Chicken Free Watercress & Apple Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese
Peppery watercress, crisp apple slices, and creamy crumbled goat cheese come together in a salad that feels both effortless and genuinely impressive. The contrast of textures is what makes it so satisfying — tender greens, juicy fruit, and those golden toasted pumpkin seeds adding a subtle crunch in every bite. A quick honey and apple cider vinegar dressing ties everything together with just the right balance of brightness and richness, emulsified smooth with a drizzle of good olive oil. There's no meat anywhere near this bowl, making it a naturally complete option for anyone keeping poultry off the plate without sacrificing any depth of flavor. Fresh thyme scattered over the top is optional, but it adds a lovely herbal note that elevates the whole thing. This is the kind of salad that disappears fast at a dinner table, so you might want to double the batch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 5 oz fresh watercress, thick stems trimmed
- 2 medium crisp apples (such as honeycrisp or fuji), cored and thinly sliced
- 3 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to pop and turn golden, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.
- 2
Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, and fine sea salt in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Drizzle in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream while whisking continuously until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened.
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