Rice 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 and tastes even better than it looks. The honey-and-apple-cider-vinegar dressing comes together in minutes and has just enough sweetness to balance the bite of the greens without tipping into cloying territory. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop is a small step that pays off big, adding a nutty crunch that makes every forkful more interesting. Every single ingredient here is naturally grain-free, so there's no need to audit labels or swap anything out — it just works as written. The dressing emulsifies beautifully with a steady hand and a whisk, clinging lightly to the watercress without weighing it down. A scatter of fresh thyme over the top is optional, but it adds a herby lift that really ties the whole bowl together. Serve it immediately after dressing so the greens stay perky and the apples keep their snap.
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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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