How to Cook Swiss Chard
Prepare to fall for this delicious Simple Sauteed Swiss Chard recipe. With more than 90 five-star reviews and 40,000+ shares, you can be assured this popular recipe will be your go-to method for how to cook Swiss chard from now on!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Swiss Chard Recipe
If you are stuck in the rut of baby spinach from a plastic box every week, it’s time to get on the Chard train! Don’t be intimidated by it, it’s not as scary as it looks and it is so good for you.
Chard is one of my favorite greens and I grow it in my vegetable garden every summer. In other words, I have cooked a lot of chard over the years! This recipe is my favorite way to cook chard and along with our Sauteed Green Beans, it is one of our most popular side dish recipes!
Loved this recipe. Very easy to prepare and delicious. Makes me want to eat chard often! Thank you!
~Penny
What is Swiss Chard?
Swiss Chard is a leafy vegetable that is related to beets. In fact it looks a lot like beet greens with bright red ribs and flat glossy green leaves. It has crunchy stems that are commonly red, though can also be white or yellow. The leaves range in color from dark green to reddish green. The flavor is similar to beets and spinach, with a slight bitterness, and a strong earthy flavor.
Swiss Chard is somewhat of a misnomer because it implies that it is a variety of chard from Switzerland. But actually, it is a general common name for chard and got the designation from the botanist who determined the plant’s scientific name in the 19th century. So to clarify, Swiss Chard and Chard are the same things.
Chard is a great green to add to your menu and can be used a big range of recipes. See more chard recipes here! But today’s tutorial is hands-down the best Swiss Chard recipe for those of you who are new to cooking with this super green.
What you’ll need for this Chard Recipe
- Swiss Chard: Of course, the star of the show in this recipe is Swiss chard! You will need two large bunches of raw Swiss chard, which will yield about 6 cups of chard leaves plus stems. Note red chard, green chard and rainbow chard can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: To sauteé chard, start with your favorite cooking fat. I like olive oil or a high-heat neutral oil like avocado oil or organic canola oil.
- Onions and Garlic: Since I am a total fresh garlic lover I always add it to my leafy greens. When it comes to Swiss chard I also include sauteed diced onions. In my experience, the sweetness of golden brown sauteed onions is key to this balancing the bitter taste of cooked chard. It is a great way to balance the earthy flavors of the chard and makes it very savory.
- Seasonings: For the seasonings, you’ll need salt, pepper and dry thyme. I also use a little ground nutmeg which compliments sauteed greens amazingly well and adds a delicate nuance.
- Balsamic Vinegar: While it may be counterintuitive to add vinegar to make it more palatable, the acidity in the vinegar balances the bitter taste in the chard and the overall effect is more harmonious.
TIP: If you are new to Swiss chard, or you just picked some up from the farmers market, make sure to check out our tutorial on how to cut and clean and store Swiss Chard.
How to Cook Swiss Chard
Step 1: Chop and Clean The Swiss Chard
To cut the Swiss Chard, lay a few leaves on top of each other on the cutting board, and remove the colorful stalks. (PHOTO 1a) The Swiss chard stems need to cook for longer than the leaves, so it is important to remove them and cut them separately. Chop up the leaves and place them in a salad spinner. Repeat until you have a stack of stems and a spinner full of greens. Fill the salad spinner with water, swish it around and drain it. If it is a particularly muddy or dirty batch of chard, wash it again. Spin the chard greens dry.
Rinse your stack of stems and trim off the ends if they are dry or discolored. Chop the stems up, just like you would celery. (PHOTO 1B)
Step 2: Cook The Onions and Chard Stems
Because the stems are high in cellulose you will need to cook them longer than the greens. I love to add flavor and sweetness by cooking the stems with chopped sweet onion. (PHOTO 2) They cook at about the same rate and the onion really balances the bitter flavors of the chard. I also add in the fresh garlic and seasonings at this point to help bloom their flavors.
Step 3: Add Chard Greens, Cover and Wilt
Once the stems and onions are softened and the onions are starting to caramelize a bit, then add the green leaves at the end, since they don’t need as much cooking time to become tender.
To wilt the greens, splash in a couple tablespoons water and cover the skillet with a lid. (PHOTO 3) Note: If you don’t have a very large skillet with a lid you can do this in a wide Dutch oven instead.
Step 4: Soften Greens
Once the greens are wilted down, remove the lid and continue cooking and stirring until the greens are tender.
Step 5: Finish with Balsamic Vinegar
Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle on the Balsamic vinegar just before serving.
Chard Recipe Variations
Try one of these other variations of this easy side dish recipe:
- Add toasted almonds, pine nuts, golden raisins, dried cranberries or dried currants
- Stir in Parmesan, a little crumbled feta or goat cheese.
- Fresh herbs: Mint goes well with fresh Swiss chard.
- Creamed: Instead of finishing with balsamic add a splash of cream in the last minute or two of cooking. Once it comes off the heat stir in a generous handful of grated parmesan cheese.
- Omit the balsamic vinegar and use fresh lemon juice and a little lemon zest at the end. Try a pinch of red pepper flakes with the onion and garlic cloves.
What to serve with Swiss Chard
If you are looking for ways of incorporating this recipe into your family’s dinner routine, here are some serving suggestions:
- This Balsamic Chicken would be nice or my beloved Turkey Meatloaf recipe.
- I love to pair salmon (and arctic char) with it. Try this crispy seared salmon, Salmon Baked in Foil or these Lemon Caper Salmon Cakes. Add in my lentils with bacon and you have a five star meal!
- For a weekend meal, try this Crispy Skin Roasted Chicken and Steamed Potatoes with herbs.
- Or for a vegetarian meal, serve this with my pumpkin brown rice risotto.
How to store Chard
Leftovers: Keep leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Meal Prep and Prep Ahead Tips: Chop the chard stems and put them in a baggie or small airtight container. Chop and wash the leaves and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Keep them in a Ziplock bag or resealable storage container. Refrigerate up to 5 days (longer if they are really fresh!) The onions can be chopped ahead but they will let off an odor in the fridge so if you are sensitive, wait to chop the onion at the last minute.
Freezing: Cooked chard is great for freezing. Once thawed, add to soups or stews or use for an omelet or to add veggies to pasta dishes.
Reheating: To reheat leftover cooked Swiss chard you can sautee it in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Keep covered and add a little olive oil or broth to keep it from sticking if necessary. Stir often and heat through until the Swiss chard is steaming hot, 2-3 minutes. Note, cooked green vegetables turn army green from vinegar, so the leftover chard won’t be vibrant green anymore (but the flavor will still be yummy!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Chard cooks down a lot when you cook it, so I like to make a big batch of it. If you are not sure if you are going to love it, you can cut this simple swiss chard recipe in half. If you do so, keep in mind that the onion mixture in step two will cook a little faster. To double it you’ll need a large heavy bottom soup pot.
A bunch of swiss chard is not a standard measure, so the size will vary. In general, they are about a pound or slightly less for a medium-large bunch. They usually have 5 to 7 stems, and once cut, will yield about 5 to 6 cups of loosely packed chopped leaves plus a cup or more of chopped stems per bunch. While this may not be reassuring if you are bringing in chard from your garden, the good news is that this recipe for swiss chard is incredibly forgiving so no matter how big or small your chard bunch is, it should work fine as written. Or simply adjust the seasonings to your taste preference.
Yes! Having grown Swiss chard in my garden for years I can emphatically say yes it freezes perfectly. To do so, blanch it in boiling water for 45 seconds. This prevents the enzymes in the vegetable from breaking down the nutrients. Shock the blanched chard in an ice bath and then drain well (I like to do so on a clean dish towel.) Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet and freeze flat. Once frozen, transfer it to a resealable freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to four months.
Rainbow chard is not a specific variety but a blend of different varieties planted and harvested together (or sometimes commercially blended after harvesting.) It is a combination of green chard, white seemed chard, yellow and red.
Cooking rainbow chard is no different than cooking a single color but note that red stems will discolor the onions and garlic as they cook and rainbow and green chard do not turn out as reddish. For a bright green sauteé, use only white stemmed stalks.
Raw swiss chard looks similar to rhubarb with bright red stems and deep green leaves. Rhubarb is known for having toxic leaves. Unlike rhubarb, Swiss chard stems and leaves are entirely edible. The stems need a little more cooking time than the dark green leaves because they have a lot of cellulose that needs to soften for longer. The leaves cook quickly.
It can be eaten raw, though it contains oxalic acid, so it may be better for you to eat it cooked. Cooking it also makes it less bitter.
This delicious sauteed Swiss chard recipe is loaded with vitamins and minerals and only 80 calories per serving. It is also naturally vegan and only 7 grams net carbs per serving.
More Easy Swiss Chard Recipes
If you get a CSA share with chard on a regular basis, keep a veggie garden, or just love it as much as me, note it can be used a variety of ways! Beyond a delicious side dish recipe here are a few of my favorite healthy ways to cook chard.
- Swiss Chard Pasta is a great vegetarian dinner.
- This Chard Egg Bake helps get in your veggies at breakfast!
- Make Spicy Lentil Sausage and Swiss Chard Soup for a chilly evening.
- Chard with Chicken and Curry is made with creamy coconut milk.
- For an appetizer try Bruschetta are topped with Garlicy Greens.
- Mature red chard is a favorite when wilted for either Swiss Chard Tart or Savory Galette.
- Use either large or baby chard blended into a swiss chard smoothie.
- The large leaves can also be used to make Swiss Chard Rolls.
- Simply stir chopped leaves into soup recipes.
And make sure you check back too! As an avid gardener, I am always coming up with new recipes with Swiss Chard!
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Best Recipe for Swiss Chard
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Simple Sauteed Swiss Chard recipe has 90 five-star reviews and 40k+ shares! This popular recipe will be your go-to Swiss chard recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 large bunches Swiss chard, or rainbow chard
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch each dry thyme and nutmeg
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, optional
Instructions
- Chop and clean Swiss Chard: Stack several pieces of Swiss chard on work surface. Remove stems and set aside. Roughly cut leaves into pieces about 2-inch square. Repeat with the remaining swiss chard. Transfer the chopped leaves to a salad spinner filled with water. Drain, repeat washing if necessary, and spin dry. Rinse and chop the Swiss chard stems (about the same size as the diced onion.)
- Cook The Swiss Chard Stems with Onions: Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped chard stems, garlic, onion, salt, thyme, nutmeg and pepper and cook, stirring often until the onions are starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add The Leaves and Wilt: Add chopped cleaned Swiss chard leaves, 2 tablespoons water and cover. Let wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Cook Until Softened: Remove lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the Swiss chard is completely wilted and softened, 1 to 3 minutes.
- To Finish and Serve: Remove from the heat and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if using. Serve hot.
Notes
Alternative To Large Skillet with Lid: If you don’t have a very large skillet with a lid you can do this in a wide Dutch oven instead.
Other Elements To Try Adding To This Recipe:
If you’re ready to get creative with this recipe here are some idea starters for ways to liven up this recipe even more!
- Add a handful of toasted almonds or pine nuts at the end.
- When you remove the lid add a handful of golden raisins, dried cranberries or dried currants
- When you pull it off the heat crumble on a little feta or goat cheese.
- Fresh herbs can be added as well. Savory woody herbs like oregano or thyme can go in with the onions, where as tender herbs like mint, basil or chives can be stirred in after it comes off the heat.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: side dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2/3 cup
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
I am a picky eater. I hate cooked spinach. My fear was when I made this it would have that spinach taste! WOW! I loved it! The nutmeg and Thyme added with the balsamic vinegar….I will continue to eat this healthy dish! Thank you! Thank you!
Well that’s just about the best compliment I could hear! I love it! Yes! It is all about blending the other tastes and flavors in to balance the boldness of this green. Thanks for reporting back and please let me know what recipe you try next, Tami.