Walnut Free Watercress & Apple Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese
Peppery watercress, crisp apple slices, and tangy crumbled goat cheese make for a salad that feels both elegant and effortless — the kind of thing you'd order at a nice bistro and then immediately want to recreate at home. The honey-apple cider vinegar dressing comes together in minutes and has just the right balance of brightness and richness to tie every element together. Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet is a small step that pays off big, adding a warm, nutty crunch that makes the whole bowl feel more substantial. Many salads like this traditionally call for walnuts, but the toasted pumpkin seeds do the heavy lifting here — delivering that satisfying texture without any concern about tree nut cross-contact. Everything in this recipe is straightforward and unfussy, so you're not hunting down specialty ingredients or second-guessing labels at the store. The fresh thyme garnish is optional, but if you have it on hand, it adds a lovely herbal note that makes the dish feel just a little more special. Serve it immediately after dressing so the watercress stays lively and the apples keep their crispness.
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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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