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Simple Watercress Salad with Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette

4 from 15 votes

What’s Inside: Watercress has a delicate but peppery flavor making it the perfect base for this simple salad. Drizzle with my homemade, easy lemon-dijon vinaigrette. The perfect nutritious side salad in minutes!

How To Make Watercress Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe

Why You Should Be Eating Watercress (Benefits)

What is watercress? This healthy leafy green, sometimes called “cress” is packed with health benefits that outdo even the trendiest of hearty leafy greens like kale.

Did you know watercress is ranked highest on the nutrient scale based on its nutrient-to-calorie ratio? This power green has a peppery flavor, contains cancer-fighting compounds, provides thyroid support, helps the body recover after intense bouts of exercise, and has all sorts of vitamins including A, C, and K.

Watercress contains more vitamin C than an orange, more iron than spinach, and more calcium than a glass of milk. It may look delicate, but this stuff is POWERFUL! As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I have a major crush on cress.

Tip: Just one cup of watercress provides over 100% of the RDI for vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for blood clotting and healthy bones!

For this recipe, I’ve partnered with Pete’s Living Greens to share my Watercress Salad recipe with Lemon Vinaigrette.

I always grab the Pete’s Living Greens brand because their products last the longest! This is because of their hydroponic water system, sustainable growing practices, and the fact that you’re buying their greens WITH the roots still attached, making them last much longer and stay fresher.

To make this simple watercress salad that’s a favorite go-to side… I’m topping it with a classic lemon vinaigrette and pairing it with protein for a low-carb, nutrient-dense meal that’s Paleo and Whole30-friendly.

This Easy Lemon Vinaigrette Is a Must!

Everyone needs to know how to make a fast lemon vinaigrette. It’s as tasty as it is simple!

I love to pour it all over salads, protein, and whatever’s on my plate, really, because you really can’t go wrong with lemon and olive oil.

How To Make Watercress Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon, whole grain, or spicy brown mustard
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 handfuls watercress

How To Make Lemon Vinaigrette

In a small bowl or food processor, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, and sea salt until mixed well.

Add the oil slowly, while mixing constantly until the dressing is well blended and emulsified. Season with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and any other spices you’d like.

How To Use Watercress as A Salad

Here are the top tips for using and making watercress salad!

  1. Make sure to find vibrant and colorful green watercress to ensure it’s fresh. If you can find it sold attached to the root (as mine are), even better because they’ll be the freshest!
  2. Snip the stems with leaves off the roots and if the stems are very thick, they’ll likely be hard to eat/digest, so you can cut those closer to the leaves. If they’re thin (as mine are), they’ll be much easier to consume. Both stems and leaves are edible, though.
  3. Give the watercress a rinse under cool running water and pat dry, lightly.
  4. Dress watercress with the vinaigrette by giving it a gentle toss with tongs or two forks to combine. Garnish with more salt and pepper, and serve.

How To Make Watercress Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe

Variations

  • Pair with pitted olives or capers for bursts of briny goodness.
  • Add some crunch with crushed nuts or seeds.
  • Serve with protein like my crispy chicken thighs!
  • Add some heat by whisking some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper into the lemon vinaigrette.
  • Sweeten the vinaigrette with a little honey or maple syrup. 

Tip: Watercress is also delicious when lightly sautéed with olive oil (as you would spinach) and makes a tasty soup! Use the greens raw in this salad recipe or as a topping on a burger, sandwich or stuffed inside a wrap! There are so many ways to enjoy this power green.

Storage Instructions

Store the watercress as directed on the package. For watercress you’ve already trimmed, store in the refrigerator like fresh flowers…arrange the bunch in a glass of water and cover loosely with a plastic bag to keep for up to 5-days.

Store the rest of the vinaigrette in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container, like a mason jar. Give it a good shake before serving.

More Salad Recipes to Try

How To Make Watercress Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe
Watercress salad with lemon vinaigrette

Watercress Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

4 from 15 votes
Watercress has a delicate but peppery flavor making it the perfect base for this simple salad. Drizzle with my homemade, easy lemon-dijon vinaigrette!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2

Ingredients

Lemon-dijon Vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

  • 2 cups or handfuls watercress (I love Pete’s Living Greens)

Optional Salad Additions

  • pitted olives
  • crushed nuts/seeds to top

Instructions:

  • In a small bowl or food processor, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, and sea salt until mixed well. 
  • Add 3 tablespoons of the oil slowly, while mixing constantly until the dressing is well blended. Season with sea salt and pepper and any other spices you’d like.
  • Lightly rinse off any dirt and shake or pat watercress dry. Snip the stems with leaves off roots (if attached) and disccardany thick stems that may be touggh to eat, keepingg thin stems. (both are edible!
  • Then, dress watercress with the vinaigrette, and serve as a side or base to your favorite protein!

Notes:

This post is sponsored by Pete’s Living Greens.
Diet: French
Keywords: dressing, salad
Course: Salad
-Alison Marras
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Entrées Greens Paleo Salads Sides Staples Whole30
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