Did you catch Tuesday’s post? It was all about Swiss chard, one of my favorite leafy greens. After going on and on about how much I love working with this versatile veggie (and why you should love it too!), I thought I owed you another Swiss chard recipe. So here you are! This lemony Swiss chard pasta is what weeknight dreams are made of. It calls for a short list of pantry ingredients, and it comes together in right around 30 minutes. Still, it’s filled with a delicious mix of textures and flavors. Sautéed chard stems add crunch, while the leaves get soft and silky. I balance their earthy flavor with sweet golden raisins, rich hazelnuts, and salty pecorino cheese. A glug of olive oil and (of course) lots of lemon juice tie it all together.
Swiss Chard Pasta Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Swiss chard pasta recipe:
Swiss chard, of course! You’ll sauté the stems and leaves before tossing them with the pasta. Fusilli pasta – Or another short, spiral-shaped pasta. I love the nutty flavor of a whole grain noodle in this recipe, but if regular pasta is all you have, that’ll work fine too. Garlic – For sharp, savory depth of flavor. Fresh lemon juice – It makes the pasta nice and bright. Golden raisins – Their sweet flavor and chewy texture pair beautifully with the earthy chard. Hazelnuts – For richness and crunch. Caramelized onions – Totally optional, but totally delicious! Their sweet, umami flavor adds so much depth to this simple pasta. Red pepper flakes – They bring a little heat. Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds moisture and richness and helps the flavors in this recipe meld together. Pecorino cheese – Its salty, funky flavor takes this pasta over the top. And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
If you like, you can garnish the pasta with microgreens just before serving. They’re such a fresh finishing touch! Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Tip Alert!
I list the caramelized onions as optional here for two reasons: But when I make this quick and easy pasta recipe, I almost always toss them in. That’s because I’m not making them from scratch every time. Instead, I’m pulling them out of my freezer! The next time you have a spare hour or two on a weekend, make a big batch of caramelized onions and freeze them in ice cube trays. They’ll keep for months. Whenever you feel like a dish could use a punch of umami flavor, thaw them in the microwave, and toss them in. Once you get used to having them on hand, you’ll never go back!
With caramelized onions handy, this pasta recipe comes together in no time. Start by cooking the pasta. Then, sauté the chard stems and leaves. Finally, toss everything together and season to taste. That’s it!
Swiss Chard Pasta Serving Suggestions
For a super simple weeknight dinner, I serve this Swiss chard pasta as a meal on its own. But if I have the time to make one, I also like to serve it with a salad on the side. It pairs really nicely with any of these recipes:
Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Simple Green Salad Kohlrabi Slaw Green Bean Salad
Round out the meal with crusty bread for wiping up any garlicky oil at the bottom of your bowl. Enjoy!
More Favorite Easy Pastas
If you love this Swiss chard pasta recipe, try one of these quick and easy pastas next:
Artichoke Pasta Cauliflower Pasta Cherry Tomato Pasta Fettuccine Alfredo Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Peas Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Or any of these 25 Easy Pasta Recipes!
