Best Watercress Substitutes

Watercress is a tasty and healthful leafy green that may be found in sandwiches, portions of pasta, and even smoothies. You may not have tried working with it, but it is high in nutrients means it is becoming more popular.

However, finding fresh food may be difficult at times, so if you can’t locate fresh watercress and your local store it’s helpful to know what alternative possibilities are available.

Watercress has a main attraction and that is its taste. It’s often seen in sandwiches, but it may also be pureed as a dip or used as the primary element in a soup.

Some individuals love the flavor enough that will eat it raw or create juice from it. If your recipe asks for watercress, what then is a comparable item that could be substituted to maintain the same level of taste, texture, and quality.

What Is Watercress and Where Can I Find It?

This leafy vegetable is linked to radish, garden spinach, and kale and belongs to the Brassicaceae family.

If not picked, this plant can grow quite high reaching even 3 to 4 feet. Watercress produces white and green blossoms that have a unique taste.

It is full of good compounds like iron and calcium plus other trace metals. Also having vitamin K, folate, and vitamin B6 have meant some folks have called watercress a superfood. This vegetable is an excellent antioxidant and is often used to cleanse the body, in addition to being healthy. It has a subtle peppery flavor, making it an excellent addition to savory foods that also need texture. It also works really well in lunches that have a salad component and not to mention, or rather do not forget sandwiches.

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What Can I Use in Place of Watercress?

These are the finest watercress substitutes available in 2024

Arugula Is Number One when Substituting for Watercress

Given that watercress does have a spicy taste, it should come as no surprise that Arugula is a top option on this list.

This pungent, bitter, and spicy vegetable, sometimes known as rocket or roquette, is a perfect alternative to Watercress with its pungent, bitter flavor. Plus others say it gives a mustard-like aftertaste.

If you can’t locate arugula in your grocery store’s vegetable area, look for it in an organic supermarket or a farmer’s market. Watercress may be substituted for a one-to-one replacement of arugula.

Spinach Is a Very Healthy Alternative to Watercress

Spinach (especially baby spinach) is versatile and high in both vitamin and mineral content.  Di you know that spinach is among the most preferred green vegetables.

If you’ve ever worked with spinach before, you’ll know that it reduced or shrinks a lot when heated, but it’s delicious and simple to use. Spinach is a common side dish, but it’s also used in soups, salads, and, more recently, in healthful juices and smoothies.

Spinach may be found at any supermarket or grocery shop, but organic stores and farmer’s markets are also good options. Because of it is of availability it makes it one of the best substitutes for watercress in 2024.

If you’re sauteing it, we suggest using double the same or more spinach as that the recipe asks for since it shrinks a lot. Otherwise, you may replace the watercress on a one-to-one basis or quantity of spinach.

Kale Is a Good Substitute for Watercress when You Want Extra Texture in Your Food.

Kale has been gaining in popularity year after year, it also brings a very nice texture to your dish because it is actually quite a firm vegetable.

It is a member of the Brassicaceae group. 

It has become favored by healthy people in recent years because of its high fiber, vitamin, and mineral, properties. It also has good antioxidant ability and that is why it has also been labeled as a superfood.

So go ahead why not replace watercress with a real superfood, kale.

While many folks like kale in a green smoothie, drink or salad, others find it too coarse or rough to use, and that is why you may sauté it or use it in dips or soup.

Kale is easily available now in supermarkets although spinach is more available than kale.

Sprouts of Radish can be substituted for Watercress

This is a more niche substitution but does work. The plant actually originates or hales from the same family as watercress and arugula, Therefore it has a similar taste profile. Because radish sprouts are classified as green vegetables, they’re often used in salads and soups.

Radish sprouts aren’t as easy to find, but nonetheless, they are a viable substitute for watercress. Once again use them in a 1 to 1 substitution ratio.

Can You Use Dandelion Leaves As a Substitute for Watercress

Yes, you can use Dandelion leaves as a good substitute for watercress.

Not many folks are aware of this vegetable, its leaves are abundant in nutrients and delicious.

Dandelion leaves do not quite have the same spicy flavor as watercress or arugula, but either cooked or raw, they’re delicious. These leaves are often seen in salads, stews, and certain sauces.

What Is a Good Alternative for Watercress?

Based on the similarity and availability in supermarkets, spinach is our top-rated substitute for watercress.

However, all of the above choices are pretty similar to watercress.

If you want a substitute that has an identical taste to watercress then arugula is the choice for you.

Another left-field idea is also Nasturtium leaves are sometimes used as an alternative to watercress.

Is It Possible to Use Watercress for Spinach?

Watercress may be used as a substitute for spinach.

 Remember that watercress does have a slightly stronger plus spicier taste than spinach.