Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Fennel Salad Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Smoked Salmon, Avocado, and Fennel Salad that combines creamy avocado, crisp fennel, and smoky fish with a tangy dill-infused dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or elegant starter, this salad is quick to prepare in just 15 minutes and serves two.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced (use a garlic press)
- ⅓ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ heaping teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Salad
- 1 head butter lettuce (or little gems, romaine, or mixed greens), leaves torn
- 1 Turkish cucumber, sliced (or 2–3 radishes)
- ½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 4 to 6 ounces smoked salmon (dry smoked rather than lox) or smoked trout
- ⅛ to ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Sunflower sprouts (optional garnish)
- More fresh dill (optional garnish)
- Everything Bagel Spice (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a bowl or jar, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. Then fold in the chopped fresh dill. Set the dressing aside. This amount will make enough for two batches (four salads), so save the remaining dressing in the fridge for later use.
- Prepare the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add torn butter lettuce leaves, thinly sliced fennel bulb, sliced cucumber, smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion, and capers.
- Toss with dressing: Pour about half of the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to coat everything evenly without breaking the salmon or bruising the greens.
- Season to taste: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add avocado and sprouts: You can either gently toss in the sliced avocado and sunflower sprouts into the salad or divide the salad into servings and use them as individual garnishes on top.
- Garnish and serve: If using avocado as a garnish, sprinkle the slices with a pinch of salt and pepper or Everything Bagel Spice for extra flavor. Add more fresh dill or sprouts as desired. Serve immediately to enjoy the salad at its freshest.
Notes
- The dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be used as a dip or on other salads.
- For a different flavor profile, substitute smoked trout or smoked mackerel for the smoked salmon.
- If you prefer a dairy-free option, replace sour cream with a coconut or cashew-based alternative.
- Everything Bagel Spice adds a savory, garlicky finish to the avocado garnish but can be omitted if unavailable.
- This salad is best served fresh as avocado can brown if left too long after slicing.
