These salmon pinwheels are stuffed with a flavorful mix of crab, spinach, and cream cheese. A salmon fillet gets rolled up with the creamy filling and baked for an easy dinner!

It’s a great way to switch up your usual salmon routine. I served them with a veggie tian on the side, which you’ll see at the beginning of the recipe video.

You can also check out the recipe here:

Vegetable Tian

This one’s easy to prep, easy to serve, and goes with just about anything. Easy win!

Salmon Pinwheels
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Salmon Pinwheels

Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

Creamy crab filling, fresh spinach, baked salmon, done deal.
These salmon pinwheels are sure to impress and wont last long!

Ingredients

  • 2 – 2.5 lb Salmon Fillet, skin removed

  • 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

  • 6 oz Baby Spinach, chopped

  • 8 oz Lump Crab Meat, drained

  • 3-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F
    -Plan to use a cast iron for this dish.
    -If you are using a skin on fillet, remove the skin.
  • Make the filling
    -Combine the cream cheese, chopped spinach, garlic and crab meat. Season to taste with salt a pepper.
    -Taste the filling before adding it to the salmon. This gives you a chance to adjust as well as decide if/how much you should season the salmon.
    -Optionally season the salmon lightly with salt and pepper before spreading the filling evenly on the fillet.
    * I have a tip in the notes on filling.
  • Roll and cut the pinwheels
    -Starting on a short end, tightly roll the salmon.
    -Cut the roll into pinwheels about 1.5 inch thick. Use toothpicks or skewers to secure, or place the salmon roll seam-side down while cutting.
  • Bake
    -Place uncovered pinwheels in a cast iron or oven safe dish and bake for 15 minutes. Salmon should be light pink and firm.
    -Finish by broiling on high for 3 to 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Use Fresh, Skinless Salmon: Fresh, skinless salmon fillets work best for this recipe. You can easily remove the skin yourself if necessary like I did though.
  • Keep the Filling Chilled: If the filling is too warm, it can get runny and messy when you try to roll it up inside the salmon. Keeping the mixture chilled helps everything stay together better and results in a cleaner roll. You can even make the filling in advance if you want!
  • Don’t Overfill: While it might be tempting to add more filling to the salmon pinwheels, be cautious not to overstuff them. Adding too much filling can cause it to spill out while baking.
  • Spicy Kick: If you like a little heat, try adding some chopped jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of sriracha sauce to the filling for a spicy twist.