Walnut Free Watercress Lemon Sauce
Bright, peppery watercress meets zingy lemon in this vibrant blender sauce that comes together in just a few minutes. The watercress gives it a gorgeous, deep green color and a slightly bold, garden-fresh bite that pairs beautifully with grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or a simple grain bowl. A small clove of garlic and a hit of lemon zest round out the flavor, while streaming in the olive oil at the end creates a silky, emulsified texture that clings perfectly to whatever you're drizzling it over. Many store-bought green sauces and pestos rely on nuts as a base, which can make them off-limits for anyone avoiding them — this one skips all of that and lets the fresh ingredients do the heavy lifting. Optional flat-leaf parsley adds a subtle herbal note if you want to deepen the green flavor even further. It's endlessly versatile, genuinely easy to pull off, and the kind of sauce that makes a weeknight plate feel like something 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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