Coconut Free Watercress Lemon Sauce
Bright, peppery watercress meets zingy lemon in this vibrant blender sauce that comes together in just a few minutes with nothing but fresh, whole ingredients. The watercress gives it a gorgeous deep green color and a slightly bold, garden-fresh bite that gets mellowed beautifully by the olive oil emulsification. Streaming the extra virgin olive oil in while the blender runs is the key move here — it creates a silky, pourable consistency that clings perfectly to whatever you're drizzling it over. A small clove of garlic and a hit of lemon zest round out the flavor without overpowering the greens, and the optional parsley adds a softer herbal note if you want it. Many store-bought green sauces sneak in unexpected additives or thickeners, but this one is completely straightforward — just real produce, good oil, and citrus. It's the kind of sauce that makes grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or a simple grain bowl feel genuinely special.
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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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