Smoked Salmon Avocado Salad (Print version)

A light salad blending smoked salmon, ripe avocado, crisp greens, and a tangy lemon-dill dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Salad

01 - 4 oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced
02 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
03 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (e.g., arugula, baby spinach, lettuce)
04 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
05 - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained

→ Lemon-Dill Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 teaspoon honey
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to make it:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, dill, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - Evenly distribute the mixed salad greens on a large serving platter or four individual plates.
03 - Top the greens with sliced avocado, cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion.
04 - Drape thin slices of smoked salmon over the salad and scatter with drained capers.
05 - Drizzle the lemon-dill dressing evenly over the assembled salad just before serving.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh dill if desired.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour arranging plates at a bistro, but you'll be done in fifteen minutes.
  • The creamy avocado and silky salmon create a texture contrast that makes every bite interesting.
  • There's no cooking involved, so your kitchen stays cool and clean.
  • It works equally well as a quick weekday lunch or an impressive starter for guests.
02 -
  • Dress the salad at the last possible moment or the greens turn soggy and limp within minutes.
  • If your avocados are rock-hard, you can't rush them in the oven. Plan ahead or swap in thinly sliced radishes for crunch.
  • Cold salmon straight from the fridge tastes muted. Let it sit out for ten minutes before serving so the flavors open up.
03 -
  • Use a very sharp knife to slice the salmon so the pieces stay intact and silky instead of tearing into shreds.
  • Toss the greens with half the dressing first, then add the rest over the top so every layer gets flavor.
  • Chill your serving platter in the fridge for ten minutes before assembling. It keeps everything crisp and fresh longer.

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