Watercress Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing

This refreshing watercress salad is elevated by the rich flavors of warm bacon dressing, crispy nuts, and tangy blue cheese, all complemented by the sweet crunch of fresh pear and the pungency of red onion – a delicious harmony of flavors and textures in every bite!

Ready Time

45 mins

Yields

5 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:
6 cups fresh watercress, washed and dried
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort)
1 ripe but firm pear, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup diced red onion
FOR THE DRESSING:
12 slices of bacon
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the fresh watercress, chopped nuts, crumbled blue cheese, sliced pear, and diced red onion.

Set aside.

Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain.

In the same skillet, leaving the grease from the bacon, add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey.

Whisk until smooth and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and let the dressing simmer for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally.

Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the salad, place the prepared watercress mixture into 5 serving bowls.

Top each bowl with crispy bacon pieces, then drizzle the warm bacon dressing over the top.

Serve immediately.

Notes

For a more substantial salad, feel free to add some protein like grilled chicken or salmon to make it a complete meal.

Don’t overdry the watercress, as it can make it taste bitter.

Try to get it just dry enough so it’s not dripping with water.

Use a high-quality blue cheese for the best flavor.

If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, you can substitute it with goat cheese or feta.

For a different flavor profile, try using different types of nuts like almonds or hazelnuts.

Make the dressing ahead of time, but don’t simmer it until you’re ready to assemble the salad, as it’s best served warm.

If you want a lighter dressing, you can reduce the amount of bacon grease used in the dressing or substitute some of it with chicken or vegetable broth.