Legume Free 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 effortlessly elegant and tastes even better than it looks. The honey-and-apple-cider-vinegar dressing ties everything together with a bright, lightly sweet tang that makes each bite feel balanced and fresh. For anyone navigating a legume-free lifestyle, salads can sometimes feel limited, but every single ingredient here is naturally in the clear — no beans, no lentils, no pea protein hiding in a store-bought dressing. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop and turn golden is a small step that pays off big, adding a satisfying crunch and a nutty depth that makes this feel like a real composed dish rather than a simple side. The emulsified olive oil dressing clings beautifully to the watercress without weighing it down, and the crumbled goat cheese adds just enough richness to round out the sharpness of the greens. A scatter of fresh thyme leaves at the end is optional but genuinely worth it if you have them on hand. This one comes together fast and is impressive enough to serve to guests without a second thought.
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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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