Equipment
Ingredients
Dairy Base
- 250 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 120 g sour cream
Flavorings
- 50 g fresh watercress, thick stems removed
- 1 garlic, minced
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 141 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 202 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 40 mg
- Potassium
- 86 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 50 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 125 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 35 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash the watercress thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper towels to ensure no excess water thins out the dip.
Finely chop the dried watercress leaves and tender stems on a cutting board, discarding any thick, woody bottom stems.
In a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the softened cream cheese and sour cream together until completely smooth and entirely free of lumps.
Add the finely chopped watercress, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to the cream cheese mixture.
Fold the ingredients gently with a spatula until the watercress and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the dairy base.
Cover the bowl and chill the dip in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the garlic and peppery watercress flavors to permeate the cream cheese.
Chef's Notes
- Watercress has a natural peppery bite that mimics arugula or mustard greens; taste your dip before adding the full amount of black pepper.
- For an ultra-smooth texture and pale green hue, pulse the ingredients in a food processor instead of mixing by hand.
- To thin the dip out for use as a vibrant salad dressing or sauce for grilled fish, whisk in a tablespoon or two of milk or buttermilk.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The dip may release some water over time; stir well before serving.
Troubleshooting
The dip is watery or weeping liquid.
Cause: The watercress was not dried thoroughly enough after washing.
Fix: Stir in an additional tablespoon of softened cream cheese to bind the excess moisture.
Prevention: Use a salad spinner and gently press the watercress between dry paper towels before chopping.
The dip is unpleasantly lumpy.
Cause: The cream cheese was too cold when combined with the sour cream.
Fix: Allow the dip to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then beat vigorously with a hand mixer until smooth.
Prevention: Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened at room temperature before mixing.
Cultural Context
Watercress is one of the oldest known consumed leaf vegetables, historically prized in both European and Asian culinary traditions for its health benefits. In modern Western cuisine, its sharp, peppery profile is often paired with rich dairy like cream cheese to create a balanced flavor profile reminiscent of classic British tea sandwiches.
