Gleaming white bowls filled with vibrantly green, full, and round lettuce cups. Atop the lettuce is a glossy, almost creamy mixture of white beans, colorful bell peppers, and red onions, punctuated by dots of blackened sunflower seeds. The dish is further accented with a drizzle of golden brown honey mustard vinaigrette, adding a glaze that reflects light.

Crisp South Lettuce Cups with White Bean Salsa & Sunny Seeds

Name: Crisp South Lettuce Cups with White Bean Salsa & Sunny Seeds
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, 8 leaves washed and dried; canned white beans, 1 cup rinsed and drained; red bell pepper, 1/2 finely diced; yellow bell pepper, 1/2 finely diced; red onion, 1/4 finely diced; roasted sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons; olive oil, 2 tablespoons; apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons; Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon; honey, 1 teaspoon; salt, to taste; pepper, to taste

Category Appetizer

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 0 minutes

Style Southern American

Technique Mixing

Diet Friendly Vegan

Daily Recipe: March 02, 2026

Tasty, bold, and visually appealing, this appetizer draws from Southern American cuisine and features crisp lettuce as one of the main components. The integration of hearty white beans, crunchy sunflower seeds, and tangy vinaigrette play off each other to give a hint of complexity in every bite, while staying true to simple, wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients (for 4)

Romaine lettuce - 8 leaves - washed and dried
Canned white beans - 1 cup - rinsed and drained
Red bell pepper - 1/2 - finely diced
Yellow bell pepper - 1/2 - finely diced
Red onion - 1/4 - finely diced
Roasted sunflower seeds - 2 tablespoons
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
Apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard - 1 teaspoon
Honey - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 🥬🥬🥬

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter to form cups.
Step 2 - 🥣⚪️🌶️

In a large mixing bowl, combine the white beans, diced bell peppers, and red onions. Mix gently to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
Step 3 - 🥣🍯🌾

In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to make the vinaigrette.
Step 4 - 🤲🍲💦

Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the white bean mixture and toss lightly to coat. Save the remaining vinaigrette for serving.
Step 5 - 🥬🥣🌻

Spoon the white bean mixture into the lettuce cups. Sprinkle the roasted sunflower seeds on top for an added crunch.
Step 6 - 🍽️🥬💃

Serve each lettuce cup with a side of the leftover vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Additional

For those who love a little heat, try adding a dash of hot sauce to the vinaigrette. Kids can help by rinsing and arranging the lettuce or whisking together the vinaigrette. This dish offers a fresh, crisp contrast to the richer, warm winter stews and soups, adding a deliciously light note to seasonal meals.