Easy Swiss Chard

Swiss chard growing on the farm

In the spectrum of greens, Swiss chard lies between spinach and kale—not as tender as spinach, not as tough as kale. But like spinach, you can easily sauté it in some olive oil in just a few minutes.

The stems are tougher than the greens, so you need to cut them away from the leaf and sauté them first before adding the leaves, to give them more cooking time. You can also discard the stems or keep them for another recipe if you wish. They can be used a bit like celery in a lot of recipes, adding a salty savory flavor.

By the way, not only is chard packed with vitamins (vitamins K, A, and C), it also is anti-inflammatory and helps the body manage blood sugar. It’s in the same family as beets, spinach, and quinoa. Even more reasons to eat chard!

For this easy sauté we cook the chard in just a little olive oil with some thinly sliced garlic and optional red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat. We also include coriander seeds which taste fantastic with this vegetable. If you don’t have coriander, you can skip it, but if you do have it it will make this simple swiss chard dish truly special.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, sliced

• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds (optional)

METHOD

1. Prep the chard stalks and leaves: Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Either tear or cut away the thick stalks from the leaves.

2. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Chop the leaves into inch-wide strips. Keep the stalks and leaves separate.

3. Sauté the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and coriander (if using): Heat the olive oil in a shallow frying pan on medium high heat. Add garlic slices, crushed red pepper, and coriander seeds, and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.

4. Add the chopped Swiss chard stalks. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add the chopped chard leaves, toss with the oil and garlic in the pan. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes. Turn the leaves and the stalks over in the pan.

If the chard still needs a bit more cooking (remove a piece and taste it), cover and cook a few more minutes. The leaves are very delicate and will carry on cooking in the pan from residual heat even after you've turned off the stove, so make sure to remove the chard from the pan once it has reached your desired tenderness.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This can be eaten as a side dish with something like potatoes and other roasted vegetables (carrots, beets, cauliflower, squash, etc.) and maybe some sausages or chicken.

If you chose to use the coriander then this dish makes a great side to go with a curry and rice. Try dhal (a lentil curry), which you can cook yourself (recipe here https://www.wearesovegan.com/supersimple-dhal/) or easily find microwaveable packets in the store.

If you didn't use the coriander, then try mixing this with any tomato based Italian pasta sauce. Just heat the sauce according to the packet instructions and stir in the chard once the sauce is ready. This will work well with any type of pasta: spaghetti, penne, fusilli, etc.

For a bunch more chard recipes, try these 13 possibilities and please let us know your thoughts. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/swiss-chard-recipes