Honey Free Smoked Salmon Lettuce Cups with Avocado & Cucumber
These elegant little cups are proof that a stunning appetizer or light meal doesn't need much more than fresh, quality ingredients and a few minutes of assembly. Silky smoked salmon, creamy diced avocado, and cool cucumber nestle into crisp butter lettuce leaves for a combination that feels indulgent but stays incredibly clean and bright. The dressing is a simple emulsion of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and zest — no sweeteners of any kind, so it's naturally free of anything derived from bees or added sugar sources without any substitutions required. That's actually one of the things that makes this recipe so effortless: the flavor is built entirely on citrus, good olive oil, and fresh herbs, so nothing needs to be swapped or sourced from a specialty store. Fresh chives and dill bring a delicate, almost Scandinavian character to the whole dish, and optional capers add a briny little punch if you want to lean into that direction. Everything gets layered and drizzled right before serving, which means the lettuce stays crisp and the avocado stays vibrant. It's the kind of recipe that looks like you tried much harder than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cups
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
For the filling
- 6 oz smoked salmon, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
For serving
- 1 tbsp capers, drained (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, sea salt, and black pepper until combined and slightly emulsified.
- 2
In a separate bowl, gently toss the diced avocado and cucumber with half the dressing until lightly coated.
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