Artificial Food Coloring Free Smoky Paprika Watercress and Cucumber Salad
Bright, peppery watercress meets cool cucumber and paper-thin radishes in a salad that looks stunning and comes together in minutes. The real star is the homemade dressing — smoked paprika, cumin, lemon juice, and a touch of raw honey whisked into a silky, rust-colored vinaigrette that coats every leaf beautifully. Bottled dressings are one of the sneakiest sources of synthetic dyes and artificial additives, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's going in the bowl. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, from the extra virgin olive oil to the freshly ground black pepper. Toasted pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch and a nutty depth that makes this feel like a proper, restaurant-worthy dish rather than a side salad afterthought. A pinch of cayenne at the end gives it just enough heat to keep things interesting. Toss it right before serving and it's ready to impress.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 5 oz watercress, thick stems removed
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp raw honey
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, until they begin to pop and turn golden, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a small plate and set aside.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, honey, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) until the dressing is smooth and uniform in color.
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