Paraben Free Pesto-Walnut Watercress and Cucumber Salad
This salad is a bright, craveable combination of peppery watercress, cool cucumber slices, toasted walnuts, and shaved Parmesan — all pulled together by a silky homemade pesto vinaigrette. The dressing comes together in a blender with fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and good olive oil, so you know exactly what's going into it — no mystery preservatives or synthetic additives hiding in a store-bought bottle. That kind of from-scratch approach is exactly what makes this recipe a natural fit for anyone keeping a close eye on what goes on their plate. Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet before adding them to the salad takes only a few minutes and adds a deep, nutty crunch that makes every bite more interesting. The pesto vinaigrette doubles down on walnut flavor while the lemon zest keeps everything tasting fresh and vibrant. Toss it all together just before serving so the watercress stays lively and the cucumbers hold their crisp bite. It's the kind of salad that feels special enough for a dinner party but easy enough to pull off on a weeknight.
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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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