For a tasty way to eat your greens, look no further than this garlic parmesan sautéed Swiss chard. This easy-to-make dish features tender Swiss chard cooked with onion and garlic then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese for a little extra flavor. Perfect as a side dish, it can be customized to include mushrooms, bacon and more.
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I plant a little garden every year. I love getting outside and the joy of eating our harvest.
While the harvest is usually pretty small (I'm still working on my green thumb!), over the past few years, Swiss chard has been the vegetable that has flourished.
And thus, I have needed to come up with some delicious ways to use it!
A leafy green with a strong flavor, chard isn't everyone's cup of tea but I've come to really like it. And I think you might too, especially if you make this recipe because it's:
- Healthy: Swiss chard is packed with essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. The addition of garlic, onion and Parmesan makes it easy to eat your greens.
- Easy: With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep, sautéed Swiss chard is a quick and easy side dish to prepare on busy weeknights.
- Great Way to Use Excess Garden Chard: If you have an abundance of Swiss chard growing in your garden, this recipe is a fantastic way to make use of it.
- Versatile Side Dish: Sautéed Swiss chard pairs well with a wide variety of main dishes, from roasted chicken to grilled fish and more.
The Ingredients
- Swiss Chard- Any variety of Swiss chard (such as white, rainbow or ruby) will work. You can also experiment with making this recipe using a different green such as beet greens, spinach or kale.
- Yellow Onion- Caramelized onions make the base of this tasty chard recipe. White or red onions could be substituted if needed.
- Garlic- Fresh cloves of garlic add the best flavor but in a pinch, you can use a teaspoon of garlic powder instead or leave it out if needed.
- Butter- I like to use salted butter (as it's most often what I have on hand). If using unsalted, you may need to add more salt to taste.
- Sea Salt- Table or kosher salt will work as well; adjust to taste.
- Black Pepper
- Parmesan- For best flavor and texture, grate fresh Parmesan just before adding to the recipe.
The Method
1. Sauté Onions. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the thinly sliced onions, salt and pepper and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add Garlic. Add the chopped garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
3. Cook Swiss Chard Stems. Stir in the chopped Swiss chard stems and cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add Swiss Chard Leaves. Once the stems are softened, add the roughly chopped chopped chard leaves to the skillet and cook until wilted.
5. Finish with Butter and Parmesan. Stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed and then sprinkle with shredded Parmesan. Cook for about 30 seconds to give a chance for the cheese to get ever so slightly melty and then remove from the heat.
6. Enjoy!
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Store leftover parmesan Swiss chard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 4 days. I don't recommend freezing as the chard will release extra moisture when thawing which will affect the texture.
To Reheat: Sauté leftovers in a pan over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes until heated through or warm in the microwave.
Make it Your Own
- Include Mushrooms: Enhance the earthy flavor by adding 1-2 cups of sliced mushrooms to the sauté at the same time as the onions.
- Top with Toasted Nuts: For added texture, sprinkle the finished dish with toasted nuts such as sliced almonds or chopped cashews.
- Add Bacon: Start by cooking 2-4 slices of bacon in the pan until crisp. Remove to a plate and remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease.
- Use the grease in place of the butter to cook the onions. You can leave out the additional butter at the end if you prefer.
- Follow the recipe as written for the next steps but crumble the cooked bacon and add it just before the cheese.
- Make it Lemony: Brighten up the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before adding the cheese.
- Use a Different Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses such as crumbled feta or shredded Gruyere for alternate flavors.
Serving Ideas
Swiss chard is so versatile and pairs well with almost anything (making it a great way to add some greens to any meal). Here are a few dishes I like it with in particular:
- Chicken: Enjoy it with grilled chicken thighs, roasted chicken breasts and more.
- Seafood: It is excellent alongside Herb Roasted Cod, salmon or grilled shrimp.
- Potatoes: I love pairing it with meals that include Onion Roasted Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes. (It's a great way to add some veggies to a meal of Turkey Swedish Meatballs).
Tips for the Best Sautéed Swiss Chard
- Separate Stems and Leaves: Remove the tough stems from the Swiss chard leaves before cooking. Chop the stems separately and sauté them first as they take longer to cook than the leaves.
- Be Generous with the Seasoning: Taste and add more seasoning if the chard tastes a bit bland or bitter.
- Cook in Butter: While you can use avocado oil and skip the Parmesan if you need it dairy free, cooking in butter adds great flavor. Butter has a lower smoke point than some oils so don't sauté with the heat above medium.
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Recipe Card
Parmesan Garlic Sautéed Swiss Chard
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 large bundle Swiss chard about 12-15 ribs
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1 and ½ tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt and pepper to the skillet and sauté until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped Swiss chard stems to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
- Once the stems are softened, add the chopped Swiss chard leaves to the skillet. Cook the Swiss chard leaves until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
- Once the Swiss chard is cooked to your desired doneness, stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter until melted. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and keep over the heat for about 30 seconds to let it soften and get slightly melty.
- Serve.
annette says
Quick, easy, delicious!
Janessa says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Annette! Thank you for your kind review.