Confession: This recipe came out of necessity. I was doing a catering job and I bought too many packages of rice paper. Then I did some researching and realized that the rice paper could act as an envelope. Immediately, I thought of the French technique of cooking fish in a parchment paper envelope, (en papillote). And then I thought, wouldn’t it be CRAZY if we could eat the envelope as well? Enter in salmon wrapped in rice paper.
I’m also a sucker for any sauces that taste sweet and sour. I figured, if I’m going to go with rice paper, I might as well push the envelope (haha) and just go ahead and use some Asian ingredients.
I started by taking a chunk of skinless salmon and cutting into thin even pieces. In the following pictures, I was making this dish for a crowd, so I used more than 1 lb of salmon and had more than 4 pieces. So don’t get confused! Then I sprinkled them with salt and pepper on both sides.
Then I topped them with sauteed ginger, garlic and herbs and wrapped them in softened rice paper. The pan-frying makes them crispy on the outside and the oven steams the fish to perfection. Just resist the temptation to over-bake them, or they’ll be dry.
The fishy fishies are topped with an easy hoisin and lime sauce, that was born out of me not wanting to wash another pot in order to make a fancy sauce.
Watch how I make them in our 6th video!
This is an easy yet impressive crowd-pleaser, so try it out when you’re having a dinner party and serve it with some wasabi mashed potatoes, rice, or a crunchy refreshing salad…. oooh that sounds good.
Salmon Wrapped in Rice Paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless salmon fillets cut into 4 even pieces
- Vegetable oil divided
- 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons peeled & chopped ginger
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
- ½ cup sliced scallions
- Four sheets of round spring roll rice paper
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Hoisin Lime Sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Season both sides of salmon pieces with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat oil in a saute pan and saute the garlic and ginger until softened, but not browned; then add cilantro or parsley and green onion, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Carefully moisten 1 piece of rice paper in warm water for about 30 seconds until softened, and then spread out on a cutting board and lightly pat dry with a paper towel.
- Put 1 heaping tablespoon of the ginger-garlic-herb mixture on the center of the rice paper and spread it around a bit, so that it will evenly cover the surface of a piece of salmon. Place salmon on top, and tightly fold ends of the rice paper up and around the salmon to make a package, like you're making a burrito. Repeat with all pieces and place salmon bundles aside to set in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet with vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add bundles to the pan, sealed side down, and brown for about 1-2 minutes. Once the one side is browned, carefully flip the bundles and brown on the other side for about another 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to rip the delicate rice paper.
- Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet, presentation side-up and pop into the oven to cook for about 6-7 minutes to finish cooking the salmon on the inside.
- Place all ingredients for the hoisin lime sauce in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir well. Drizzle over the salmon bundles and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Thanks Chef Julie! You know a way to a girl’s heart ~ a great recipe 🙂
What a creative way to do salmon! I will have to try your recipe. Thanks Julie! Hope you’re doing well 🙂
hi, julie! i’m one of christina’s friends- we met a couple of times over the years. i recently discovered your blog and am very much enjoying it. i tried your sirloin steak and balsamic glaze recipe when we had company and it turned out delicious! the glaze is really yummy! thanks! i will definitely be trying the salmon recipe too.
Thanks Sarah, Vanessa and Heekyung! I hope you really do try out the recipe and let me know if it turns out good! Heekyung, thanks for trying out the balsamic glaze and steak recipe. I love making sauces out of the pantry. Keep checking out the blog and I’ll try to keep coming up with some good stuff!
julie
That just look beyond good! I will make this for my husband and see what he thinks. Thanks!
I know this post was a few years back but wanted to let you know I’ve done this recipe several times. It always turns out great.
Hi CC. Thanks so much for letting me know you’ve been using this recipe for a while and it’s been working out for you. That’s awesome. High five!
Just discovered your website & can’t wait to try this recipe. Any way I can assemble earlier in the day? I’ve made fresh wraps in rice paper in advance, placing plastic wrap directly on the wraps, & top plastic with damp towel. Think this would work, Julie? I’m working hard on avoiding lots of last minute work in the kitchen when guests are here & this recipe is definitely a keeper for dinner parties!
Hi Dottie.
So sorry I didn’t respond to your comment earlier, but yes you can make these one day in advance, just like you say… making sure they don’t dry out or stick to the plate underneath. Treat it just like a normal fresh spring roll and you should be okay.
Why do you fry the rolls first? Is that necessary. Why not put them straight in the oven?
It’s completely a textural thing. I like that the outside of the roll gets crisp and the rest is chewy. If you don’t care for that, you could put them straight in the oven, although I think you’d be missing out!
Could I solely cook them in pan? Perhaps just with the lid on for the duration?
Thanks looks super yum!!
Like your page and hope to see more of your recipes
Hi Julie! I just discovered your site and am beyond happy! The recipes, this one in particular, look so delicious. What a great way to make salmon easy and flavorful. I can’t wait to try it and other recipes. We’re trying to eat healthier and love Korean food. Thank you for sharing your talents with us!