These flank steak pinwheels are stuffed with bright and zesty pesto, parmesan cheese, prosciutto and spinach. They’re perfect for parties, special occasions or as an easy midweek family dinner.

Close-up of seasoned rolled flank steak pinwheel cooked to a golden brown.

I think flank steak is seriously overrated. Yes, it’s one of the cheaper cuts of beef, but it can be turned into an incredibly tender and flavorful meal with just a handful of fresh ingredients and a few simple steps! These flank steak pinwheels are a great example of that.

The steak is first tenderized, topped with any kind of pesto (homemade or store-bought), shredded parmesan cheese, prosciutto and baby spinach. The steak is then rolled up, tied, pan-seared for a golden brown crust and then baked until reaching the preferred level of doneness for you.

This meal, that both looks and tastes gourmet, is really anything but when it comes to the preparation. It goes wonderfully with this parsnip puree recipe and your favorite side of roasted vegetables and it’s begging for a small pour of red wine to accompany it.

Raw flank steak on a wooden cutting board with cooking ingredients in the background.

Thin slices of prosciutto arranged on top of pounded flank steak on a wooden cutting board, with a bowl of greens and grated cheese nearby.

Why This Recipe Is a Must-Make

Turning regular flank steak into pesto-stuffed pinwheels instantly gives this dish an interesting appeal – perfect for dinner parties and other special occasions.
The pesto, shredded parmesan cheese, prosciutto, and spinach stuffing is a great way to add a boost of delicious flavor and texture to your flank steak without a lot of extra work.
There’s no marinade time involved. So often, flank steak recipes involve marinades that need to sit for hours. They taste great, but so many of us don’t have the time or foresight for making those recipes.
These steak pinwheels are sophisticated enough for parties to impress your guests and easy enough to enjoy with the family as a midweek dinner.

Thinly pounded flank steak on a cutting board topped with pesto, prosciutto, parmesan and baby spinach.

Raw flank steak rolled and tied with butcher's twine on a wooden cutting board.

Ingredients For Flank Steak Pinwheels

Flank steak – Pounded to 1/4 inch thickness and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Olive oil – Used to coat the pan for cooking the assembled flank steak pinwheels. I prefer using olive oil for this recipe, but you could also use avocado oil.
Pesto – This can be a homemade pesto or store-bought.
Prosciutto – Use thinly sliced ham or pancetta instead if preferred.
Shredded parmesan cheese – Always use freshly shredded parmesan cheese for the best flavor and melting abilities.
Spinach – Fresh baby spinach or frozen can be used in a pinch. Make sure to thaw and remove excess liquid when using frozen spinach.

Five pinwheel stuffed steaks cooking in a cast iron skillet.

How To Make Flank Steak Pinwheels

Preheat the oven to 350°F and make your preferred pesto recipe if going the homemade route.

Lay the flank steak on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Pound the steak with a meat tenderizer to get it to a ¼ inch thickness. Season the steak with salt and pepper.

Assemble the steak pinwheels by spreading the pesto with a spatula evenly over the steak, leaving ½ inch edges untouched all around.

Lay the prosciutto slices over the pesto, followed by shredded parmesan and spinach.

Roll the steak up, going in the direction of the grain, and tie the steak roll tightly with kitchen twine in 4-6 sections to help keep the pesto stuffing inside while cooking the rolled flank steak. Slice into pinwheels using a sharp knife.

Heat a skillet with a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the skillet and oil is hot, add the rolled steak pinwheels and brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the beef is cooked to your liking.

Remove the steak from the skillet and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow the steak to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve alongside your favorite starch and vegetable.

A plate of beef pinwheels filled with herbs and cheese.

My Pro Tips

Recipe Tips

Cooking the rolled flank steak in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F will result in a medium-rare doneness in most cases but each oven is different.
You can use a meat thermometer to ensure the desired doneness is achieved. Cook to an internal temperature of 125 degrees F for rare flank steak, 135 degrees F for medium rare steak, 145 degrees F for medium steak, 150 degrees F for medium well steak, and 160 degrees F for well done flank steak.
Make sure that you don’t flatten the flank steak so much that it rips. Ripped flank steak can result in the pesto stuffing oozing out.
Searing the rolled flank steak first before cooking further in the oven creates a delicious caramelized crust and locks in juices.

Cooked pinwheel steaks and asparagus served on a bed of spinach leaves.

Variations

Doneness: Adjust the cooking time in the oven to achieve rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done flank steak pinwheels.
Pesto: Use a different pesto in these steak pinwheels, such as arugula pesto, radish greens pesto, ramp pesto or citrus pesto.
Cheese: I use Parmesan cheese for these flank steak pinwheels, but you can use another cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, mozzarella cheese, white cheddar, gorgonzola or gruyere cheese.
Prosciutto: Thinly sliced ham, pancetta or salami can be used instead.

Beef flank steak pinwheels on a bed of mashed parsnips garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Storage

Store leftover flank steak pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat these steak pinwheels over medium-low heat in an oiled skillet on the stovetop, but be careful that you don’t overcook the meat while reheating it.

These flank steak pinwheels can also be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend wrapping each pinwheel in plastic wrap or foil and then in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag to help prevent the pinwheels from drying out in the freezer.

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.

What to Serve With

A creamy mash is always a delicious pairing with steak. Besides the parsnip puree mentioned above, this celery root puree, garlic mashed yuca and brown butter mashed cauliflower are all delicious options outside of the classic mashed potato.

These flank steak pinwheels are also great alongside various side dishes, such as broccoli, asparagus, crispy cabbage, mushrooms or some simple sautéed greens.

Sliced stuffed pinwheel flank steaks on a bed of mashed parsnips with a piece being lifted on a fork.

More Recipes Like This To Try

If you enjoy this flank steak recipe, these following recipes will get you excited to learn more ways to cook and serve this cut of meat:

Balsamic pomegranate flank steak provides a stunning festive meal consisting of a simple sauce and balsamic marinade. Serve it alongside this pretty pomegranate salsa to keep with the theme of the dish.

The crushed pistachios on this tender and juicy flank steak add irresistible texture and a pop of sophistication to this pistachio crusted flank steak. It’s another great way to turn regular flank steak into an exciting main meal and makes a great special occasion dish.

Take your summer grilling game to the next level with this rosemary garlic flank steak served with a tangy blackberry sauce. The flank steak is great just as it is but since experimenting with fresh blackberries cooked down with wine, BBQ sauce and rice vinegar, there’s no going back!

5 from 19 votes

Flank Steak Pinwheels

By: Gina Matsoukas

Servings: servings

Prep: 10

Cook: 20

Total: 30

Save

These flank steak pinwheels are stuffed with pesto, prosciutto, parmesan and spinach. They make a gourmet meal in both taste and appearance without a hassle.

Equipment

kitchen twine
large cast iron skillet 14" is ideal for this recipe

Ingredients

For the Flank Steak

▢ 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
▢ 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, pounded thin
▢ salt and pepper
▢ 1/4 cup prepared pesto
▢ 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
▢ 1/3 cup grated parmesan
▢ 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the flank steak on a cutting board and pound thin with a meat tenderizer.
Season generously with salt and pepper.
Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of pesto evenly over the entire steak, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered around the edges.
Layer the prosciutto slices on top in a slightly overlapping manner. Next, sprinkle the grated parmesan on top of the prosciutto and finally, the baby spinach on top of that.
Roll steak up and tie tightly with kitchen twine in about 6 spots across the length of the stuffed steak.
Slice into pinwheels. You should get about 6-8 slices depending on how thick you make them.
Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Once hot, brown the pinwheels for about 2 minutes on each side, working in batches if necessary to give yourself some room in the pan.
Place all the browned pinwheels into the cast iron skillet and transfer to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or when cooked to your preference.
Remove steak from the skillet, transfer to a cutting board and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 43gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 575mgPotassium: 693mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1098IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

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Gina Matsoukas

Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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