Hazelnut Free Pesto-Walnut Watercress and Cucumber Salad
Bright, peppery watercress and cool cucumber slices make a refreshing base that feels light but genuinely satisfying. The real star is the homemade pesto vinaigrette — blitzed together with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest, it delivers that herby, garlicky punch you'd expect from a classic pesto but in a silky, pourable form that coats every leaf beautifully. Walnuts do double duty here: toasted and scattered on top for crunch, and blended raw into the dressing for a rich, nutty backbone. Because everything is made from scratch with straightforward whole ingredients, you never have to second-guess what's actually in the dressing — no store-bought sauces, no mystery additives. Shaved Parmesan adds a salty, savory finish that ties the whole bowl together. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive on a platter but comes together with minimal effort and a single blender.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- ½ cup raw walnut halves
- 5 oz watercress, thick stems trimmed
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 oz parmesan, shaved
For the pesto vinaigrette
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup raw walnut halves
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the ½ cup raw walnut halves (for the salad) and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- 2
In a small food processor or blender, combine the basil, ¼ cup raw walnuts (for the vinaigrette), garlic clove, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and uniform.
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