Beef Free Watercress Lemon Sauce
Bright, peppery watercress meets zingy lemon in this vibrant blender sauce that comes together in just a few minutes with almost no effort. The watercress gives it a gorgeous deep green color and a slightly bold, garden-fresh bite that gets mellowed beautifully by the olive oil emulsion. Streaming the oil in while the blender runs is the small trick that transforms a simple purée into something silky and restaurant-worthy. A touch of garlic and optional flat-leaf parsley round out the flavor without overpowering the star ingredients. This sauce is completely plant-based, built entirely from fresh produce, citrus, and good olive oil — no animal products of any kind sneak in. It's endlessly versatile: spoon it over roasted vegetables, grilled fish, grain bowls, or use it as a punchy salad dressing thinned with an extra splash of water. Once you have a jar of this in the fridge, you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 cups fresh watercress, thick stems removed
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the watercress, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, water, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Add the parsley, if using.
- 2
Blend on high speed for 30 seconds, until the greens are fully broken down and the mixture is a uniform, bright green purée.
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