Nightshade Free Pesto-Walnut Watercress and Cucumber Salad
This salad is bright, fresh, and packed with flavor — the kind of dish that feels a little fancy without requiring much effort at all. Peppery watercress and cool, crisp cucumber slices make a gorgeous base, and the homemade pesto vinaigrette ties everything together with herby, nutty depth. Blending fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil into a pourable dressing is a genuinely clever move — you get all the richness of classic pesto in a form that coats every leaf beautifully. Toasted walnut halves scattered on top add a satisfying crunch, and shaved Parmesan brings just enough salty, savory contrast to round it out. For anyone navigating a diet that cuts out tomatoes, peppers, and other nightshade vegetables, salads can sometimes feel like a minefield of hidden ingredients — but every component here is naturally in the clear. The optional red pepper flakes are the only item to skip if you're being strict, and the salad loses absolutely nothing without them. It's the kind of recipe you'll want to keep in rotation all season long.
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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)
Can be omittedred pepper flakes
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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