Ginger Salmon Lettuce Wraps

By Kristina Felix

Updated February 24, 2026

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Ready In
45 min
Rating
4(29)
Comments
Read comments

This is a dish built around a sharp, punchy nước chấm that does double duty: it marinates chunks of salmon and becomes your dipping sauce. Set everything out on a platter and let people build their own wraps, making bites over their bowls to catch all the juicy goodness that drips from the lettuce leaves. The serrano chile gives it a real kick, especially if you leave the seeds in. Use whatever vegetables look good to you — cucumbers, radishes, carrots, tomatoes or anything else that's fresh and crisp. This meal is wonderful at room temperature and perfect for casual eating with friends and family, using your hands and getting messy. Any leftovers make a great lunch the next day.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless center-cut salmon fillets (see Tip)

  • 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

  • ¼ cup rice vinegar

  • ¼ cup fish sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)

  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced, or grated

  • 1 serrano chile, stem and seeds removed, finely diced

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 heads butter or romaine lettuce or 4 heads Little Gem lettuce

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro or mint, or a combination

  • 2 cups sliced raw vegetables, such as cucumbers, radishes, carrots, or halved small tomatoes, or a combination

  • Warm cooked short-grain rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

21 grams carbs; 62 milligrams cholesterol; 371 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1512 milligrams sodium; 29 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. 

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, cut each salmon fillet into 4 equal-sized chunks, place them in a medium bowl and finely grate the ginger over.

  3. Step 3

    In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic and chile and mix to combine. Pour ¼ cup of this mixture over the salmon along with the oil and rub it into the fish. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the remaining mixture in the small bowl, mix well to make a dipping sauce and set aside. 

  4. Step 4

    Place salmon on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and roast until salmon is cooked through and opaque, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 

  5. Step 5

    While the salmon roasts, prepare your vegetable platter. Place the small bowl of dipping sauce in the middle of a serving platter. Cut the root end off of the lettuces and pull apart the whole leaves. Wash and shake them dry and arrange them around the dipping sauce on the serving platter. Wash and shake the cilantro and mint dry and arrange the leaves and tender stems on the serving platter next to the lettuce. Arrange the cut vegetables on the platter. 

  6. Step 6

    To serve, place one lettuce leaf each on the bottom of four bowls or plates (it catches the juices and makes a great final bite) and scoop about ½ cup of rice on top of each. Divide the fish chunks among the bowls then pour a little bit of the dipping sauce over the fish. Each diner can make lettuce bites with the lettuce leaves and herbs on the platter, topping as desired and dipping them into the sauce. 

    Tip

    • Center-cut fillets are taken from the thickest, middle section of a fish, so they cook more evenly and generally have fewer pin bones. You can request this cut from your fish counter and they are often sold already packaged this way. If you’d like to use a 1-pound fillet instead, cut it into 1-inch pieces and look for doneness at 6 minutes instead of 8.

    Private Notes

    Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

    Ratings

    4 out of 5
    29 user ratings
    Your rating

    or to rate this recipe.

    Have you cooked this?

    or to mark this recipe as cooked.

    Comments

    surprisingly Delicious

    I added sambal as a sauce and Thai peanut sauce as well. Top with crushed roasted peanuts. Add shredded red cabbage. Also added fresh sliced red & green hot Chili’s. I shredded the carrots and radish instead of slicing into rounds. Made a separate batch of salmon and sauce without spice for my toddlers who devoured the meal! It’s fun and yummy to eat.

    Kristi

    This is phenomenal! The only change I made was to serve it as a sort of salad. I put a mound of rice in the center of a plate and surrounded it with chopped little gem lettuce, radishes, Persian cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. I drizzled most of the sauce over everything then topped the rice with the salmon cubes and drizzled the reat of the aauce sauce over them. Topped it all with a healthy amount of chopped mint and cilantro! Delicious!!

    imcrary

    So delicious and so easy. Under 40 minutes from start to finish. Kids loved it. A lot of flavor for very little effort.

    Ululani

    Delicious and easy, made as written. My lettuce leaves weren’t right for wraps so I let them be the bed beneath the rice, salmon, and veg. Wish I’d doubled because this would be great as leftovers!

    Margie

    This was super delicious and easy! If you want fewer carbs, just eliminate the rice. It’s not necessary although does soak up some of the yummy sauce.

    Private comments are only visible to you.

    Recipe Tags

    or to save this recipe.