Salmon Spring Rolls (Gluten Free)

These Salmon Spring Rolls are super fresh and bursting with flavor! They’re quick and easy to make with canned salmon, packed with fresh veggies and herbs, and served with a sweet cilantro-lime dipping sauce. These gluten-free spring rolls are egg-free and Modified AIP compliant, with easy Core AIP substitutions.

Salmon Spring Rolls Recipe

These salmon spring rolls are really versatile — perfect as a healthy appetizer, lunch, or quick and delicious dinner. Inspired by Vietnamese fresh spring rolls or gỏi cuốn, salad rolls, or summer rolls, this recipe fuses diverse Asian flavors and includes non-traditional ingredients like nori and coconut aminos. Instead of the classic shrimp and pork combination, I opted to make light, bright, and refreshing salmon rice paper rolls packed with flavor.

For convenience, I used canned salmon. I love the variety of textures, from crunchy carrots, purple cabbage, and nori to creamy avocado and tender salmon. You can easily adjust the crunchiness by using your favorite veggies — simple and customizable!

While fresh spring rolls made with rice paper wrappers are typically gluten-free, they’re often served with sauces that contain gluten, like hoisin or soy sauce. To keep this recipe completely peanut, soy, and gluten-free, I paired these rolls with my sweet and tangy cilantro-lime dipping sauce from my Ginger-Cilantro Pork Meatballs recipe. This allergy-friendly sauce complements the rolls perfectly.

With this adaptable and easy recipe, you’ll have a complete meal ready in just 25 minutes!

Looking for more quick and easy, gluten-free appetizers or dinner ideas? Try my Tuna Patties, Zucchini Fritters, Tuna Wraps, or Cod Fritters.

Ingredients

See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities.

Salmon Spring Rolls

• canned salmon – I used boneless, skinless wild pink salmon. You can use any type of canned salmon, ensuring you drain it first. If the canned salmon is stored in water only, make sure to add a pinch of salt to it when marinating the salmon with coconut aminos.
• coconut aminos
• rice paper wrappers – also called rice paper rounds, rice paper sheets, or bánh tráng in Vietnamese.
• nori sheets – also called roasted seaweed sheets or seaweed snacks. Depending on the size, you may need to cut them into smaller squares so that the sides are about equal to the radius of the rice paper wrapper.
• rice vermicelli – cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package’s instructions then drain and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking.
• avocado
• carrots
• purple cabbage
• baby cucumbers – or one “regular” sized cucumber.
• chives
• green onions
• fresh basil – or use Thai basil if you can get some.

Cilantro-Lime Dipping Sauce

• olive oil
• coconut aminos
• maple syrup
• lime juice – freshly squeezed
• cilantro
• mint

Ingredient Substitutions

• You can use any type of canned salmon or substitute with any other canned fish that you’d like. Or use cooked salmon, just ensure it’s been seasoned with salt first, and flaked into small pieces.
• You can use a variety of fresh veggies and herbs, depending on what flavors and textures you want to create. Feel free to use what you have on hand using these ingredients as a guide or see the Tips & Tricks for more suggestions.
• Instead of coconut aminos, you can try tamari which is gluten-free (if you don’t need this recipe to be soy-free) and omit salting the salmon, or use Red Boat Fish Sauce. Note that even with the maple syrup, the dipping sauce won’t have the same sweet notes without the coconut aminos.
• Grain-Free or Core AIP Substitutions: These fresh spring rolls comply with the Modified AIP elimination stage of the AIP diet. For a grain-free or Core AIP version, omit the rice vermicelli and use sweet potato glass noodles instead, or replace with more thinly sliced vegetables or vegetable noodles. Instead of the rice paper sheets, wrap the filling in the seaweed sheets (as pictured below) and/or in large cabbage or lettuce leaves.

How To Make Salmon Spring Rolls

Step 1: Marinate the Salmon

Pour the coconut aminos into the salted salmon and mix together.

Step 2: Soften the Rice Paper Wrapper

Dip one rice paper sheet in lukewarm water for about 10-15 seconds until pliable. It should turn translucent. Shake off excess water and place the wrapper on a clean, smooth surface.

Step 3: Add the Fillings

Place one nori sheet towards the middle lower third of the rice paper wrapper, leaving some space at the bottom of the wrapper.

Then, add a small handful of the cooked rice vermicelli below the nori (about 1-2 TBSP or so).

Next, add a handful of your veggies and fresh herbs of choice. Layer a few avocado slices at the bottom of the nori. Then, add some thinly sliced carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, green onions, chives, and basil in the middle section of the nori sheet.

Finally, add some of the marinated salmon to the top of the nori sheet, about 2-3 TBSP.

Alternatively, add the fillings to one large nori sheet or two smaller, overlapping sheets, leaving about an inch of space at the bottom to fold over the filling.

Step 4: Roll the Salmon Spring Rolls

Fold in the two sides of the rice paper wrapper over the filling. Then, carefully lift the bottom of the rice paper and fold over the bottom of the filling. Tightly but carefully roll the wrapper upwards until the entire wrapper is rolled and the filling is sealed inside.

Repeat with the remaining rice paper wrappers and filling ingredients.

Step 5: Make the Dipping Sauce

Prepare the serving sauce by whisking together the olive oil, coconut aminos, maple syrup, lime juice, mint and cilantro in a small bowl.

Step 6: Serve

Place the salmon spring rolls on a plate and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

Tips & Tricks

Prep Ingredients

Ensure all the ingredients are ready before you assemble the salmon spring rolls so that you can work quickly. I.e. cook the rice vermicelli noodles, salt the salmon (if it isn’t already seasoned with salt), and wash and dry your veggies and herbs well before slicing them. Making sure the fillings are properly dried prevents additional moisture, which can make the spring rolls soggy inside.

Make each roll one at a time so that the rice paper wrappers don’t dry out.

Avoid Overfilling the Rolls

You don’t want to add too much to prevent the fillings from falling out or tearing the rolls when you handle them. Ideally, you want the rice paper to make two complete rotations over the filling, which it won’t be able to do if they are too full. You can determine whether you want more or less filling once you try rolling your first spring roll.

Note that the yield will vary depending on how much filling you put in each roll.

Wrapping the Spring Rolls

The seaweed sheet helps to reinforce the rice paper wrapper. If you want to omit it, check out this tutorial to see how to wrap spring rolls using an extra sheet of rice paper instead.

Wrap the spring rolls tightly to prevent the fillings from spilling out, using gentle pressure to prevent tearing.

You can also wrap the rolls like a burrito by folding the bottom of the rice paper over the filling first. Roll it half way, then fold in the sides, and then continue rolling upward.

Adapt the Ingredients

These homemade spring rolls are easily customizable, so feel free to vary the ingredients. Some optional add-ins or substitutions for the fresh vegetables include bean sprouts, pickled onions, ginger carrot sauerkraut, riced or thinly sliced broccoli or cauliflower, thinly sliced fresh mango, or bell peppers if you tolerate nightshades. You can use both chives and green onions, or just one. For the herbs, use any combination of fresh basil, cilantro, and mint. Sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds or garnish with some more green onions, mint, or cilantro.

Although these are salmon spring rolls, you can use other types of canned fish as noted in the Substitutions. Try these spring rolls with other proteins like cooked ground or shredded chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp. Or, you can completely omit the seafood or meat to make a vegetarian and vegan spring roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Fridge: These salmon spring rolls are best enjoyed fresh but can be kept in the fridge up to 1 day. Wrap each spring roll individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together, and then place them in an airtight container or resealable food storage bag. Or, keep them in an airtight container with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out.
  • Store the dipping sauce in an airtight container or jar in the fridge up to 5 days.
  • Store leftover ingredients separately in the fridge and assemble fresh as needed.
• Reheating: Again, these are best fresh and don’t reheat very well. If you plan to reheat, omit the nori when making them. Cover them with a damp paper towel and microwave for just a few seconds until they’re slightly warm.
• I don’t recommend freezing these salmon spring rolls.

Print

As the creator of an online dairy-free and gluten-free baking school, I understand how challenging it is to find dairy and gluten-free goods that taste as delicious as their conventional counterparts. With their fresh and bright flavors, you’ll love these Salmon Spring Rolls served with a completely gluten-free dipping sauce. If you try it, I would appreciate it if you would give it a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.