This delicious Watercress Egg Sandwich is the perfect lunch or tea sandwich for a spring baby shower, graduation, Mother’s Day lunch or afternoon tea. The creamy egg salad has a peppy kick of Dijon mustard and horseradish that pairs perfectly with the crunchy, peppery cress.
Why we love this watercress sandwich recipe
Egg salad sandwiches are the perfect choice for events like bridal showers or baby showers, but with the addition of watercress on top, you’ll feel like you’re having an English high tea! Enjoy this delicious and nutritious sandwich along with a cup of Earl Gray and you’ll be transported from your desk at work to a chic tea set in the garden!
Recipe Highlights
- Watercress is super nutrient dense
- Easy and healthy lunch you can prep for the week
- A budget-friendly way to enjoy Pret a Manger’s cress and egg sandwich more often
- Easy brunch recipe
The most important ingredients for this cress sandwich
- Egg Salad Mixture: Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, prepared horseradish, sweet or dill pickle relish, and chopped shallot.
- eggs: hard boiled, peeled and chopped. See how to hard boil the eggs.
- Spices: salt, freshly ground pepper
- watercress: Wash and dry a bunch of watercress. Then break the branches into bite-sized pieces. You will need one cup for this recipe.
- Bread: Rye, whole wheat or sourdough bread
How to make Watercress Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Step 1: Combine the egg salad mixture
Whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, shallot, Dijon, horseradish, and relish.
Step 2: Add eggs and season
Add the chopped eggs to the Greek yogurt mixture and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add watercress
Lay out the bread on your work surface. Spread the egg salad on the bread slice. Top the egg salad with the watercress and top the sandwich with a second slice of bread. Repeat with the second sandwich.
Step 4: Cut Sandwiches
Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the assembled sandwiches in half. Serve immediately and enjoy!
FAQs and expert tips
If you don’t have watercress, you can use another peppery green, e.g. B. rocket, radish sprouts or baby mustard. Other options include baby spinach, tatsoi, mizuna, or micro greens.
Yes, the egg salad mix can be prepared up to four days in advance. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve. The watercress can be washed and spun-dried up to 6 days in advance, then stored in a zip-lock plastic bag in the fresh food drawer of the refrigerator.
Yes, watercress can be eaten raw. We like it even better that way, because the peppery taste is best enjoyed raw. In fact, in Victorian times, factory workers who didn’t have ready access to healthy meals chewed on the tops of watercress for a cheap and nutritious snack. It was known as “the poor man’s bread”!
To hard boil the eggs:
- Place the eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Cover generously with tap water.
- Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
- Cover the pan and remove it from the stove. Boil the eggs in boiling hot water for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set up a bowl of ice water.
- Drain the eggs and place the eggs in the ice water. Let cool for a minute or two.
- Then crack and peel under running tap water.
Variations to try
- Add sliced cucumbers if you like cucumber tea sandwiches and want to take them to the next level.
- Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the bread.
- Instead of using full size bread, make a small sandwich. Double the recipe and make eight mini finger sandwiches with mini bread (available in the deli or bakery section of large supermarkets). Or use thinly sliced white bread with the crust removed and cut into quarters.
- If you want to amp up your already high-protein sandwich with extra fats, add a slice or two of fresh avocado.
- Spread the egg on slices of toast and top with the cress for an open-faced sandwich instead.
- Add a slice of tomato or fresh herbs.
- Peppery watercress is also great with thinly sliced ham or roast beef on a sandwich. For a tea party, prepare different sandwich fillings so guests can choose a few to try.
More veggie wraps and sandwich recipes
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Have fun cooking! ~Kati
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Description
This delicious Watercress Egg Sandwich is the perfect lunch or tea sandwich for a spring baby shower, graduation, Mother’s Day lunch or afternoon tea. The creamy egg salad has a peppy kick of Dijon mustard and horseradish that pairs perfectly with the crunchy, peppery cress
- 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Sweet or Dill Cucumber Relish
- 3 large eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 slices rye, whole grain or sourdough bread
- 1 generous cup of fresh watercress, washed and spun dry, broken into bite-sized sprigs
- Whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, shallot, Dijon, horseradish, and relish.
- Add the chopped eggs and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place bread on the work surface. Divide the egg salad between two slices of bread. Top with the watercress. Cover the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices.
- Halve with a sharp knife and serve immediately.
Remarks
Hard boil eggs:
- Place the eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Cover generously with tap water.
- Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
- Cover the pan and remove it from the stove. Boil the eggs in boiling hot water for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set up a bowl of ice water.
- Drain the eggs and place the eggs in the ice water. Let cool for a minute or two.
- Then crack and peel under running tap water.
Make ahead: The egg salad mix can be made up to four days in advance. Store refrigerated in an airtight container. The watercress can be washed and tumble dried up to 6 days in advance. Store in a ziplock plastic bag in the refrigerator’s fresh food drawer.
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Active time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Category: sandwich
- Method: stovetop
- Kitchen: American
Nourishment
- Serving size: 1 bun
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
Keywords: Watercress Sandwich, watercress sandwiches, watercress sandwich, watercress sandwich recipe, watercress egg sandwich, egg tea sandwiches, egg salad for tea sandwiches, egg salad tea sandwiches, watercress egg sandwiches
About the author
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she started working in the test kitchen for EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications. Her cookbook Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. In 2009 she started Healthy Seasonal Recipes. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow lab dogs. In her free time, she can be found at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.