Cucumber and Tinned Fish Salad (Printable)

Crisp cucumber, creamy avocado, and savory tinned fish combine with a zesty dressing for a fresh, light dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
02 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
03 - 4 radishes, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely sliced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Protein

07 - 1 can (3.9–4.4 oz) premium sardines or mackerel in olive oil, drained

→ Dressing

08 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 teaspoon honey
12 - 1 teaspoon capers, chopped
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Lemon wedges
15 - Freshly cracked black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, layer the cucumber, avocado, radishes, shallot, dill, and parsley.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, chopped capers, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the layered vegetables in the jar, seal tightly, and shake gently to evenly coat.
04 - Divide the salad between two plates, top each with half the drained sardines or mackerel, garnish with lemon wedges and freshly cracked black pepper, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 15 minutes, so you can spend more time talking and less time chopping.
  • The shaker method makes dressing distribution foolproof and somehow more fun.
  • Tinned fish tastes like a secret indulgence without any of the work.
  • It's light enough to feel refreshing but satisfying enough to call dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the fish—the oil from the tin can make the salad greasy instead of bright.
  • If your avocado is too ripe, it'll turn to mush when you shake, so choose one that's just barely soft.
  • Shake gently if you want the avocado to stay in cubes, or shake hard if you want it to coat everything like a creamy dressing.
03 -
  • Use a wide-mouth jar if you have one—it makes layering and eating straight from the jar much easier.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and shake it in just before serving to avoid soggy vegetables.
  • Save any leftover dressing in the fridge and use it on roasted vegetables or grain bowls throughout the week.
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