Eggless Watercress & Apple Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese
Peppery watercress, crisp apple slices, creamy goat cheese, and golden toasted pumpkin seeds — this salad is the kind of thing that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together in minutes at home. The honey-apple cider vinegar dressing is whisked together from scratch, so you know exactly what's going in it, with no hidden additives or emulsifiers to second-guess. Eggs sneak into a surprising number of store-bought dressings and croutons, but every component here is naturally free of them without any substitutions required. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop and turn golden is a small step that adds a serious depth of flavor and satisfying crunch. The balance of bitter greens, sweet fruit, and tangy cheese means this salad holds its own as a light main or a stunning starter. A scatter of fresh thyme over the top is optional, but it ties everything together beautifully if you have it on hand.
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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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