What Is Watercress and How Can I Use It?

If watercress has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 137 recipes to try it in.

What are watercress?

Watercress is a fast-growing leafy green that lives with its roots in moving water, sending up tangles of round dark leaves on crisp stems. It belongs to the same family as mustard and arugula, and you taste the kinship right away in its sharp, peppery bite.

That pepperiness is what people remember. Raw, the leaves carry a clean mustard heat that mellows the moment they hit warmth, so a few seconds in a hot soup or a quick wilt turns a fiery green into something soft and savory.

It is one of the oldest cultivated greens going, eaten by the Romans and a fixture of the English tea-sandwich table. These days it turns up in salads and soups, and as the bright counterweight to rich meat and fish.

Ways to Use It

Watercress works two ways: raw for crunch and bite, or briefly cooked so it collapses into a tender green.

Raw is the easy win. Toss the sprigs whole into salads where their pepper plays off something sweet or fatty.

Citrus Salad with Watercress & Shaved Parmesan sets the heat against orange and salty cheese, and Sugar Snap Watercress Salad with Warm Sesame Dressing leans on a warm dressing that just barely softens the leaves.

It is also a sandwich green with backbone. Unlike lettuce, it pushes back against rich fillings like butter and smoked salmon, which is the whole point of a proper watercress tea sandwich.

Cooked, it goes silky in seconds. Stir it into soup at the very end, the way Potage Creme de Cresson (Cream of Watercress Soup) does, or pile it under a hot steak so the heat wilts it on the plate, as Asian Salisbury Steaks & Watercress does.

Save the stems. The lower stems hold plenty of flavor and blend beautifully into soup, even when you want only the leaves in a salad.

Pairing and Pitfalls

Watercress wants a foil for its pepper. Match it with fat and sweetness: orange, grapefruit, pear, beets, avocado, blue cheese, bacon, salmon, or a soft poached egg. A bright vinaigrette with a little honey or a squeeze of citrus balances the heat without burying it.

The number one pitfall is timing. Watercress wilts the second it gets warm or sits in dressing, so dress a watercress salad at the table, not ten minutes ahead. A dressed bowl left to stand turns to limp, dark mush.

The same goes for cooking. Add it at the finish, off the direct heat if you can.

Boil it and you lose the color and the snap.

Wash it well. Because it grows in water it can hide grit, so swish the sprigs in a bowl of cold water and lift them out, leaving the sand behind.

Substitutes

Arugula is the closest swap, and an easy one. It brings the same mustardy pepper, holds up raw in salads and sandwiches, and wilts into cooked dishes much the same way. Use it leaf for leaf.

For a milder, crunchier stand-in, baby spinach gives you the dark color and tender body but almost none of the heat, so add a pinch of black pepper or a few mustard greens to wake it up.

Belgian endive or tender mustard greens work when you want the bitterness or bite more than the exact flavor. In a cooked soup, spinach blends in cleanly and keeps the green color, though the result is gentler than true cress.

Buying and Storing

Look for deep green leaves on firm, upright stems with no yellowing and no slimy patches. Watercress fades fast, so the freshest bunch is the one that looks like it is still growing.

It is one of the most perishable greens in the store, and it does not like to be dry.

Treat it like a bouquet: trim the stem ends, stand the bunch in a glass with an inch (2.5 cm) of water, drape a loose bag over the top, and refrigerate. Refresh the water and it can hold for 4 to 5 days.

If you buy it in a sealed clamshell, keep it cold and use it within a couple of days; the packed leaves bruise and turn quickly.

Do not freeze it for salads. Freezing destroys the crisp texture entirely, leaving you with a soggy green only fit for blending into soup.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find watercress: Watercress are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Watercress are a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

豆瓣

British (UK) term

Watercress

en français

cresson

en español

el berro

How much do watercress weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using watercress

There are 137 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Watercress Pesto

These delicious yet nutritious sweet potato gnocchi is coated with refreshing and tangy watercress pesto. It's a dish that's packed with flavor and fills you up with all the goodness and yumminess.

Smoked Salmon Hero Sandwich

Warm French bread loaded with cream cheese, thin-sliced smoked salmon, cucumber, red onion, black olives, and peppery watercress. A deli-style hero sandwich ready in 20 minutes.

Pan-Fried Monkfish with Bunya Nut Hash, Rocket & Madamia Nut Pesto

Pan-fried monkfish, served with bunya nut hash, rocket and macadamia nut pesto

Ribeye Steak with Broccolini, Shitake Mushrooms & Wattleseed Jus

Akudjura (dried bush tomato) crusted Ribeye steak served with broccolini, shitake mushrooms and wattleseed jus.

Paperbark Smoked Duck with Lllawarra Plum Sauce

Paperbark smoked duck, garnished with mushrooms and finished with Illawarra Plum Sauce.

Refreshing Cobb Salad

Classic Cobb salad with chicken, bacon, avocado, egg, and Roquefort dressing. Composed salad with rows of colorful toppings over crisp lettuce, perfect for elegant lunches.

Citrus Salad with Watercress & Shaved Parmesan

Grapefruit, orange and watercress create this refreshing and light salad. Great to serve before or after any heavier fat laden meal to clean the palate. Also good to incorporate some fall and winter fruit.

Avocado & Watercress Salad with Soy Dresssing

A light yet flavorful salad. It's refreshing, tasty and easy to make. Lots of textures and flavors. Creamy, crunchy and delicious.

Beets & Onions Vinaigrette

A simple yet tasty and healthy beet salad. thinly sliced onions are tempered in boiling water then marinated with the beets in extra virgin olive oil and vinegar.

Sugar Snap Watercress Salad with Warm Sesame Dressing

Incredibly fresh and crisp, the sweet sugar snap peas and the watercress flavors really pop with a perfectly balanced dressing highlighted by caramelized shallots. This quick and easy watercress and sugar snap salad is quite tasty, drizzling with the homemade Warm Sesame-Shallot Vinaigrette, a great side or a healthy supper.

Asian Salisbury Steaks & Watercress

A refreshing twist on classic Salisbury steaks. The added sweet red bell pepper, scallions and ginger really boost the flavor of the steak. The watercress gives a nutritional boost. This recipe could work equally as well served on a bed of mashed potatoes with gravy instead of the watercress.

BLT Quesadillas

A sophisticated French American twist on Quesadillas - Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato with some creamy goat cheese... num num.

Cucumber Rounds with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Quick and easy to make finger food perfect hors d'oeuvres or even as a mid-day snack. Rich and creamy smoked salmon mousse on top of light refreshing cucumber rounds.

Bacon Summer Salad

A warm New Orleans-style salad with bacon, romaine, watercress, and Belgian endive tossed in walnut oil and deglazed with red wine and raspberry vinegar. Topped with garlic croutons.

Black Pepper Crusted Steak Sandwiches

Grilled beef tenderloin coated in cracked black pepper, stacked on toasted croissants with aged cheddar, peppery watercress, and a punchy horseradish mayo. From grill to plate in 25 minutes.

Salmon Mousse with Watercress Sauce

Salmon mousse with brandy-flambeed mushrooms and shallots, set with gelatin and folded with whipped cream, served sliced with a fresh watercress-mayonnaise sauce.

Uma Salada Portuguesa - Mixed Green Salad

Uma Salada Portuguesa, a classic Portuguese mixed green salad with lettuce, watercress, tomatoes, purple onion rings, stuffed olives, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. Fresh, bright, and ready in 20 minutes.

Grilled Salmon with Potato & Watercress Salad

Grilled salmon with potato and watercress salad, a smoky indirect-grilled salmon served over pickled red onion potato salad and peppery watercress. Low-fat summer dinner for six.

Ginger-Meatball & Watercress Soup

Serve as the first course of a traditional Chinese dinner or alone as a light nutritious supper.

Curried Broccoli Soup

Chilled curried broccoli soup pureed smooth with chicken stock and finished with cold cream and fresh watercress. A silky, spiced cold soup that comes together in under 45 minutes.

Tuna Provencal

This no-cook French-inspired tuna salad packs briny capers, sliced black olives, roma tomatoes, and red onion with a red wine vinaigrette. Serve on whole grain bread with peppery watercress, or go full Nicoise-style over mixed greens with potatoes, eggs, and green beans.

Chilled Cucumber & Bell Pepper Soup

Chilled cucumber and bell pepper soup blended creamy with yogurt, watercress, garlic, and a splash of vinegar. A no-cook, blender-easy cold soup that's all the refreshment you want on a hot day.

Garlic-Roasted Potatoes & Greens

Garlic-roasted potatoes tossed with peppery watercress, white wine vinegar, and fresh chives. Crispy, golden potatoes meet fresh greens in a warm salad-style side dish.

Leftover Turkey Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

Adding some fresh vegetables with some chili lime dressing makes this leftover turkey salad taste so flavorful and refreshing.

Vegetable Soup (Santa Maria)

Light Filipino-style vegetable soup with stir-fried mixed vegetables, soy sauce, and fresh watercress stirred in at the end. A simple, nourishing bowl ready in about an hour.

Pollo a la Creme

Pollo a la creme with sauteed chicken in sweet cream served inside a baked noodle ring mold with cheese and bechamel. A vintage dinner party showpiece with French technique.

Stone Ground Mustard Herring Canapés

Bursting with flavor, these delicious and healthy canapés are sure to be a hit at any gathering!

Garnishes for Drinks

Drink garnish guide covering frosted glasses, sugar and salt rims, plus garnish ideas for fruit, vegetable and coffee drinks. Old-school bartender finishing touches that turn ordinary drinks into something proper.

Medaillons De Veau En Croute

Medaillons de veau en croute: veal loin medallions seared, topped with mushroom duxelles, and baked in puff pastry. Classic French haute cuisine served with a white wine pan sauce.

Filetto Sorpresso Don

Filetto sorpresso don is a butterflied filet mignon stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, and truffle, then breaded, pan-seared, and finished in white wine and lemon pan juices.

Broiled Beef with Mushroom Stuffing

Beef tenderloin slit lengthwise, packed with a savory mushroom and ham bread stuffing, then broiled and served with a brandied tomato gravy. The retro dinner-party showpiece that turns one tenderloin into a memorable plated entree.

Warm Turkey & Sweet Potato Salad

Warm turkey and sweet potato salad tossed in a creamy tarragon mustard dressing with peppery watercress and butter lettuce. A hearty, satisfying way to use leftover turkey.

Mousse of Poultry Liver with Young Ginger

Chicken liver mousse baked in ramekins with shallots, thyme, garlic, and cream, unmolded and served with fresh tomato sauce and herb garnishes. A French restaurant classic, home-kitchen achievable.

Wildfowl Stock

Slow-simmered wildfowl stock from game bird pieces with wild celery, onions, carrots, and watercress. A patient, traditional method for a deeply flavored base.

Favourite Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

A simply seasoned sweet and sour refreshing cucumber salad.

Cream of Fresh Greens Soup

Silky cream of greens soup made with fresh spinach, watercress, and lettuce blended with potatoes and heavy cream. A vibrant green soup with nutmeg and white pepper.

Hot Shrimp Salad on Crostini

Hot shrimp salad on garlic-rubbed crostini with seared shrimp, Roma tomatoes, capers, lemon juice, and peppery watercress. A quick single-serving meal ready in 20 minutes.

Cucumber, Red Onion & Watercress

Cucumber, red onion and watercress salad with thin pickling cucumber slices marinated in seasoned rice vinegar, tossed with oil and arranged on a peppery watercress wreath. A clean, refreshing side for rich meals.

Riverside Kedgeree

Riverside kedgeree flakes cooked salmon or trout into brown rice with buttered cucumber matchsticks, watercress, and young peas. Light, modern English riverbank classic for spring or summer.

Savory Poached Carp (Hot or Jelled)

Savory poached carp simmered in a sweet-tart broth of red onion, white wine vinegar, and lemon, served hot or chilled as a traditional jelled fish with beet horseradish.

Crispy Chicken with Parmesan Tomatoes

Crispy oven-baked chicken breasts coated in a garlicky Dijon-breadcrumb crust, baked alongside Parmesan-topped tomatoes in one dish. A light, no-fry dinner with a crunchy crust and juicy roasted tomatoes.

Lobster in Wild Watercress Dressing

Lobster steamed over fresh herbs and white vermouth, served with an emulsified watercress dressing and julienned peppers and tomato. An elegant, garden-fresh seafood platter.

Chilled Watercress Bisque

A 3-ingredient chilled bisque that blends frozen cream of potato soup with peppery fresh watercress and milk into a smooth, elegant cold soup. Ready in minutes, no cooking required.

Gingered Chicken Salad

Gingered chicken salad with cubed cooked chicken, snow peas, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and scallions tossed in a fresh ginger-soy-sesame dressing. A 15-minute light Asian-style lunch salad.

Smoked Salmon & Dill

Smoked salmon and dill pinwheels rolled with horseradish cream cheese, watercress, and dark bread. A make-ahead party appetizer with peppery bite and silky smoked fish.

Broccoli Garden Soup

Broccoli and sweet potato soup with a creamy yam puree base, sauteed garlic, celery, and a hint of allspice. Topped with fresh watercress and just as good served chilled.

Greens with Orange Dressing

Greens with orange dressing pairs Belgian endive and watercress with a minimalist balsamic-orange vinaigrette and hazelnut oil. A light, elegant starter salad.

Summer Soup

Summer soup with potato, leek, watercress, and fresh basil in vegetable stock. A light, peppery vegetarian soup that celebrates green flavors without cream or heavy thickeners.

Watercress Sauce

Peppery watercress sauce blended with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon, and a hit of fish sauce. Cool, herbaceous, and ready in five minutes for grilled fish, salmon, or roasted vegetables.

Watercress Salad with Bean Cheese Dressing

Watercress salad with a Chinese-style bean curd cheese and tahini dressing. Blanched watercress tossed in a creamy, savory fermented bean curd dressing with chili flakes and lemon.

All 137 recipes