Vietnamese Salmon Spring Rolls (Cá Hồi Cuốn Bánh Tráng)

If you want something easy for the warmer weather, try these Vietnamese salmon spring rolls (Ca Hoi Cuon Banh Trang).

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:

How to Make It

Step 1: Prepare the salmon

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.

Step 2: Air fry the salmon

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.

Step 3: Prepare noodles and veggies

Boil the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Wash and dry your herbs and vegetables. Set everything aside.

Step 4: Make the dipping sauce

Make the peanut sauce and set aside.

Step 5: Assemble the rolls

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.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy

Serve with peanut sauce on the side. Top peanut sauce with optional sriracha chili sauce and a sprinkle of roasted peanuts.

Pro-Tips

Water Temperature for Rice Paper

Use room temperature or cold water for dipping. There’s no need for warm or hot water!

Simply gather your ingredients before rolling; by the time you’re ready, the rice paper will have softened just enough. It shouldn’t feel slippery, but slightly sticky. That’s when you know it’s ready. Wrap quickly before it gets too soft.

Make it into a Noodle Bowl

If rolling rice paper is too cumbersome or you’re feeling lazy, make it into an easy noodle bowl. Toss everything into a bowl and drizzling with sauce, similar to Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Xào).

FAQs

What can I prep ahead?

Yes, marinate and cook the salmon, boil the noodles, and wash your veggies in advance. Store everything separately and assemble just before serving.

How to prevent the rolls from sticking if made already assembled?

If you store the assembled rolls touching or stacked on top of each other, they will stick. It might seem impossible to separate them at first, but if you pull slowly and close to the point of contact, they’ll come apart easily.

If you don’t want to take the chance (or doubt your spring roll-separating abilities), place a small piece of parchment paper between each roll or wrap them individually in plastic food wrap.

No air fryer. Can I pan-fry the salmon?

Yes, pan fry in a nonstick pan with a bit of oil works well too.

Storage & Serving

Store the assembled rolls in an airtight container or wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then refrigerate.

Let them come to room temperature before serving. If the rice paper feels stiff, lightly mist with water to soften.