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Fresh Individual Salad Cups Recipe

Individual Salad Cups

Refreshing, individually portioned salad cups with layers of crisp vegetables and a creamy dill dressing. Perfect for parties, picnics, or as a light appetizer.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 cups
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 73
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Creamy Dill Dressing
  • 200 g full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic crushed or very finely minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp water to adjust consistency, if needed
For the Salad Layers
  • 1 large English cucumber about 300g
  • 200 g tinned sweetcorn drained well
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • 1 large head of romaine or iceberg lettuce
  • Optional Garnish: Toasted sunflower seeds or small croutons

Method
 

  1. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, chopped dill, crushed garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is well incorporated. If the dressing is too thick to spoon easily, add the teaspoon of water to loosen it slightly. Set aside.
  2. Prepare the Vegetables: Finely dice the cucumber into small, even pieces (about 0.5cm). Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes depending on their size. Finely dice the red onion. Wash the lettuce leaves thoroughly and, this is crucial, dry them completely. I use a salad spinner for this, which BBC Good Food rates as an essential tool for crisp salads. Once dry, shred the lettuce finely.
  3. Layer 1 - The Dressing: Spoon about one tablespoon of the creamy dill dressing into the bottom of each of your 12 cups. What works best for me is using a small piping bag (or a food-safe plastic bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe the dressing in neatly without smudging the sides of the cup.
  4. Layer 2 - The Sturdy Base: Next, add a layer of the diced cucumber, followed by a layer of the drained sweetcorn. These firmer ingredients create a barrier that protects the delicate lettuce from the dressing.
  5. Layer 3 - The Colour and Flavour: Add a layer of the chopped cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of the finely diced red onion over the sweetcorn.
  6. Layer 4 - The Crisp Topping: Gently pack the shredded lettuce on top, filling the cup to the brim. Don't press it down too hard, as you want to keep the air and volume in the leaves.
  7. Chill and Serve: Cover the cups (you can use cling film) and place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill. This helps the flavours meld and ensures they are refreshingly cold when served. If using, add the sunflower seeds or croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Notes

For neat layers without smudging the cup sides, use a piping bag to add the dressing. Add optional garnishes like sunflower seeds or croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.