Best 13 Simple Watercress Salad Recipes

Step into the world of flavors with our exploration of the simple watercress salad, a culinary symphony of crisp textures and vibrant flavors. Discover the art of crafting this refreshing delicacy, combining the peppery zest of watercress with a medley of complementary ingredients. From classic dressings to innovative twists, embark on a journey of culinary discovery, unveiling the secrets to creating a simple yet extraordinary watercress salad that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.

Let's cook with our recipes!

AVOCADO AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Avocado and Watercress Salad image

Provided by Maggie Ruggiero

Categories Salad Appetizer No-Cook Picnic Low Carb Quick & Easy High Fiber Low Sodium Mother's Day Dinner Avocado Spring Summer Healthy Potluck Watercress Gourmet Sugar Conscious Vegan Vegetarian Pescatarian Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Kosher

Yield makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon grated sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla (use large holes of a box grater)
1/4 cup finely grated peeled Gala apple (use small holes of box grater)
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cups watercress (thin stems and leaves only; from 1 large bunch)
1 firm-ripe avocado

Steps:

Stir together vinegar, onion, apple, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar has dissolved, then stir in oil.
Just before serving, toss watercress with enough dressing to coat. Quarter, pit, and peel avocado, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Gently toss with watercress.

SPICY WATERCRESS SALAD

Spicy Watercress Salad image

Spicy watercress salad.

Provided by Herbivore

Categories Salad Green Salad Recipes

Time 15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 cucumber, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ red onion, roughly chopped
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 dash hot pepper sauce
2 bunches watercress, stems removed

Steps:

Combine cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl.
Place watercress on a serving platter or bowl. Pour cucumber mixture over watercress.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 82.7 calories, Carbohydrate 10.4 g, Fat 3.8 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 4 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 286.3 mg, Sugar 6.1 g

WATERCRESS AND MANGO SALAD

Watercress and Mango Salad image

Categories Salad Fruit No-Cook Quick & Easy Lime Mango Mint Basil Summer Healthy Cabbage Watercress Sesame Cilantro Gourmet

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

For dressing
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 dashes hot sauce such as Tabasco
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
For salad
3/4 pound watercress, coarse stems discarded (about 6 cups loosely packed)
1 3/4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
1 (1- to 1 1/2-pound) firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup coarsely grated carrot
1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

Steps:

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then whisk in salt to taste.
Gently toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl. Add just enough dressing to coat, then serve immediately.

SIMPLE WATERCRESS SALAD

Simple Watercress Salad image

White-wine vinaigrette brings out the delicate flavor of watercress without overwhelming it in this quick side salad.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Salad Recipes

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches watercress, tough stems trimmed, coarsely chopped (8 cups)

Steps:

Combine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Add watercress and toss with vinaigrette to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

WATERCRESS SALAD

Watercress Salad image

Provided by Ming Tsai

Categories side-dish

Time 10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, save a little for garnish
3 cups watercress
Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps:

In a bowl, whisk together juice, sugar and oil. Toss well with nuts and greens. Season and check.

GRANDMA'S WATERCRESS SALAD ALL DRESSED UP

Grandma's Watercress Salad All Dressed Up image

Provided by Food Network

Categories appetizer

Time 10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

2 bunches washed and clipped watercress
4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola
4 ounces red onion, julienned
4 ounces spiced walnuts, recipe follows
4 ounces red wine vinaigrette, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 ounces duck prosciutto
4 mission figs, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
Fig balsamic vinegar
3 ounces butter
2 cups walnuts, chopped
3 ounces honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 cloves
1 small shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 cups blended oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

In a medium mixing bowl, toss watercress, gorgonzola, onion, nuts and vinaigrette. Season and decoratively place in the center of a chilled plate (be sure to divide all ingredients evenly amongst 4 plates). Garnish salad with slices of prosciutto, figs and a drizzle of fig balsamic vinegar.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and then add nuts. Toss nuts in pan until well coated with butter, then add honey and toss some more until nuts are well coated. Season with salt, pepper and a touch of cayenne pepper. Put nuts in oven for about 5 to 7 minutes, tossing regularly so they toast evenly. Cool. Store in airtight container until needed.
Place all ingredients in blender except oil. Process until smooth and then slowly drizzle in oil. Adjust seasoning, as desired.

WILTED WATERCRESS SALAD

Wilted Watercress Salad image

When I was a girl growing up in Iowa, our whole family picked watercress. I modified my sister's recipe for spinach with hot bacon dressing to come up with this lovely, satisfying salad. The sweet dressing and crunchy bacon pieces really dress up plain watercress. It is a treat.-Judith Saeugling, Sun City, Arizona

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 10m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

6 cups watercress
4 green onions, thinly sliced
5 bacon strips
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

In a large bowl, toss watercress and onions; set aside. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon; crumble and add to watercress mixture. To the drippings, add brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Pour over salad and toss to coat; serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts :

SPINACH & WATERCRESS SALAD

Spinach & watercress salad image

Superhealthy and good source of vitamin C

Provided by Lesley Waters

Categories Buffet, Dinner, Lunch, Side dish, Starter, Supper, Vegetable

Time 5m

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
squeeze lemon juice
1 large bunch watercress , stalks trimmed
100g bag baby spinach leaves, washed
1 small red onion , finely sliced

Steps:

Whisk together oil and lemon juice, then season. In a bowl, mix the leaves and onion. Drizzle dressing over and toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 66 calories, Fat 6 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 2 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 2 grams protein, Sodium 0.11 milligram of sodium

EASY TOFU AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Easy Tofu and Watercress Salad image

One of Hawaii's local favorites. Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

Provided by getinmybelly

Time 20m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 bunch watercress
1 (12 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 (8 ounce) package bean sprouts
1 (8 ounce) container grape tomatoes, halved
1 (5 ounce) can tuna, drained
½ cup minced green onion
⅓ cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

Steps:

Cut watercress into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Combine with tofu, bean sprouts, grape tomatoes, tuna, and green onion in a large bowl.
Mix shoyu, olive oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic together in a bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad (a little goes a long way) and toss before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 135.6 calories, Carbohydrate 9.8 g, Cholesterol 6.3 mg, Fat 5.9 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 13.6 g, SaturatedFat 0.9 g, Sodium 840.5 mg, Sugar 4.4 g

WATERCRESS & ORANGE SALAD

Watercress & Orange Salad image

Keep this recipe handy when you need to make a special salad quickly. The flavorful vinaigrette adds a refreshing touch to the greens and oranges. -Alpha Wilson, Roswell, New Mexico

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch Side Dishes

Time 20m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

3 bunches watercress, trimmed (about 10 cups)
4 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine watercress and oranges. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 58 calories, Fat 5g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 37mg sodium, Carbohydrate 4g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

WATERCRESS SALAD

Watercress Salad image

Provided by Pierre Franey

Categories easy, salads and dressings

Time 10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 bunches unblemished watercress
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Steps:

Trim off and discard tough ends of watercress. Rinse watercress and drain well. Pat or spin dry.
Put mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Blend with a wire whisk. Add oil, beating with whisk.
Add watercress and chopped onion. Sprinkle with parsley, toss and serve

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 198, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 206 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES

Watercress Salad With Strawberries image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories weekday, salads and dressings

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

2 bunches watercress
1 1/2 cups strawberries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Remove and discard all heavy stems from the watercress. Rinse the watercress thoroughly, then dry it on paper towels or in a salad spinner. Put in a bowl.
Rinse the strawberries and remove the hulls. If the berries are large, slice them. Otherwise, cut them into quarters. Add to the bowl with the watercress.
Beat the vinegar and oil together, pour over the berries and watercress and toss. Season with pepper, toss again, then serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 121, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 7 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 23 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams

WATERCRESS SALAD

Watercress Salad image

This watercress salad makes for a delicious side and takes only 10 minutes to make.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 4

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches watercress, thick stems trimmed (8 cups)

Steps:

Combine vinegar with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Add watercress and toss with dressing to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

Tips:

Choose fresh, vibrant watercress with crisp leaves and a peppery aroma.
Rinse the watercress thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.
Dry the watercress thoroughly before adding it to the salad to prevent dilution of the dressing.
For a more flavorful salad, use a variety of lettuces and greens such as arugula, spinach, or romaine.
Add some crunchy elements such as chopped nuts, seeds, or croutons for a textural contrast.
For a tangy twist, add some citrus segments, such as oranges, grapefruit, or lemons.
Use a light and tangy dressing, such as a vinaigrette or lemon-tahini dressing, to enhance the flavors of the salad without overpowering them.
Serve the salad immediately after assembling to maintain its freshness and crispness.

Conclusion:

Watercress salad is a refreshing, nutritious, and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a light lunch, a side dish, or as part of a larger meal. With its peppery flavor and abundance of nutrients, watercress is a fantastic addition to any salad. By following these tips, you can create a flavorful and satisfying watercress salad that will impress your taste buds and nourish your body.