Sesame Free Pesto-Walnut Watercress and Cucumber Salad
This salad is bright, fresh, and packed with flavor — the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort. Peppery watercress and cool, crisp cucumber slices make a beautiful base, and the homemade pesto vinaigrette ties everything together with herby, garlicky depth. The dressing is built from blended basil, raw walnuts, lemon juice, and good olive oil, so it's completely free of tahini or any other sesame-based ingredient that can sneak into store-bought pestos and dressings. Toasting the walnut halves in a dry skillet before scattering them over the top adds a warm, nutty crunch that takes the whole salad to another level. Shaved Parmesan finishes it off with a salty, savory edge that makes every bite feel a little luxurious. It's the kind of salad that actually satisfies — not just a side dish, but something you'd genuinely look forward to eating.
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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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