds to the tortilla naturally without needing an egg or breadcrumb binder. The fat also renders during grilling and bastes the inside of the tortilla from within.

Save

Spread, Roll, Slice, and Skewer

Lay out a large flour tortilla and spread a thin, even layer of the lamb mixture across the entire surface, pressing it down firmly edge to edge. The layer needs to be thin so the lamb cooks through in the same time the tortilla crisps.

Save

Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the lamb, then roll the tortilla tightly into a log with no air pockets. Slice into pinwheels about 1 to 1.5 inches thick and thread them onto skewers.

Save

Save

Brush with Paprika Oil and Grill

Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Brush the pinwheels generously on all sides with the paprika oil before grilling. This gives the tortillas a rich, reddish-golden color and adds smoky flavor to the crust.

Save

Preheat the grill to 350 to 400°F. Place the skewers over direct heat and grill until both sides develop a charred crust, turning carefully. Once both sides are charred, move the skewers to indirect heat and continue cooking until the lamb reaches 165°F internal.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Make the Tzatziki and Serve

While the pinwheels cook, make the tzatziki by combining 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 grated and squeezed-dry cucumber, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Make sure to squeeze the moisture out of the grated cucumber or the sauce will be runny instead of thick and dippable. Serve the hot pinwheels with the tzatziki on the side.

Save

Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

• Ground lamb has enough fat to bind on the tortilla without an egg. No binder needed.
• Spread the lamb thin and even. Too thick and it will not cook through before the tortilla burns.
• Roll the tortilla as tightly as possible with no air pockets. A loose roll falls apart on the grill.
• The smoked paprika oil is what gives the tortillas their reddish-golden color. Do not skip it.
• Sear over direct heat first for the charred crust, then finish on indirect heat to cook the lamb through to 165°F without burning the tortilla.
• Squeeze all the water out of the grated cucumber before adding it to the yogurt. Excess water makes the tzatziki thin and watery.
• The tzatziki can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The flavors improve overnight.
• You can substitute the cheddar with mozzarella or pepper jack depending on what you prefer.

Similar Recipes

• Chipotle Garlic Lamb Kabobs
• Chimichurri Lamb Lollipops
• Smoked Braised Lamb Birria
• Easy Beef Kabobs
• Garlic and Soy Marinated Beef Kabobs
• Chicken Gyro
• Glazed Honey Jalapeno Orange Chicken Skewers

Save

Grilled Lamb Tortilla Pinwheel Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce

Grilled lamb tortilla pinwheel skewers with seasoned ground lamb, jalapenos, shallot, and cheddar spread on flour tortillas, rolled, sliced, skewered, brushed with smoked paprika oil, and grilled until charred and cooked to 165°F, served with homemade tzatziki sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

Lamb Pinwheels

• 2 lbs ground lamb
• 2 jalapenos diced
• 1/2 shallot diced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 large flour tortillas

Paprika Oil

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber grated and squeezed dry
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Grill
• Skewers

Method

 

1. Mix ground lamb, jalapenos, shallot, parsley, Worcestershire, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until combined.
2. Spread thin layer of lamb across each tortilla. Top with shredded cheddar. Roll tightly into logs.
3. Slice into 1 to 1.5-inch pinwheels. Thread onto skewers. Brush generously with paprika oil (olive oil + smoked paprika).
4. Grill over direct heat at 350-400°F until both sides are charred. Move to indirect heat until lamb reaches 165°F.
5. Mix tzatziki: Greek yogurt, squeezed-dry cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with hot pinwheels.

Notes

Paprika oil: Brush generously on all sides before grilling. The smoked paprika gives the tortillas a rich reddish-golden color and smoky flavor.

Squeeze the cucumber: Excess moisture makes the tzatziki runny. Grate and squeeze dry before adding to the yogurt.

Thin layer: Spread the lamb thin so it cooks through before the tortilla burns.

Lamb fat: Ground lamb’s natural fat content helps the filling bind without needing an egg binder.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!