Cinnamon 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 refreshing and a little bit fancy. The homemade dressing is a simple emulsion of apple cider vinegar, honey, and olive oil — bright, lightly sweet, and completely free of any warming spices that could sneak in through a bottled vinaigrette. That matters more than you might think, since store-bought dressings and pre-made salad kits often hide cinnamon in their ingredient lists under vague "spice blend" language. Here, every component is straightforward and easy to verify. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop and turn golden adds a satisfying crunch and a nutty depth that rounds out the whole bowl beautifully. A scatter of fresh thyme at the end is optional but worth it — it adds an herby lift without any of the spice-rack risk. This is the kind of salad that looks impressive on the table and comes together with almost no effort at all.
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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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