Savory, lean bison patties tucked into crisp butter lettuce with a bright tomato-cucumber cilantro salsa and creamy avocado for a satisfying, grain-free bite. The cups are fresh, juicy, and easy to eat as a casual dinner or appetizer tray.
Handheld Bison Cups for Light, Savory Nights
Lean, smoky bison patties tucked into cool butter lettuce with a bright tomato–cucumber salsa and creamy avocado make an easy, grain-free tray that’s perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.
If you love the flavor of a burger but want something lighter on the plate (and the carb count), these bison lettuce cups give you the best of both worlds: all the savory satisfaction of a burger without the bun. Serve them on a tray for a relaxed dinner where everyone builds their own, or arrange them as an appetizer so guests can grab a perfectly balanced bite.
Bison is naturally lean and has a lovely mineral, beefy depth that pairs beautifully with a quick garlic–coconut aminos seasoning and a pinch of smoked paprika. The contrast is what makes each mouthful sing: warm, juicy patties against crisp butter lettuce; cool, slightly acidic tomato–cucumber salsa with cilantro and lime; and silky avocado to round everything out.
A few practical tips: don’t overwork the meat when you mix in the seasoning—gentle handling keeps the patties tender. Press a small dimple in each patty so it cooks evenly, and cook in a hot skillet with avocado oil about 3–4 minutes per side until the center reaches 160°F; let them rest a few minutes before assembling. You can chop the salsa and separate the lettuce leaves ahead of time to make assembly super fast.
These cups are wonderfully adaptable—set everything on a tray and let people customize, or plate a few per person for a sit-down dinner. A final squeeze of lime brightens the whole tray and keeps the flavors lively, whether you’re feeding four at dinner or a crowd at a casual get-together.
Ingredients
How to Make Bison Burger Lettuce Cups Tray
- Rinse and dry the butter lettuce, then separate into individual leaves and set on a tray; halve the cherry tomatoes, peel and dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, pit and dice the avocado, and chop the cilantro.
- In a small bowl mince the garlic and combine with the coconut aminos, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; add this mixture to the ground bison and mix gently until just combined—do not overwork the meat.
- Form the bison into eight small patties (about 2.5–3 oz each) and press a slight dimple in the center of each to promote even cooking.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil; when shimmering, cook the patties 3–4 minutes per side until a digital thermometer reads 160°F in the center, then transfer to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.
- While the patties cook, make a quick salsa by tossing the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, juice from the lime, olive oil, and the remaining pinch of sea salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- To assemble, place a warm bison patty in the center of each lettuce leaf, spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the salsa over the top, and add a few small avocado pieces; garnish with extra cilantro and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
- Arrange the filled lettuce cups on a serving tray and serve immediately so the leaves stay crisp; leftovers can be stored separately (patties refrigerated up to 2 days, assembled cups not recommended to store).
Recipe Card
Bison Burger Lettuce Cups Tray
Savory, lean bison patties tucked into crisp butter lettuce with a bright tomato-cucumber cilantro salsa and creamy avocado for a satisfying, grain-free bite. The cups are fresh, juicy, and easy to eat as a casual dinner or appetizer tray.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the butter lettuce, then separate into individual leaves and set on a tray; halve the cherry tomatoes, peel and dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, pit and dice the avocado, and chop the cilantro.
- In a small bowl mince the garlic and combine with the coconut aminos, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; add this mixture to the ground bison and mix gently until just combined—do not overwork the meat.
- Form the bison into eight small patties (about 2.5–3 oz each) and press a slight dimple in the center of each to promote even cooking.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil; when shimmering, cook the patties 3–4 minutes per side until a digital thermometer reads 160°F in the center, then transfer to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.
- While the patties cook, make a quick salsa by tossing the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, juice from the lime, olive oil, and the remaining pinch of sea salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- To assemble, place a warm bison patty in the center of each lettuce leaf, spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the salsa over the top, and add a few small avocado pieces; garnish with extra cilantro and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
- Arrange the filled lettuce cups on a serving tray and serve immediately so the leaves stay crisp; leftovers can be stored separately (patties refrigerated up to 2 days, assembled cups not recommended to store).
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 9
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Sodium
- 650
- Fiber
- 4
- Unsaturated Fat
- 18
- Protein
- 39
- Fat
- 24
- Cholesterol
- 115
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 340
- Sugar
- 3