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Watercress

Vegetables · Salad leaves

Watercress

Peppery aquatic green with small round leaves and juicy stems, eaten raw in salads or in soups.

Also called: su teresi

4 recipes with it

Photo: Masparasol, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-3.0)

What it is

Watercress grows in running water and has clusters of small, round, dark-green leaves on hollow, crunchy stems. It has a hot, mustardy bite similar to rocket. Garden cress (sold as tiny sprouts) is a different plant, though both are sometimes just called cress.

Nasturtium officinale

How it’s used

  • Salads and sandwiches
  • Blended into soups
  • Garnish for roast meats
  • Quickly stir-fried in Cantonese and Southeast Asian cooking
  • Simmered in Chinese pork and watercress soup

Characteristics

Taste
Peppery and slightly bitter.
Texture
Tender leaves, juicy stems.
When cooked
Wilts very fast; add to soups at the end to keep colour.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Used as a garnish

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate in its bag or with stems in water, covered; use within a couple of days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Wild watercress may carry parasites from contaminated water; buy cultivated cress and wash well.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
11 kcal
Protein
2.3 g
Carbohydrate
1.29 g
Fat
0.1 g
Fibre
0.5 g
Sugars
0.2 g

USDA FoodData Central: Watercress, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Rocket — Raw uses; same quantity.

Related ingredients

Recipes with watercress

More salad leaves