7 Easy ways to use Swiss chard
I love the color that comes through the plants this time of year. We have some really beautiful flowers on our property, but the beauty of the vegetables is really showcased in July.
One of my favorite colorful vegetables is Swiss chard. The beauty of the colorful stalks and the lush greens is a highlight for me every season.
Relatively, this is a new veggie for me. I started growing it for the first time in 2020, and it has taken me a while to get used to adding it into my meal rotations. Below are my 7 favorite ways to use chard in your kitchen!
Chop it up and eat in a salad.
The best part of Swiss chard is that the entire leaf and stalk is edible. It only takes a couple of monstrous leaves to fill a salad bowl. I chop the stalks up like I would celery, and toss it with a tasty vinaigrette.
Add to your favorite soup recipe.
The leaves taste a lot like spinach, and can be a delicious addition to a broth-based soup. I like to add it to a hearty chicken noodle soup to add some texture and greens. This is especially true for my fall chard when the temperatures have started to cool down.
Put a layer of Swiss chard in a lasagna.
If you are anything like me, the heavier the lasagna pan the better! You can chop chard finely and add to ricotta cheese for a tasty layer, or you can layer the leaves on their own. This cooks down beautifully and adds a nice dimension to your lasagna.
Toss sautéed chard with pasta.
A nice sautéed chard can be a side dish, or you can toss it directly with your pasta. Raw chard is a great addition to a pasta salad in the summer!
Sautée with other vegetables of your choice to create a delicious side dish.
Chop up any veggies that are in season, add a thin layer of olive oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes - voila! You have an easy side dish to add to any meal! Add freshly ground sea salt to taste!
Add stalks to a stir fry.
Stir fries are one of my top 5 favorite summer dishes. The stalks add a really nice color to any stir fry. You really can’t go wrong with any combination of veggies or meat!
Add chopped chard to your favorite quiche or frittata recipe.
Quiche is one of my favorite breakfast meals. I’ll regularly add frozen veggies in the winter months, or in summer I’ll chop fresh veggies to add to my egg bakes. Chard is a great fresh addition!
