The 5 Minute Smoked Salmon Salad

This smoked salmon salad is a life changer. It is inspired by the filling in smoked salmon bagels but doesn't contain bagels or bread and is made in a total of 5 minutes! Serve this as part of a breakfast spread, for lunch or just for a quick and tasty and healthy summer dinner. It's light, crunchy, full of flavour - we have had this a dozen times this summer already. This is a pushy recipe Dear Reader.

Sometimes you just cannot be bothered making dinner. It may be the heat, it may be lethargy from doing too much, it might be post Christmas and NY ennui. Or sometimes you're just feeling lazy but want something healthy.

Enter this Smoked Salmon salad.

I first saw this on TikTok by Canadian creator Logan's Fewd. I made another one of his cucumber salads and it was one of those quick mandolin and shake salads which was so good and tasty. He was not joking when he said that it takes 5 minutes to make tops but most importantly, it doesn't taste like it takes 5 minutes to make. I use this mandolin here and it is super easy to use (and much less bulky than other ones).

Tips For Making Smoked Salmon Salad

1 - This salad is made with cold smoked salmon (not hot smoked although that would also work). Cold smoked tuna or kingfish also works well.

2 - Sometimes it can be hard to shake this up in the container to mix it. I find that if you use a small container, the smoked salmon clumps up. If you need to or prefer, pry apart the smoked salmon with two forks.

3 - You can easily double or triple this recipe if you have a large crowd coming. I prefer to put it all together half an hour before people arrive as the cucumber can tend to release water if done the night before. Plus this way the avocado doesn't brown and everything is fresh.

4 - I sometimes serve this for breakfast with toasted bagel thins (I slice the bagel thinly across and lightly toast) while other times I serve this on a bed of salad leaves for dinner. It just depends on my mood.

5 - This salad lasts for 1 day in the fridge.

Five Other Quick Salads

• 5 Minute Cucumber, Mint and Feta Salad
• Fig, Feta & Pomegranate Salad
• Bean Salad Recipe
• German Cucumber Salad
• Cucumber & Pomegranate 5 Minute Salad

I mentioned I made this a lot and this refreshing salad and it was fantastic after the rich indulgence of Christmas. I think we ate it three times in the period between Christmas and New Years. Before new years day I briefed Mr NQN on all of the superstitions that we were all observing. I figured that we had had some really good luck last year that we may as well do the same again. I'm pretty sure that's how superstitions all get started and before long I'll be the lady down the street warning all the kids about the dangers of washing their hair on New years day like a crazy goth witch. I don't do New Year's resolutions but I definitely do superstitions.

I told him this was what we were not doing on New Year's Day under any circumstances:

*Doing housework

*Washing hair

*Spending money

*Doing laundry

These were the things we were allowed to do:

*Eat pork

*Eat noodles

*Eat this smoked salmon salad! Not for any lucky purposes, but just because it was quick and so delicious!

So tell me Dear Reader, did you observe any New Year's superstitions? Do you do new year's resolutions and if so what were they?

Smoked Salmon Salad

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Serves: 1-2 for lunch or a light dinner

• 1 Lebanese cucumber(around 140g/5oz)
• 1/4 red onion (around 50g/1.7ozs), thinly sliced
• 100g/3.5ozs smoked salmon
• 1/2 large avocado
• 40g/1.4ozs cream cheese, softened (can also sub with mayonnaise)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1-2 tablespoons Everything Bagel seasoning mix

Step 1 - You will need at least 1 litre/1 quart container with lid. Mandolin the cucumber into the container on the thinnest setting and then mandolin the red onion. Roughly chop the smoked salmon into small pieces and separate and add to the container. Then cut the avocado into chunks and add these. To soften the cream cheese place in the microwave on 70% heat for 10-15 seconds until soft. Add to the container along with lemon juice, capers and Everything Bagel seasoning mix.

Step 2 - Place the lid on and shake very well to distribute all ingredients. Place on a plate adding dill or more Everything Bagel mix if desired. Serve with bread or toasted bagels thins or just more salad.