Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups

The beautiful rainbow colors in these Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups illustrate how vibrant the flavors are, too! Turmeric, garlic, and lime juice complement the buttery-flavored nature of salmon fillets and the sweet, earthy, slightly bitter flavor of the rainbow chard leaves. The additional mix-ins, including avocado, onion, and cilantro, add a touch of crunch and spice to the roll-ups! {Paleo}

Spiriteds, have you ever tasted rainbow chard? They are slightly sweet, slightly bitter earthy greens that are a sight to behold. Omogish, they are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. But I have wanted to work with them ever since I first saw them in my local grocery store. And I’ve wanted to make this type of recipe ever since I first saw Dr. Amy Myers’ Spicy Fish Tacos recipe in her book, The Autoimmune Solution. It naturally followed that I’d combine the two and create these piquant, vibrant Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups.

These roll-ups combine earthy, nutty, buttery, sweet, and bitter flavors with crunchy, creamy textures. ALL THE FLAVORS and ALL THE TEXTURES are packed into one relatively small roll-up, and yet the entire combination works. Turmeric, garlic, and lime juice? Exactly how many different recipes can I add that trio to? And don’t even get me started on the coconut oil-salmon duo. They BELONG together, and I will not be told otherwise. The only question I have now is, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups are too good, friends. The entire recipe is just too good.

Also, apparently I couldn’t get over the colors because I took a ridiculous number of photos of the rainbow chard. Actually, I think I took more pictures of the chard than I did of the final product, which also happens to be ridiculously beautiful. Thank you, pink salmon.

If you haven’t played around with salmon and rainbow chard and turmeric, then NOW IS THE TIME. And I feel so strongly about this, I have provided copious notes below for your perusal. Thank you for understanding. Now let’s get rolling! 

SPICY SALMON ROLL-UPS INGREDIENTS:

Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make your own beautiful Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups. I mean, even the cilantro leaves end up looking like flowers.

• Rainbow chard. I buy several bunches because not all of the leaves will be large enough to use as a roll-up. I then use the leftover chard in sautés and salads. It’s important to note rainbow chard is softer than other tough greens. So when it’s time to blanch and shock the leaves, just a minute is all that’s needed to get the job done. If the leaves are blanched too long, they’ll become too soft.
• Salmon fillets. Baked according to package instructions.
• Glaze: Melted coconut oil, sea salt, juice of one lime, pressed garlic cloves, turmeric, garlic salt/powder, and onion salt/powder.
• Mix-ins: Red and/or green onion, cilantro, tomatoes, or avocado.

HOW TO MAKE SPICY SALMON ROLL-UPS:

Below are the steps to create your own delicious, colorful Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups. If you are new to creating greens-based wraps and roll-ups, then I encourage you to check out our Chicken Avocado Collard Wraps recipe where we include several steps, tips, and links to create the perfect wrap roll!

1. Combine the melted coconut oil, sea salt, lime juice, pressed garlic cloves, turmeric, garlic powder/salt, and onion powder/salt in a 9×13 baking dish. Place the salmon fillets in the baking dish and turn them over once so each side is coated with the coconut oil mixture. Bake salmon fillets according to package instructions.
2. While the salmon is baking, rinse the rainbow chard and transfer the leaves to a pot of boiling water. Blanch for no more than one minute. Then transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water, called shocking, again for no more than one minute. After shocking the leaves, place them between two thin dish cloths to soak up the water.
3. While the leaves are drying, prepare the mix-ins. Thinly slice the green onion, dice the red onion, and remove the cilantro leaves from their stems. Dice or mince the cilantro, if desired.
4. Once the salmon is baked, remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and then flake with a fork. Next, lay the rainbow chard on a large cutting board and layer each leaf with a spoonful of salmon. Then add the mix-ins. For best results, leave room at the rounded top of each leaf to make the rolling process easier. Once ingredients are added, then begin rolling the leaf from the rounded edge first, bringing up both sides of the leaf as you roll. Once you get to the end of the leaf, tuck the stem end of the leaf underneath the roll-up and place on a plate or in a small dish. Finally, repeat process with remaining leaves and ingredients.
5. These roll-ups are best enjoyed right after assembly.

NOTE: If necessary, you can remove part of the rainbow chard spine (the thick stem in the center of the leaf) to make the rolling process easier. Since rainbow chard is softer than, for example, collard greens, this step isn’t always necessary. If you remove the spine after blanching and shocking, then slice carefully with a sharp knife. The leaf will be soft and prone to tearing.

CAN YOU USE OTHER GREENS AS THE BASE?

Absolutely! If you can’t find rainbow chard at your local grocer, then try Swiss chard, collard greens, butterhead lettuce, or romaine lettuce. For the latter two, you shouldn’t need to blanch or shock them prior to wrap-rolling.

And if you end up with leftover chard or collard greens, then sauté them in coconut oil, turmeric, sea salt, garlic salt/powder, and onion salt/powder for 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, slice or dice the leaves and add then them to your next salad. 

If you’d like to learn more about rainbow chard, then check out Food Network’s article, Rainbow Chard: How to Use Rainbow Chard and Recipes.

MORE GRAIN-FREE DINNER RECIPES!

Spicy Salmon Roll-Ups are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg because there are several grain-free recipes on the Spirited blog your tastebuds will enjoy! Here is a sampling!

• Mediterranean Collard Wraps
• Deli Sandwich Lettuce Wraps
• Spicy Shrimp Seashell Tacos
• One-Skillet Spicy Chicken Fajitas
• Loaded Shrimp Tacos

Honorable Mentions (They include quinoa but use a vegetable for their base):

• Chicken Avocado Collard Wraps
• Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Friends, take care and be well. As always, I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Myers, Dr. Amy. “Spicy Fish Tacos.” Recipe. The Autoimmune Solution. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2015. 246. Print.

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