These low carb 4-ingredient smoked salmon pinwheels are one of those deceptively elegant appetizers that look like you fussed for hours but come together in minutes. They remind me of the kind of thing a clever grandmother would set out before a holiday meal: simple pantry-friendly ingredients, rolled up into neat spirals and sliced to show off that pretty pink-and-white swirl. Smoked salmon has a long history in Eastern European and Scandinavian cuisines, where it’s often paired with dairy and fresh herbs—here we lean into that tradition with cream cheese and dill, then use crisp cucumber as our low-carb base instead of bread or tortillas.
Serve these pinwheels well-chilled on a simple white plate or platter so the salmon’s color stands out. They pair nicely with chilled dry white wine, sparkling water with lemon, or a light gin and tonic. For a fuller spread, add a plate of raw veggies (radishes, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes), some olives, and a small bowl of capers or lemon wedges. They also work beautifully as part of a brunch table alongside scrambled eggs, a green salad, or a platter of sliced cucumbers and avocado.
Low Carb Smoked Salmon Pinwheels
Servings: 6
Ingredients
8 oz (225 g) cold-smoked salmon slices
6 oz (170 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
1 small seedless cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
Directions
Line a cutting board with a piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Lay the smoked salmon slices in a rectangle, slightly overlapping the edges so they form one even sheet about 8×10 inches. Pat gently with a paper towel to remove any excess surface moisture; this helps the filling adhere.
In a small bowl, stir the softened cream cheese with the chopped fresh dill until smooth and evenly speckled with herbs. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt if your salmon is very mild, but keep in mind most smoked salmon is already salty.
