Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard Recipes

 

Availability: July-October

Storage tips: Refrigerate in a plastic bag. Chard should store at least a week.

How to eat: Chard is best used as a cooking green. Wash and cut out the midribs. To steam, place leaves in a steamer basket or in a pan with a little bit of water in the bottom and steam until tender. Top with butter and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

How to preserve: Best way to preserve Swiss chard is to blanch and freeze it. Wash Swiss chard and tear leaves up into smaller sizes. Submerge in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove, cool in ice cold water. Squeeze water out of Swiss chard and pack into ziplock bags. Freeze for 6+ months.

Baked Greens and Feta Balls

I put this under swiss chard, but you can use any kind of greens you want in it.  When we made it last we used it as a "clean out the fridge" recipe adding chopped radish greens, kale, spinach and chard.  Really good as an appetizer or interesting veggie side!

10 cups loosely packed, finely sliced greens
3-4 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, minced
2-3 garlic scapes, minced
½ cup cilantro (or other fresh herb), chopped
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1-2 eggs


Sauté onion in oil until soft.  Add scapes, cilantro, and cumin for 1 min.  Add greens to wilt.  Remove from heat.  Cool 10 min.  Add rest of ingredients & salt to taste.  Form balls, place on baking sheet, and bake at 375 for 15-20 min.

Cabbage and Swiss Chard Soup

This is simple and delicious.  You could substitute kale for cabbage or other greens for swiss chard.  It's flexible.  Try adding the ground fennel to it, suggests a long-time CSA member.

  • 2-3 TBLS cooking oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 pound Swiss Chard, chopped
  • 1-2 pounds green cabbage, shredded
  • 1/4 pound bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 TSP turmeric
  • ground fennel, to taste, optional
  • 6+ cups broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • parsley, chopped for garnish

Saute onion and bacon in oil until onion is translucent, about 5-10 minutes.  Stir in garlic, Swiss chard, cabbage and cook a few minutes until slightly softened.  Add turmeric and broth to cover generously.  Simmer until vegetables are soft, approx 1/2 hour.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with parsley.

Chard and New Potato Curry

You can also substitute beet greens or kale for chard in this recipe and it will still be awesome.  Plus you don't have to use new potatoes.  ;)

  • cooking oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green chili, seeded and minced (or use chili flakes, to taste)
  • 1-2 TBLS fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 TSP garam masala (or substitute a pinch or two each of any combo you have on hand of the following spices: cardamom seeds, cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg)
  • 1/2 TSP mustard seeds
  • 1/2 TSP ground cumin
  • 1/4 TSP turmeric
  • 1 pinch cardamom seeds or 3 cardamom pods
  • 1-2 cups water
  • 1 pound potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1-2 TBLS tomato paste
  • fresh herb like cilantro or parsley chopped, to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pot on medium.  Saute onion stirring until translucent, about 5-10 minutes.  Add garlic, chili, and ginger.  Stir for a few seconds.  Add spices.  Stir a few seconds.  Add the water, potatoes, and chard.  Simmer covered until potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile mix the yogurt, tomato paste, and herb together.  When potatoes are cooked, removed from heat.  Add yogurt mixture and check seasonings.  Serve over rice or with an Indian flat bread like naan.

Chard and Summer Squash Frittata

2+ TBLS cooking oil
½ lb summer squash, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ lb Swiss chard, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
7-8 eggs
chopped basil
salt, pepper, grated cheese to taste

Sauté squash & onion in oil until softening 3-5 min. Add chard & garlic.  Cover & cook on medium-low until wilted & tender. Cool & drain well.  Whisk eggs, basil, cheese, salt, & pepper together. Add veggies & stir. Heat oiled skillet. Pour in egg mixture and cook 3-5 minutes.  Place in 400* oven until cooked through.

Mary Jo’s Garlic Sautéed Swiss Chard

When my mom visits in the summer, the first thing she says is lets go get some Swiss chard.  Here's a version of how she likes to cook it:

2 TBLS cooking oil
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
½-1 onion, chopped
1 bunch of Swiss chard, torn into pieces
salt to taste
dash of vinegar

Heat oil on medium.  Sauté onion until soft, about 10 min.  Add chard, garlic, & salt.  Sauté gently, covered, adding a little water if necessary, until very tender, 15-20 min.  Serve with vinegar.

Steamed Swiss Chard

Steamed Swiss Chard

1 bunch swiss chard
butter
cider, balsamic, or wine vinegar

Cut the midrib out of each leaf and either discard them or steam them for about 5 minutes.  Add the chard leaves to the midribs and steam for another 5 minutes or until tender.  Drain and serve with butter and a splash vinegar.

Summer Vegetable Strata
  • 1 lb. summer squash/zuke, grated
  • 1-2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, shredded
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
  • Parsley, chopped, to taste
  • 10 eggs, beaten
  • 2.5 cups milk
  • Salt to taste
  • 13 oz bread, cubed

Mix everything together and pour into buttered 9x13” dish. Bake at 350 covered with foil for 20 min. Remove foil and bake until set, 50-60 min+.

Sweet and Sour Swiss Chard

1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs and greens, coarsely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 apple, diced
2 TBSP cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP cider vinegar

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and apple and sauté for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the chard, salt and pepper and stir-fry gently for 15 minutes or until the midribs of the chard are tender. Add the cider vinegar and cook for 5 more minutes. Serves 2-4.

Swiss Chard Breakfast Sandwich with Creamy Dill Sauce
  • 1 bag Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
  • 1 TBLS + 1 tsp cooking oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 garlic scapes, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 2 tsp dill, chopped
  • 2 English muffins, toasted

Heat 1 TBLS oil in skillet and saute until wilted, 3-5 min. In small saucepan heat 1 tsp oil and sauté scapes until softening, 2-3 min on med-low heat. Add cream and cheese and stir until cheese is melted and incorporated into cream. Add dill, stir 1 min. Top English muffins with chard and pour dill sauce over top. Serve hot. 

Swiss Chard with Ginger and Garlic
  • 1 bunch of Swiss chard, leaves and stems cut
  • into 1/4” slices
  • 2 TBLS cooking oil
  • 1-2 tsp ginger, minced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
  • Cayenne pepper to taste, optional

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and ginger to hot oil and stir a few times. Add chard with leaves still wet from washing. Stir once, cover and cook a few minutes until wilted. Add salt and cayenne, cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until chard is done.

Vegetable Pancakes

This recipe is so flexible. You can use any kind of greens you have on hand and it was originally for cabbage. Soooo good! I like to shred the veggies ahead of time and keep in the fridge. Then right before eating, mix in the other stuff and fry. Definitely check out the sauce, too!

  • 8 cups shredded greens (beet greens, kale, pac choi, cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, etc)
  • ½-1 cup grated roots (salad turnips, carrots, etc.)
  • 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced at an angle
  • 6 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup flour
  • cooking oil
  • Salt to taste

Toss veggies, salt, and flour. Stir in egg. Heat oil in skillet on medium-high. Dollop batter onto skillet and smooth out into large ½” pancakes. Fry on both sides until cooked through. Serve hot with this sauce: https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/