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These easy no-cook Smoked Salmon Pinwheels are a simple make-ahead appetizer that’s perfect for parties, holidays, brunch, and game day. Cream cheese is mixed with fresh chives and capers, then rolled with smoked salmon, cucumber, red onion, and Everything Bagel seasoning inside soft tortillas or lavash. After a quick chill, they’re sliced into bite-sized pinwheels that are creamy, savory, and are always the first to disappear.
These Pacific Northwest smoked salmon roll ups are my copycat version of ones I had a few years ago from Seabiscuit Bakery, located on Whidbey Island. Unfortunately, they closed the bakery, but I still think about those pinwheels.
Seabiscuit Bakery was famous for its savory smoked salmon pinwheels, which were particularly notable because they were rolled in the bakery’s signature house-made “everything” lavosh. You can recreate these rustic, bakery-style appetizers at home by preparing a savory herb cream cheese and a flatbread with that everything bagel seasoning.
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What is smoked salmon?
First, let’s talk a little about the smoked salmon.
Smoked salmon is salmon that’s been cured, salted, and smoked to preserve it and develop the rich flavor. The curing process partially dehydrates the fish, which helps slow bacterial growth and extends its shelf life. Because smoked salmon is cured with salt, it can be quite high in sodium. Be aware of this when using smoked salmon in recipes; don’t add too much salt, and be careful with a pre-made everything bagel seasoning that has salt, because it can overpower the pinwheels. I prefer to use a homemade everything bagel seasoning blend with no added salt for these.
When you look at the store, you’ll see both cold smoked salmon or hot smoked salmon.
Cold-Smoked Salmon
Cold-Smoked Salmon is slowly exposed to smoke in an environment about 80° F for a few days. The flesh of cold-smoked salmon stays very moist and silky, similar in texture to lox, and is thinly sliced. You can see cold smoked salmon in my Salmon Rolls.
Hot-Smoked Salmon
Hot-Smoked Salmon is smoked with heat, just like meat gets smoked. The fish gets cooked all the way through and ends up with a firm, flaky, drier texture, and a delicious smoky flavor. Hot-smoked salmon looks very similar to a fillet of cooked salmon.
This is the kind of salmon I prefer for this recipe. Using hot smoked salmon creates a heartier texture that flakes beautifully throughout the filling. Hot smoked salmon creates a flaky texture, while cold-smoked salmon makes a softer, silkier pinwheel.
Where can I buy smoked salmon?
Smoked Salmon is available in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section of the deli or by the fish counter. I’ve seen it at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods market. My favorite places to get smoked salmon on Whidbey Island are Seabolt’s Smokehouse or Whidbey Island Seafood Company.
Can I use lox?
Lox and smoked salmon are actually different, even though the term lox is sometimes used to describe smoked salmon. Lox is a more specific term than smoked salmon, and is salt-cured or brined but never cooked or smoked. It has a silky, rich texture, and translucency.
For this recipe, I recommend a larger piece of hot smoked salmon that looks like a cooked fillet rather than lox or thinly sliced smoked salmon, though really, any will work, the flavor will just be different.
How to make
These Smoked Salmon Pinwheels are one of those appetizers that look impressive but come together with very little effort. They’re perfect for brunches, baby showers, holiday parties, potlucks, or any gathering where you need an easy make-ahead appetizer.
I have tips and tricks for you in the post, but be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full ingredients and instructions.
Get your ingredients ready
Seabiscuit Bakery made their pinwheels with their house-made “everything” lavosh. So, lavosh will be truer to the original, but some people may have a hard time finding lavosh, so I also suggest large flour tortillas. Lavash creates lovely elegant pinwheels, while flour tortillas make slightly thicker, sturdier rolls that are easier to transport.
Soften the cream cheese completely before mixing to prevent lumps. Mix the chives and capers so they distribute evenly throughout the filling.
Pat the cucumber slices dry with paper towels so excess moisture doesn’t soften the tortillas if you’d like, this is especially important if you’re making them a day or two in advance.
get mixing and rolling
Spread the cream cheese mixture over the flatbreads, and leave a little margin at the edges so the filling doesn’t squish out.
Top it with the red onion, cucumbers, bagel seasoning, and the flaked smoked salmon. Don’t overfill the tortillas or they’ll be difficult to roll tightly. If your tortillas or lavosh are smaller, you can use more of them and make several logs.
Then, roll the flatbread up into a long log. Press it together tightly as you roll so it sticks together, but avoid squeezing out the filling. Then wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Refrigerate before slicing, this is the biggest secret to neat pinwheels. Although 1 hour works, 2 hours gives much cleaner slices.
Make the logs up to 1 day ahead if you’re serving them at a party. If making them a day ahead, wait until just before serving to slice so they stay fresh.
Once chilled, unwrap the rolls and trim off the ends if desired (they make a great snack for the cook). Using a sharp serrated knife (a serrated knife gives the neatest cuts without squishing the filling), slice each roll into 1-inch pinwheels.
Wipe the knife clean between slices for professional-looking pinwheels.
About 16 pinwheels assumes eight slices per roll. This may vary if you make thicker or thinner slices.
Garnish with extra Everything Bagel seasoning or chopped chives just before serving, if desired. Oh, and you can serve them with toothpicks though them if you’re having a hard time keeping them closed, or just for fun presentation if you’d like.
Storage and make ahead
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
For the best texture, enjoy these fresh rather than freezing them.
Prepare the logs up to 1 day in advance, which makes them great for serving them at a party.Wait until just before serving to slice so they stay fresh.
Variations to the recipe
As always, I recommend making the recipe as written first, and then going with any changes. But here are some starter ideas:
- Swap cucumber for thinly sliced radishes
- Use flavored cream cheese like chive or vegetable, or even go with dairy free cream cheese
- Use any flatbread or green spinach tortillas
- Add fresh dill or parsley for extra herb flavor
- Use cold-smoked salmon or lox instead of hot smoked salmon
- Mix a teaspoon of lemon zest or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice into the cream cheese mixture
- Add baby spinach or arugula
Can I make them gluten free?
Yes, simply use your favorite gluten free wrap to make these gf.
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Recipe
Smoked Salmon Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 2 large flour tortillas (10-inch burrito size) or 2 large sheets lavash flatbread
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- ¼ cucumber cut into thinly sliced half moons
- ½ tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
- 4 ounces hot smoked salmon flaked into bite-size pieces
- Extra everything bagel seasoning optional garnish
- Additional chopped chives optional garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, and capers until smooth and well combined.
- Lay one tortilla (or lavash sheet) on a clean work surface. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges.
- Top with half of the diced red onion, half of the cucumber slices, half of the Everything Bagel seasoning, and half of the smoked salmon.
- Starting from one long side, roll the tortilla tightly into a log. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Wrap the rolled logs tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 1–2 hours to firm up the cream cheese, which ensures clean, pretty cuts.
- Once chilled, unwrap the rolls and trim off the ends if desired (they make a great snack for the cook). Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each roll into 1-inch pinwheels.
- Garnish with extra Everything Bagel seasoning or chopped chives just before serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
So easy and so good! I’m super happy with the way these turned out, just like I remember form the restaurant. I hope you love them as much as I do. Debi, author, Life Currents