We all go crazy over spinach and kale, but when was the last time you cooked Swiss chard? This vibrant leafy green is one of my favorite vegetables to work with. It’s endlessly versatile – my go-to Swiss chard recipes range from smoky Mojo bowls to a lemony pasta – and its stems are just as edible as its dark green leaves. Because I think we could all be cooking it more often, I wanted to share a little Swiss chard 101 today. If you’ve never worked with chard before, I hope these tips and recipes will encourage you to try it. And if you’re already a Swiss chard pro, I hope a recipe here will inspire you to prepare it in a new way. There’s no limit to what Swiss chard can do!
But first, what is Swiss chard?
Good question! Swiss chard is a leafy vegetable that’s closely related to beets. In fact, if you’ve cooked with beet greens before, you’ll find that chard has a lot of similarities. The mature leaves are lush and relatively coarse when they’re raw, but they wilt down beautifully when they’re braised or sautéed. Their earthy flavor pairs really well with garlic, nuts, dried fruits like currants and raisins, and acids like lemon juice and vinegar. Chard stems are edible, too, so don’t toss them when you’re cooking the leaves! If I’m making sautéed Swiss chard, I simply add the stems to the pan a few minutes before I add the leaves so that they have a chance to soften. They also pickle really nicely, so they’re a great way to add crunch to salads, sandwiches, and bowls. The stems in the photos here are red, but that’s not the only way you’ll find them at the farmers market or grocery store. Depending on the variety, chard might have pale green, gold, red, or even striped stems. All are delicious!
How to Cook Swiss Chard
When I buy a big bunch of green, red, or rainbow chard, I almost always cook the leaves. For me, they’re a little spongy and tough to use raw in salads, though baby chard, if it’s available, is a great salad base. The simplest way to cook chard is to sauté it. Here’s my easy method: First, prep the chard. Slice the leaves off the tough stems, and cut the stems into 1/4-inch slices. Stack the leaves on top of one another and coarsely chop them.
Next, cook the stems. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and cook for about 2 minutes, or until they start to soften. Then, add the leaves, some sliced garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook until the leaves wilt, about another 2 minutes. Finally, season and serve. Squeeze the wilted chard with lemon juice and serve it as a side dish. Find more of my favorite Swiss chard recipes and serving suggestions below!
Other Favorite Swiss Chard Recipes
Simple sautéed Swiss chard is an easy, healthy, and delicious side dish, but there are plenty of other ways to serve this green. These Swiss chard recipes and serving suggestions are some of my favorites:
Pair it with pasta or polenta. Sub chard in for the kale in my Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Kale, or serve simple sautéed chard over a bed of creamy polenta with red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. Add it to a soup. Use chard in my brothy Cannellini Beans and Greens or this Sustenance Sweet Potato Soup. You could also sub it in for the kale in my Many-Veggie Soup or Instant Pot Lentil Soup. Stuff it into tacos. Find my greens and beans tacos on page 145 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook! Use it in a grain bowl, like the Mojo Black Bean Bowls on page 199 of Love & Lemons Every Day. Add it to eggs. Fold it into a simple scramble, or use it in your next veggie frittata.
How do you like to use Swiss chard? Let me know in the comments!
More Vegetable Basics
If you love this simple Swiss chard recipe, try cooking one of these vegetables next:
Artichokes Asparagus Broccoli Cauliflower Fennel Green Beans Leeks Spaghetti Squash
