Smoked salmon roll ups sound fancy—and they are! They also happen to be incredibly easy to make. You only need a handful of ingredients, all rolled into one creamy, crisp, complex bite. A gorgeous smoked salmon appetizer to impress your friends or save them for yourself for keto sushi!
What’s in These Smoked Salmon Roll Ups
Leave the rice and nori in your pantry, this low carb alternative is equally as delicious. Here are my ingredient preferences and why:
- Wild vs. farmed salmon – Even though it’s slightly more expensive, we always purchase wild-caught salmon over farmed salmon, as farmed has a higher concentration of contaminants (more on that here).
- Whipped vs. regular cream cheese – whipped will give you a lighter, fluffier texture. Plus it’s easier to spread over the salmon roll.
- Haas vs. regular avocado – opt for Haas avocados, they’re higher in fat and more flavorful.
Tweaks + Substitutes
- Add some spice, such as wasabi or sriracha (check out this spicy tuna salad for inspo).
- Or your favorite sushi ingredients, add nori, more avo, maybe some crab? (like this crab stuffed salmon).
- Make it a more traditional sushi with sushi rice and seaweed.
- Add a sauce, my Asian salmon sauce would be delicious drizzled over these roll ups.
How to Make Salmon Roll Ups
Despite how fancy they look, these smoked salmon roll ups come together easily with a bit of plastic wrap and a sharp knife. Here’s how:
Salmon. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Overlap salmon to form a large rectangle.
Filling. Spread cream cheese over salmon, then place all filling ingredients in the center.
Roll + slice. Roll the salmon over the filling, then roll it on a flat surface a few times to shape the roll ups. Place in the freezer (makes it easier to slice), then slice with a sharp knife.
Can I Make This Smoked Salmon Appetizer Ahead?
This smoked salmon appetizer is best made just before serving it, as the avocado will brown, and the cucumber will release its liquid. Fortunately, it comes together in just a few minutes!
How to Serve
These smoked salmon roll ups work well as an app, lunch, or snack. But if you want to get even more out of this dish, try:
- Serving them with a toasted bagel or slice of bread.
- Over a bed of lettuce for an easy salmon salad
- On top of grains, like brown rice or quinoa. Cauliflower rice is also a great option.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
Smoked Salmon Roll Ups
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
- 8 Ounces Smoked Salmon
- 1/2 Cup Cream Cheese whipped
- 2 Tablespoons Chives minced + divided
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 1/2 Avocado thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cucumber matchstick
Instructions
- Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Sprinkle plastic wrap with sesame seeds (2 tablespoons). Place smoked salmon (8 ounces) over the sesame seeds, overlapping the slices to form a 10 x 6" rectangle.
- Spread whipped cream cheese (1/2 cup) over the top of the smoked salmon. Sprinkle with (2 tablespoons) chives and (1 tablespoon) lemon zest.
- Place sliced (1/2) avocado and (1/2) cucumbers along the long edge of the salmon, then use the plastic wrap to help roll the salmon over itself.
- Toss roll up in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 12 pieces, and enjoy!
