Pregnancy Friendly Pesto-Walnut Watercress and Cucumber Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with ingredients that genuinely pull their weight during pregnancy, this salad is the kind of dish that feels indulgent while doing something good for you. Peppery watercress brings a bold, slightly bitter bite that pairs beautifully with cool, crisp cucumber slices, and the combination is anything but boring. The star is a blended pesto vinaigrette made from fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil ā bright, herby, and so much more interesting than a bottled dressing. Walnuts show up twice here, once toasted and scattered on top for crunch and once blended into the dressing for richness, making every bite layered and satisfying. Shaved Parmesan adds a salty, savory finish that ties everything together without overwhelming the greens. The whole thing comes together quickly with just a skillet and a blender, which is exactly the kind of low-effort, high-reward cooking that makes sense when energy is at a premium. Serve it immediately so the watercress stays lively and the toasted walnuts keep their crunch.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the salad
- Ā½ 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
- Ā¼ 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
- Ā¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Ā¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the Ā½ cup raw walnut halves (for the salad) and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2ā3 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, Ā¼ 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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