Fresh Salmon Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

These salmon spring rolls pack flaky salmon, crunchy vegetables, and creamy avocado into soft rice paper rounds, all with a salty-sweet peanut sauce for dipping. You can pan-sear a fillet in minutes, or lean on leftover salmon to make it even faster.

No deep frying, no steamy kitchen. Just a quick assembly job that comes together in under half an hour.

What Makes These Spring Rolls So Good

I keep coming back to these rolls because they hit every texture I want in one bite: tender salmon, crisp cucumber and carrot, smooth avocado, and chewy rice noodles. The peanut sauce ties it all together with a savory, nutty finish that cuts through the freshness.

They also feel like a smart way to use up that extra salmon. A little rolling practice and you have a lunch that looks like you planned all day, even when you didn’t.

Ingredients

• 8 oz salmon fillet: fresh or thawed frozen, skin on or off; you can also use 1 cup leftover cooked salmon.
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt: for seasoning the raw salmon.
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil: like canola or avocado oil, for searing.
• 8 rice paper wrappers (22cm): the larger size gives you room to roll without forcing.
• 2 oz rice vermicelli (maifun): cooks in a few minutes and cools quickly.
• 1 cup shredded butter lettuce: soft leaves that won’t tear the wrapper.
• 1/2 English cucumber: julienned, no need to peel if the skin is thin.
• 1 medium carrot: julienned or shredded.
• 1 ripe avocado: sliced thinly.
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves: with tender stems is fine; swap in mint if you prefer.
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter: natural or conventional both work.
• 2 tbsp soy sauce: use tamari for gluten-free.
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sriracha: adjust to your heat level.
• 2 to 3 tbsp warm water: to thin the peanut sauce.

Variations / Substitutions

• Smoked salmon: swap the cooked salmon for 8 oz smoked salmon; skip the searing step and use it straight from the package.
• Shrimp or chicken: use 8 oz cooked, peeled shrimp (halved lengthwise) or 1 cup shredded cooked chicken instead of the salmon.
• Herbal twist: add a few whole mint leaves or Thai basil leaves to each roll for a brighter note.
• Gluten-free: use tamari in the sauce and double-check your wrappers (most are naturally gluten-free).
• Mango instead of avocado: swap the avocado for thinly sliced ripe mango when you want a sweeter fruit note.

If you like these, our Shrimp Summer Rolls are another fresh dinner you can make without turning on the oven.

How to Make Salmon Spring Rolls

Step 1: Season and Sear the Salmon

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pat the 8 oz salmon fillet dry with a paper towel, then season both sides with the 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pour the 1 tbsp oil into the hot pan and carefully place the salmon skin-side down if it has skin, or the more rounded side down if it has been removed. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the bottom is deeply golden and releases easily when you lift a corner.

Flip the fillet and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. The salmon is done when it flakes at the thickest part under light pressure. Move it to a plate and let it cool for at least 5 minutes, then use a fork to break it into large chunky flakes. If you are using leftover cooked salmon, skip straight to flaking.

Step 2: Make the Peanut Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tsp sriracha. Start with 2 tbsp of the warm water and stir until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon.

If it looks too thick, add the remaining 1 tbsp water, a little at a time. Taste and adjust: more lime for brightness, more sriracha for heat. Set the sauce aside while you prep the fillings.

Step 3: Prep the Fillings

Cook the 2 oz rice vermicelli according to the package directions; most need a quick soak in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let them sit in the colander. Arrange your shredded lettuce, julienned cucumber, carrot, sliced avocado, and cilantro in separate small piles.

Lay a clean damp kitchen towel on your work surface. Having everything within arm’s reach makes the rolling fast once you start dipping the rice paper.

Step 4: Roll the Spring Rolls

Fill a shallow dish that is wider than your rice papers with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the water for about 10 seconds, until it loses its stiffness but is not totally limp. Place it flat on the damp towel. Down the center of the wrapper, layer a small lettuce leaf, a pinch of noodles, a few salmon flakes, a small bundle of cucumber and carrot, 2 to 3 avocado slices, and a scatter of cilantro.

Fold the bottom edge of the rice paper up over the filling, tuck the left and right sides snugly toward the center, then continue rolling away from you to seal the roll. The wrapper will stick to itself. As you work, the colors of the vegetables should show through the translucent paper, which lets you know you haven’t overfilled. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, and keep finished rolls covered with a damp paper towel.

Step 5: Slice and Serve

Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut each roll in half on the diagonal with one clean motion. Arrange the halves on a plate, cut-side up so the avocado and salmon are visible, and set the bowl of peanut sauce alongside.

Serve right away while the rice paper is soft and the vegetables have a good snap. The peanut sauce will add a salty-sweet finish that balances the cool fillings.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• Use leftover salmon: to shave minutes off prep. Flaked cold salmon works beautifully and skips the pan step entirely.
• Don’t oversoak the rice paper – a quick dip is enough. The wrapper keeps softening while you fill, so if it feels too pliable in the water it may tear later.
• Keep a damp towel under and over: the wrappers. As soon as one is dipped, set it on the damp towel so it doesn’t stick, and cover completed rolls so they don’t dry out.
• If a wrapper tears, you can wrap the entire roll in a second dipped rice paper. It adds a little chew but saves the filling.
• Roll firmly but gently. You want the spring roll tight enough to hold together when sliced, but not so tight that the rice paper splits.

Salmon cook time depends on fillet thickness. A guide:

Make-Ahead and Storage

• Refrigerate: Spring rolls are at their best within a few hours of rolling. You can prepare them up to 2 hours ahead, wrap each individually in plastic or place seam-side down on a plate covered with a damp paper towel, and chill. After that, the rice paper starts to harden.
• Reheating: These are served cold or at room temperature. Do not reheat.
• Leftover salmon: If you cooked extra salmon, store the flaked fish separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and assemble fresh rolls when ready to eat.

What To Serve With Salmon Spring Rolls

These rolls make a light meal on their own, but they pair well with a small bowl of miso soup or a simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar and a pinch of sesame seeds. The warm broth or the tangy salad rounds out the plate without competing with the peanut sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sauce can I use instead of peanut?

A sweet chili sauce mixed with a little lime juice works, or a hoisin sauce loosened with water and a splash of rice vinegar. Both give a different kind of savory-sweet finish.

Can these be made gluten-free?

Yes. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, and check that your wrappers are made only from rice and tapioca. Most are naturally gluten-free.

Can I assemble them a day ahead?

No, the rice paper toughens and the vegetables lose their crunch. The rolls are best eaten within a couple of hours. Prepare all the fillings ahead of time and roll just before serving.

Salmon Spring Rolls Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 28 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 578

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 8 oz salmon fillet
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 8 rice paper wrappers (22 cm)
• 2 oz rice vermicelli
• 1 cup shredded butter lettuce
• 1/2 English cucumber, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 2 to 3 tbsp warm water

Method

 

1. Season and sear the salmon in oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes per side, until golden and flaky. Cool for 5 minutes, then flake into chunks.
2. Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sriracha, and warm water until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cook vermicelli according to package directions, rinse, and drain. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, carrot, avocado, and cilantro in individual piles.
4. Briefly dip each rice paper in warm water, lay on a damp towel, and fill with lettuce, noodles, salmon, vegetables, and herbs. Fold and roll snugly.
5. Slice each roll in half on the diagonal and serve immediately with the peanut sauce.

Notes

If you are using leftover cooked salmon, skip the searing step and flake about 1 cup directly into the rolls. A sharp, thin knife makes clean diagonal cuts through the soft rice paper without squishing the fillings.