How Should You Eat Watercress? A Comprehensive Guide

December 17, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the CDC, watercress tops the list of powerhouse fruits and vegetables due to its high nutrient density. Learning how to eat watercress is a simple way to add this peppery green to your meals, whether served raw in salads or cooked in hearty soups.

Quick Summary

Watercress can be enjoyed raw or cooked, offering a peppery kick that mellows with heat. It is a versatile ingredient used in salads, sandwiches, soups, pestos, and stir-fries. Proper washing and storage are crucial for preserving its freshness and flavor.

Key Points

Eat it raw for a peppery kick: Enjoy watercress raw in salads, sandwiches, and as a garnish to experience its full, spicy flavor.
Cook it for a milder flavor: Cooking watercress mellows its peppery taste, making it suitable for creamy soups and stir-fries.
Wash thoroughly before use: Always rinse watercress in cold water, even if it is pre-packaged, and dry it in a salad spinner.
Treat it like a herb for storage: Store bunches of watercress with stems in water, covered loosely with a bag, in the refrigerator to maximize freshness.
Use the whole plant: The entire watercress plant is edible, including the stems, though you may want to trim off the thickest, toughest parts.
Blend into sauces and pestos: Watercress makes a vibrant, flavorful pesto that can be used on pasta, toast, or mixed into sauces.
Pair with complementary flavors: Its peppery notes go well with creamy dressings, sweet fruits like apple, and savory items like cheese.

Preparing Watercress for Consumption

Before diving into recipes, proper preparation is key. Regardless of how you plan to eat watercress, you must wash it thoroughly. If purchasing from a grocery store, it is often pre-washed, but an additional rinse in cold water is recommended, especially for bunches with roots.

Washing and Storing

For bunches of watercress, trim off any thick, tough stems, as the thinner ones are perfectly edible. If the watercress appears wilted, a quick 15-30 minute ice bath can help revive its crisp texture. For storage, treat it like fresh herbs: place the stems in a glass of water, cover the leaves with a plastic bag, and refrigerate. It is best to use fresh watercress within a few days of purchase.

Popular Ways to Eat Watercress

Watercress's peppery, slightly mustard-like flavor makes it adaptable to many dishes. Its pungency is most pronounced when raw and becomes milder with cooking.

Raw Applications

Salads: This is one of the most common and simplest ways to enjoy watercress. A classic watercress salad can be tossed with a simple vinaigrette, or combined with other complementary ingredients. The peppery bite pairs well with sweet and creamy elements like apples, nuts, and a light dressing.

Sandwiches and Wraps: Substitute watercress for lettuce to add a burst of flavor and nutrients. It works wonderfully in a classic BLT, an egg salad sandwich, or a turkey and avocado wrap.

Garnishes and Relishes: A few sprigs of watercress can elevate the visual appeal and taste of soups, pasta, or meat dishes. A finely chopped watercress relish with lemon, mustard, and capers can cut through the richness of grilled meats or fish.

Cooked Applications

Soups: Cooking watercress mellows its flavor, making it a perfect base for creamy or brothy soups. A classic potato and watercress soup is a comforting dish, as the watercress wilts quickly into the broth.

Stir-Fries: Watercress can be stir-fried similar to spinach. Quickly sauté it with garlic, ginger, and a touch of soy sauce for a simple yet flavorful side dish that pairs well with rice or noodles.

Omelets and Scrambles: Fold a handful of chopped watercress into your eggs for added flavor, color, and nutritional value. It can be a delicious addition to a frittata as well.

Pesto: For a fresh twist on traditional pesto, blend watercress with olive oil, nuts, and cheese. It can be used for pasta, spread on toast, or stirred into soups.

Watercress Comparison: Raw vs. Cooked


Feature	Raw Watercress	Cooked Watercress
Flavor	Peppery, pungent, and sharp	Milder, with a distinct, earthy vegetable flavor
Texture	Crisp, tender leaves with crunchy stems	Wilted, similar to cooked spinach
Nutrient Content	Higher levels of water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C	Some loss of water-soluble nutrients, but still very nutritious
Best For	Salads, sandwiches, garnishes, and pestos	Soups, stir-fries, omelets, and warm sauces
Prep Time	Minimal washing and trimming	Quick cooking time, often just 1-2 minutes

How Should You Eat Watercress?

The simplest way to eat watercress is by adding it raw to a salad. It also excels when wilted into a quick stir-fry or blended into a vibrant soup or pesto. The best method truly depends on the desired flavor intensity and texture.

Creative Watercress Recipe Ideas

Creamy Edamame and Watercress Soup: A vibrant, plant-based soup combining the protein power of edamame with the freshness of watercress.
Watercress and Potato Soup: A classic, comforting soup where watercress is pureed with tender potatoes and stock.
Watercress and Goat Cheese Crostini: Top toasted baguette slices with herbed goat cheese and fresh watercress for a quick and elegant appetizer.
Watercress and Apple Salad: Combine fresh watercress with thinly sliced apple, walnuts, and a light lemon vinaigrette for a refreshing side dish.
Watercress Sandwich with Egg Mayonnaise: A British tea-time classic, a simple sandwich with a delicious peppery kick.

Conclusion

From a simple garnish to the star of a creamy soup, watercress is a versatile and highly nutritious green that deserves a place in your kitchen. Its distinctive peppery taste can be enjoyed raw or cooked, with each method highlighting different aspects of its unique flavor profile. By understanding how to properly prepare and store this leafy green, you can easily incorporate this healthy superfood into a wide variety of meals.

Authority Outbound Link

For more detailed nutritional information and health benefits, visit the official page on the health aspects of watercress from The Watercress Company: https://www.thewatercresscompany.com/snapshot-of-researched-benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, watercress can be eaten raw. In its raw state, it has a distinct peppery, slightly pungent flavor, similar to mustard greens or arugula. It is commonly used raw in salads, sandwiches, and as a garnish.

Raw watercress has a peppery, tangy, and slightly bitter taste. When cooked, its flavor mellows and becomes milder, with an earthy, distinctive vegetable taste.

Yes, it is crucial to wash watercress thoroughly before eating. While some store-bought varieties are pre-washed, a thorough rinse in cold water is always recommended to remove any contaminants, especially if you have a bunch with roots.

Yes, both the leaves and the stems of watercress are edible. The thinner stems are tender and can be eaten along with the leaves, while thicker, tougher stems are best trimmed and discarded or finely chopped for cooking.

To store watercress, treat it like fresh flowers. Place the stems in a glass of water in the refrigerator and cover the leaves with a plastic bag to maintain freshness. This method can help it last longer than storing it in a standard perforated bag.

Watercress can be used in a variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, and soups. It can also be blended into pesto, quickly stir-fried, or used as a garnish for extra flavor and nutrients.

Watercress and arugula both belong to the cruciferous family and have a peppery taste, but watercress is typically more pungent when raw. Arugula has a slightly nuttier, more intense peppery flavor, while watercress can sometimes have a mild, earthy bitterness.