Looking for the best Swiss chard recipes? If you like deliciously bold and fresh Asian flavors, this is the one. 🙂 This quick and easy Swiss chard recipe is a perfect side dish pairing with chicken, fish or tofu.
The inspiration for this dish was this Asian salad dressing which I originally created as a standalone sauce. And I know as soon as I tasted it that I just had to post this chard greens recipe simply because it makes eating a large amount of super healthy, fiber and antioxidant-rich Swiss chard so easy and tasty!
This recipe is both an easy lesson in how to cook chard, and a great way to turn an ordinary side dish into a super healthy and delicious one.
🌿 Ingredients
The main ingredient here, obviously, is Swiss chard, plus a little olive oil for sautéing. Note that you might find different varieties of chard when you shop like red chard, green chard and rainbow chard. They're all Swiss chard and they all work great; pick whatever looks freshest and feel free to mix and match! 🙂
For the Asian dressing, you'll also need the following ingredients:
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- scallion
- reduced sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- toasted sesame oil
- olive oil
- rice vinegar
- honey or maple syrup
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
To get started, wash and trim the Swiss chard leaves and then cut the thick stem out of each leaf by cutting down along each side of it.
Chop the stems into small, bite sized pieces, set them aside, and then roughly chop the leaves of the chard into larger (1-2 inch) pieces and set aside.
Next, for the Asian dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a whisk to incorporate them.
Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add a little olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chopped chard stems and sauté them for a few minutes until they soften just a bit.
Then add the chard leaves and a little water, and cover and steam everything for a minute or two, stirring a few times so that the leaves turn just bright green (don't steam for too long.)
Finally, remove the sautéed chard from the skillet, place it in a medium serving bowl and then pour the dressing over everything and mix well to coat. I like to garnish this chard recipe with some black sesame seeds for a little extra crunch, but this is totally optional.
📋 Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can make in this chard recipe:
- Swiss chard - use other dark leafy greens such as spinach, collard greens, mustard greens or beet greens
- Olive oil - use avocado oil, sesame oil or canola oil
- Rice vinegar - use white vinegar
- Fresh garlic - use garlic powder
- Fresh ginger - use ginger powder
- Scallion - substitute chives, cilantro or just leave out altogether
- Gluten free - use tamari instead of soy sauce
- Vegan - use maple syrup instead of honey
📖 Variations
Here are a few variations you use depending on preferences:
- Spicy - add red chili pepper flakes for extra heat and spiciness
- Kid friendly - use just a bit of garlic powder and ginger powder instead of fresh garlic and ginger; you can also leave out the scallions
🔪 Equipment
You'll need the following ingredient to make this side dish:
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- large skillet
🍱 Storage
Leftover sautéed chard will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to one day in the fridge. It does not stand up well to freezing.
🎉 Top tip
Keep your eye on your skillet after you add the Swiss chard leaves and water; they'll cook down quickly in just a minute or two. Remove them from the pan right when they've turned a vibrant bright green.
Enjoy!
Swiss chard is a member of the beet family, but it's grown for its leaves rather than its roots. Despite the name, Swiss chard is actually native to the Mediterranean region and was given its name by Swiss botanist Karl Heinrich Emil Koch.
Swiss chard is milder in flavor than beet greens and other bitter greens, and tastes very similar to spinach but with a bit more crunch since its leaves are slightly thicker than spinach leaves.
Swiss chard contains numerous vitamins and minerals important for health, including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as a minerals including magnesium, copper, iron, and potassium.
Yes; Swiss chard can be eaten both raw and cooked. Raw chard works best in salads, while sautéed, steamed, or braised chard work well for side dishes or in soups and stews.
🍳 Recipe
Asian Sautéed Swiss Chard
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Swiss chard about 8 cups chopped (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- black sesame seeds optional, for garnish
For the Asian dressing:
- ¼ inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1 scallion
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey or maple syrup for vegan, to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Wash and trim the Swiss chard leaves and then cut the thick stem out of each leaf by cutting down along each side of it. Chop the stems into small, bite sized pieces, set aside, and then roughly chop the leaves of the chard into larger (1-2 inch) pieces; set aside.
- Make the dressing: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a whisk to incorporate.
- Sauté: Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the chopped stems and sauté for a few minutes until they soften a bit. Add the leaves along with the water, cover, and steam for a minute or two, stirring a few times to mix the stems with the leaves until the leaves are just bright green (don't steam for too long.)
- Combine: Remove the chard from the skillet and place in a medium serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the chard and mix well to coat. Garnish with black sesame seeds if desired.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately, and enjoy! Leftovers will stay fresh for up to one day in the fridge.
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