Vietnamese Salmon Spring Rolls (Cá Hồi Cuốn Bánh Tráng)

Not only are they refreshing and delicious, but they’re also a great way to use up all the Vietnamese herbs that typically grow like crazy in the garden during summer.

You can assemble the rolls ahead of time, or if you’re making them for a party, let your guests roll their own for a DIY dining fun.

What is Cá Hồi Cuốn Bánh Tráng?

Ca Hoi Cuon Banh Trang or simply Ca Hoi Cuon are fresh Vietnamese spring rolls filled with salmon that’s been marinated in a savory Asian-style sauce, lettuce, fresh herbs, and vermicelli rice noodles. Everything gets wrapped in soft rice paper into neat, handheld rolls.

The salmon can be cooked in the air fryer, on the grill, or in the oven. I’m using the air fryer here for convenience and less cleanup.

Once the salmon is cooked through and golden, it gets an optional—but highly recommended—brushing of scallion oil, plus a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots and crushed roasted peanuts for that signature Vietnamese flair.

Serve with dipping sauce on the side for a light, refreshing meal or appetizer.

Dipping Sauces for Cá Hồi Cuốn Bánh Tráng

There are several dipping sauce options. These spring rolls go well with any of the following:

• Tương Chấm – A creamy peanut and hoisin sauce. My favorite!
• Nước Chấm – Vietnam’s mother sauce. This is a classic, all-purpose dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, water, red chilies, and garlic.
• Nước Mắm Gừng – a ginger version of Nuoc Cham.
• Mắm Nêm – a more potent fermented fish sauce version of Nuoc Cham, sweetened with crushed pineapples.

What You Will Need

To make these Vietnamese salmon spring rolls, gather the following ingredients:

• Salmon – I’m using skinless fillets from my second home, Costco.
• Salmon marinade – Oyster sauce, salt, sugar, ground black pepper, ground ginger (optional), fresh garlic or garlic powder, and sesame oil.
• Scallion oil (mở hành) – Optional but highly recommended for a more aromatic finish and glossy shine on the cooked salmon. I have a quick recipe here. You’ll only need half the amount for the salmon in this recipe.
• Coarsely chopped roasted peanuts and fried shallots – We really put this pretty much on everything grilled, roasted, or wherever, for a bit of decoration and crunch. Make your own fried shallots or get them already prepared at the grocery store.
• Noodles – You can use medium round rice vermicelli noodles (bún) or thinner noodles woven into thin sheets (bánh hỏi) for easier assembly. For a low-carb option, you can omit.
• Rice paper (bánh tráng) – I’m using standard round sheets. There are also larger sizes and square rice paper, which you can use if preferred.
• Fresh vegetables, herbs and pickles – Leafy lettuce, cucumber (cut into thin strips), pickled daikon and carrot, and/or fresh Vietnamese herbs. Simply pick and choose your favorite.
• Choice of dipping sauces – In this recipe, I prefer the creamy peanut and hoisin sauce (Tuong Cham), the same sauce that goes with for the popular Vietnamese pork and shrimp spring rolls (Goi Cuon Tom Thit).

Rinse the salmon to remove any fishy smell and pat dry with paper towels. Feel with your hands and pull out any pin bones. Cut into pieces if needed to fit in the air fryer. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, salt, sugar, ground black pepper, ground ginger (if using), garlic, and sesame oil. Taste and adjust, if needed.

Rub the marinade over the salmon and let it sit for at least 15 minutes or overnight in the fridge.

Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper, leaving a bit of excess on the sides for easy lifting when the salmon is done.

Air fry at 375°F for 15 minutes—no preheating or flipping needed. When done, brush with scallion oil and top with roasted peanuts and fried shallots.

Alternatively, bake with slightly higher temperatures (about 425°F) and a bit longer cooking time (around 20 minutes). If needed, transfer to the top rack and switch to broil for a few seconds (350°F – 400°F) to get that golden crust. Don’t walk away when broiling! It can burn quickly.

Gather all your ingredients nearby for quick assembly.

Quickly dip the rice paper in room temperature water, making sure all sides are wet, and immediately lift it out. Transfer the rice paper to a clean surface.

Add a piece of salmon first so it can be seen through the rice paper for a more appetizing look. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Roll it up from the bottom, tuck in the sides, then roll tightly.