Watercress Salad With Apple, Pecorino & Almonds

This underrated leafy green is a serious nutrition powerhouse!! In fact, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) ranked it number 1 on their Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables list, with a nutrient density score of 100.

Watercress is particularly high in vitamin K, with one cup providing over 100% of your daily needs. Vitamin K is critical for blood clotting and healthy bones.

Watercress is also rich in other nutrients, like:

• vitamin C
• vitamin A
• calcium
• manganese

…and contains smaller amounts of vitamin E, multiple B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and copper.

Like other leafy greens, watercress is also high in antioxidants which help to fight oxidative damage and lower your risk of chronic diseases, like cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Watercress leaves are small and light in size and texture.

From a taste perspective, I’d describe them as slightly peppery – somewhat similar to baby arugula (rocket), for reference!

1. Watercress: Watercress is a dark leafy green vegetable which has distinctly small, roundish leaves attached to a stem. You can sometimes find it in the lettuce section of your grocery store (with the various clamshells and/or bags of lettuce), but I often find it still attached to it’s roots and soil in the general produce section! If you can’t find it, the closest substitutes in terms of flavour would be baby arugula (rocket) or radish sprouts – they have a similar pepperiness to them.
2. Apple: While you can use any apple you like, I chose to use a green apple variety (granny smith) for something a little more tart!
3. Cucumber: You can use either an English cucumber or Persian cucumbers (my personal favourite!!)
4. Almonds: I used pre-sliced almonds, but you are welcome to use raw almonds and chop them up yourself.  Otherwise, you may use walnuts instead. For a nut-free option, simply omit or swap with something like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
5. Pecorino cheese: While you may also use freshly grated parmesan for this recipe, I loved switching things up and using pecorino instead! It goes great with watercress, and offers a slightly creamier, brighter, and tangier flavour. For a dairy-free or vegan option, substitute with your favourite dairy-free alternative.
6. Olive oil: Choose a high-quality extra virgin olive oil as the base of the simple salad dressing.
7. Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is added to this salad dressing as well. Its bright, citrusy flavour helps to neutralize the pepperiness of the watercress.
8. White wine vinegar: This white vinegar has a milder flavour that isn’t overpowering. It makes for an excellent lemon vinaigrette. You may use apple cider vinegar in its place if needed!
9. Garlic powder: I enjoy using garlic powder for salad dressings as it dissolves really well and has a bit of a more subtle garlic flavour. That said, feel free to use freshly minced garlic cloves if you want a more garlicky punch.

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

This watercress salad has a super crisp and refreshing flavour, making it an excellent side dish for your favourite protein. Watercress goes well with:

• salmon – I paired it with salmon when I made this recipe 🙂
• other seafood, like scallops, shrimp, or white fish (I think this herb crusted cod would be wonderful with it)
• meat, like roasted chicken, lamb, duck, or beef
• eggs – like an omelette, scramble, or frittata