This might be the most festive salmon hand roll item I’ve ever made. And do you need to make your salmon hand rolls into Christmas Trees? Probably not. Is it nice that you can? Absolutely!
This is a simple way to make a delicious appetizer for a holiday party. They’re a crowd pleaser, festive colors and so cute when you assemble each roll into the shape of a tree. If you’re looking for a fun appetizer, give this Salmon Hand Roll Tree a go!
How to make this Salmon Hand Roll Tree
Now, this isn’t your traditional salmon hand roll, since we are baking the fish. It’s much closer to a sushi bake, but I still think it is 10/10 delicious. Plus, cooking the salmon makes this hand roll tree much easier to bring to a party since you don’t have to worry about letting raw fish sit out at room temperature.
Making these hand rolls is easy, but requires just a bit of assembly time. Once the rice and salmon are cooked, it’s simple from there.
To assemble, halve the nori sheets diagonally, making large triangle pieces. Position the widest tip of the triangle as the “top” of the hand roll. Place a few tablespoons of rice in the center, then a slice of avocado, then a few pieces of salmon. Lightly dampen the other two edges (not the top) of the nori with a few dabs of water. Lift up one edge of the nori and wrap it over the salmon, repeat this with the other edge, folding the salmon and rice into a roll.
Sprinkle each roll with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and layer it in a Christmas Tree pattern if you are feeling festive!
And that’s everything for this Salmon Hand Roll Christmas Tree!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Salmon Hand Roll Christmas Tree
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
- 1 half sheetpan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup short-grain rice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoons freshly brewed green tea
- 1 pound wild-caught salmon
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons kewpie mayonaise
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sriracha or sambal oelek
- 1/2 large avocado thinly sliced
- 10 sheets of nori halved diagonally
- 1 scallion thinly sliced for topping
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Set a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
- Add the rice to a rice cooker, rinse and drain it, then cook according to rice cooker instructions. When it is finished, lift the lid, mix in the soy sauce and green tea, then replace the lid and set this to the side while the other ingredients finish.
- Place the salmon skin side down on a lined baking sheet and season with a large pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
- Cook the salmon in the oven for 15-16 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F.
- Gently flake the salmon into big pieces (leaving out the skin) and add the pieces to a bowl. Mix the salmon with the kewpie, rice vinegar and sriracha, adding more sriracha and vinegar to your taste preference.
- To assemble, halve the nori sheets diagonally, making large triangle pieces. Position the widest tip of the triangle as the "top" of the hand roll. Place a few tablespoons of rice in the center, then a slice of avocado, then a few pieces of salmon. Lightly dampen the other two edges (not the top) of the nori with a few dabs of water. Lift up one edge of the nori and wrap it over the salmon, repeat this with the other edge, folding the salmon and rice into a roll.
- Sprinkle each roll with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and layer it in a Christmas Tree pattern if you are feeling festive!
I made these for a special lunch right before the holidays, they were completely delicious and we all had a lot of fun putting them together, a great and interactive meal!
Aw I love this! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed!