Gluten Free Watercress & Apple Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese
Peppery watercress, crisp apple slices, tangy goat cheese, and golden toasted pumpkin seeds — this salad is the kind of thing that looks effortlessly elegant but comes together in minutes. The honey-apple cider vinegar dressing ties everything together with a gentle sweetness that balances the bite of the greens beautifully. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of gluten, so there's no label-scanning or ingredient-swapping required — just straightforward, wholesome cooking. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop adds a nutty crunch that makes this feel far more substantial than your average side salad. The emulsified olive oil dressing clings to the watercress and apple just enough without weighing anything down, keeping each bite bright and fresh. A scatter of fresh thyme at the end is optional, but it adds a lovely herbal note that really elevates the whole bowl. This one works just as well as a light lunch as it does alongside a dinner spread.
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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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