Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls
Guyyss, if you love sushi but not the fuss, these little rolls are about to become your new go to snack. Thin ribbons of English cucumber, a layer of smoked salmon, a creamy filling, and a quick sesame chili dipping sauce. That is the whole thing. No rice, no rolling mat, no cooking, no stress.
The recipe comes from Clean Food Crush, where it is shared as a clean eating take on sushi. The idea behind it is simple and a little bit social: stay in for the weekend, invite your sushi loving friends over, and make your favorite combinations together.
Picture a platter in the middle of the table, a small bowl of dipping sauce, and everyone rolling their own little bites.
It makes about 2 to 3 servings. If you are feeding a crowd, double everything and set out two dipping bowls so nobody has to reach across the table.
Because these are a no cook appetizer, the whole recipe happens on a cutting board. A vegetable peeler or a mandolin, a small glass bowl, and a platter are all the equipment you need. Clean, fresh, and ready in the time it takes to slice a cucumber.
They also fit a lot of different tables. Busy parents can put them together after work without turning on the stove. Students can make them with a peeler and a bowl.
Anyone watching what they eat gets a fresh, light plate that still feels like a treat. And if you are hosting, they look far more impressive than the effort involved.
Jump To
Ingredients:
Here is everything you need for the rolls and the dipping sauce. Short list, easy to find, no specialty shopping trip required.
For the rolls
- 1/2 large English cucumber
- 1 pack high quality smoked salmon
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, hummus, or plain Greek yogurt, your choice
For the dipping sauce
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos liquid, Braggs liquid amino, or light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- A pinch of garlic powder, or 1 to 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced (optional)
Seven lines total, and two of them let you choose. Let me walk through those choices, because they change the feel of the plate.
The cucumber. English cucumber is the one you want. It is long, mostly seedless, and firm enough to slice into ribbons without falling apart in your hand. Half of a large one covers this batch. If you only have regular cucumbers at home, scoop out the watery center with a spoon first so your rolls stay crisp.
The smoked salmon. One pack of high quality smoked salmon. Buy the kind you would happily eat on its own, because there is nothing here to hide behind. Thin cold smoked slices work beautifully, and hot smoked salmon works too if you flake it into smaller pieces before layering.
The filling. This is where you get to play. Cream cheese gives you that classic creamy sushi roll feel. Hummus brings a savory, earthy body. Plain Greek yogurt keeps things light and a little tangy. All three work, and all three take a quarter cup.
The sauce. Coconut aminos, Braggs liquid amino, or light soy sauce each bring that salty, savory note. Pick the bottle you already keep in the pantry and you are set.
From there it is one teaspoon of sesame seeds, half a teaspoon of chili flakes, and the optional garlic. Want more heat? Move toward the full half teaspoon. Serving kids? Start with less and taste as you go.
Whisk the sauce in a small glass bowl. It takes about twenty seconds, and seeing the sesame seeds and chili flakes swirl through tells you it is ready.
The recipe keeps the ingredient list short on purpose. The variety comes from your filling choice and your sauce choice, not from piling on extra ingredients. That is what makes this plate feel clean and fresh instead of heavy.
Got leftover smoked salmon and cream cheese after rolling? Put them to work in these easy smoked salmon and cream cheese pastries. Same shopping list, completely different mood.
Instructions:
The order matters here, and the whole thing moves fast once your cucumber is sliced.
- Slice the cucumber very thin. Use a peeler or a mandolin. Long, even strokes give you ribbons that roll without cracking. Work down one side until you reach the seedy core, then turn the cucumber and keep going on the other side.
- Cut the smoked salmon. Slice it into smaller thin pieces so it fits the width of your cucumber ribbons. Then add a layer of smoked salmon to one side of each cucumber slice.
- Add the filling. Apply a very thin layer of cream cheese, or whichever filling you chose, over the cucumber and salmon. Thin is the secret. A thick swipe will push out the sides the moment you roll.
- Roll it up. Start from the salmon side and roll away from you, snug but gentle. The filling helps everything hold together.
- Whisk the sauce. In a small glass bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients together until the sesame seeds and chili flakes are evenly spread through the liquid.
- Arrange and serve. Set the rolls on a platter with the dipping sauce, add chopsticks, and enjoy.
A few small things that make a real difference:
- Pat your cucumber ribbons dry before rolling. Less surface moisture means a tidier roll and a crisper bite.
- Keep the filling thin, especially if you are using cream cheese. You are gluing, not frosting.
- If you use a mandolin, use the guard. Thin cucumber slices and fingertips are a bad combination.
- Roll snug but not tight. Too much tension and the ribbon splits.
- Set the dipping sauce in the middle of the platter so everyone can dunk without passing bowls around.
These are best assembled shortly before you eat, while the cucumber is still crisp. If you want to get ahead, slice the cucumber, cut the salmon, and whisk the sauce, then keep everything separate and roll just before your guests arrive.
The dipping sauce is thin on purpose, so it coats each roll without weighing it down. Spoon it over the platter or let everyone dunk their own.
Serving ideas: as a party appetizer, a light lunch, or a snack plate for a movie night. They look impressive on a platter with chopsticks and they take almost no effort, which is exactly the kind of recipe you want when friends show up.
Pair them with another easy one, this smoked salmon dip, and you have a full salmon spread with barely any cooking.
Ingredients
Here is the recipe card version, with the exact amounts in one place. The recipe makes about 2 to 3 servings and involves no cooking at all.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large English cucumber | 1/2 | Sliced very thin with a peeler or mandolin |
| High quality smoked salmon | 1 pack | Cut into smaller thin slices |
| Cream cheese, hummus, or plain Greek yogurt | 1/4 cup | Your choice of filling |
| Coconut aminos liquid, Braggs liquid amino, or light soy sauce | 1/4 cup | For the dipping sauce |
| Sesame seeds | 1 tsp | For the dipping sauce |
| Chili flakes | 1/2 tsp | For the dipping sauce |
| Garlic powder, or 1 to 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced | 1 pinch | Optional |
Two of these lines are choices. The filling can be cream cheese, hummus, or plain Greek yogurt. The sauce base can be coconut aminos liquid, Braggs liquid amino, or light soy sauce. The sesame seeds, chili flakes, and optional garlic stay the same either way.
If you double the recipe, double the filling and the sauce too so the ratios stay the same. Half a cucumber and one pack of salmon is a generous plate for 2 to 3 people.
Instructions
The short version, exactly as it appears on the recipe card.
- Slice the cucumber into very thin slices using a peeler or a mandolin.
- Cut the smoked salmon into smaller thin slices, then add a layer of smoked salmon to one side of the cucumber slices.
- Apply a very thin layer of cream cheese, then roll it up.
- In a small glass bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients.
- Arrange the rolls on a platter with the dipping sauce, add chopsticks, and enjoy.
That is it, start to finish, with no heat involved anywhere.
If you are rolling for the first time, make one roll and check the filling thickness before you do the rest. Once you have the feel, the platter fills up quickly.
Make it yours within the recipe. Cream cheese for a classic creamy bite. Hummus for something a little heartier. Plain Greek yogurt for a lighter finish. Then choose your sauce base and dial the chili flakes up or down to suit the table.
Recipe adapted from Clean Eating Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls from Clean Food Crush.
FAQs
What is the best cucumber for smoked salmon cucumber rolls?
English cucumbers are the best choice for this recipe. They have thin skin, fewer seeds, and a mild flavor, making them ideal for slicing into long, pliable ribbons with a peeler or mandolin. Look for a straight, firm cucumber for the most even strips.
How do you keep smoked salmon cucumber rolls from falling apart?
Apply a very thin, even layer of cream cheese, hummus, or plain Greek yogurt to the cucumber slice before rolling; the spread acts as edible glue. Roll the cucumber gently but snugly, and if needed, secure the finished roll with a toothpick until serving. Assembling the rolls shortly before serving also helps them hold their shape.
Are smoked salmon cucumber rolls keto friendly?
Yes, these rolls are naturally keto friendly. By replacing rice with cucumber slices, they are very low in carbohydrates. Using full-fat cream cheese as the spread and high-quality smoked salmon keeps the fat content appropriate for a ketogenic diet.
What dipping sauce goes with smoked salmon cucumber rolls?
The recipe features a simple dipping sauce made by whisking together 1/4 cup of coconut aminos, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or light soy sauce with 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes, and optional minced garlic. This provides umami and a customizable level of heat that complements the salmon.
Clean Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls Guyyss, if you love sushi but not the fuss, these little rolls are about to become your new go to snack. Thin ribbons of English cucumber, a layer of smoked salmon, a creamy filling, and a quick sesame chili dipping sauce.
- Yield: 2-3 1x
Ingredients
1/2 large English cucumber
1 Pack high quality smoked salmon
1/4 cup cream cheese, hummus, or plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup coconut aminos liquid, Braggs liquid amino, or light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 pinch garlic powder, or 1–2 fresh garlic cloves, minced, minced
Instructions
1-Slice the cucumber into very thin slices: Slice the cucumber into very thin slices using a peeler or a mandolin.
2-Cut smoked salmon into smaller thin slices,: Cut smoked salmon into smaller thin slices, as shown and add a layer of smoked salmon to one side of the cucumber slices.
3-Apply a very thin layer of cream: Apply a very thin layer of cream cheese, then roll it up.
4-In a small glass bowl, whisk all: In a small glass bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients.
5-Arrange the rolls on a platter with: Arrange the rolls on a platter with the dipping sauce, add chopsticks and enjoy!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.- Method: no_cook
