17 Swiss Chard Recipes That Showcase the Versatility of This Healthy Green (2024)

It often gets overshadowed by its popular neighbor kale, but Swiss chard is a superstar in its own right, making a colorful, tasty side dish, or a nutritious addition to pasta, soup, quiches, and more.

This leafy vegetable has earthy flavors and a mild bitterness, which adds perspective to dishes without overwhelming the other ingredients. While the leaves are bright green, the stems and ribs come in a range of colors—look for rainbow or red chard varieties. Either option will lend a beautiful pop of color and vibrancy to any dish.

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Cheesy Stove-Top Barley and Chard

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In this one-pot vegetarian dinner, chard brightens a cheesy take on risotto with barley standing in for the usual arborio rice.

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Rolled Stuffed Salmon

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It's hard to decide which ingredient steals the show here: the creamy Dijon and Swiss-Chard filling or the omega-packed salmon. This main course looks fancy, but it's quite easy to put together and makes a wonderful centerpiece at a holiday meal or other special occasion.

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Late-Summer-Vegetable Minestrone

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Homemade minestrone doesn't need to lean on store-bought broth. In this recipe, the flavorful broth builds from the bouquet of vegetables in the soup. For maximum flavor, we bookended this recipe with Swiss chard: We cooked the stems with onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in the beginning and then finished the soup with handfuls of the wilted leaves.

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Skillet Pizza with Eggplant and Greens

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It's time for a pizza topping upgrade. While we don't often see Swiss chard on the menu at our local pizza joint, we think it deserves a spot. The deep green leaves lend a punchy flavor and silky texture alongside creamy eggplant and gooey provolone cheese in this decadent deep-dish pizza.

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Creamy Swiss Chard with Coconut

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The earthy notes of Swiss chard pair well with creamy ingredients—and that doesn't just mean butter and cheese. In this dairy-free dish, wilted greens are coated in creamy coconut milk with a hint of spice from garlic, ginger, and hot chile peppers.

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Brothy Beans and Greens on Toast

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Layer up on nutrition by combining some of the healthiest ingredients—leafy greens and beans—in a fast and easy meal to be enjoyed anytime of the day. Start by sautéing the chard stems in olive oil and garlic before adding handfuls of the greens to wilt, then warm the beans right in the skillet and spoon the mixture over crispy toast.

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Swiss Chard Tzatziki

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If you love tzatziki, this Swiss chard-filled spin will surely become your new seasonal favorite. Silky blanched Swiss chard leaves blend right into the creamy rich yogurt in place of the traditional cucumber. Just be sure to drain the leaves well, squeezing out excess moisture so it doesn't water down the dip.

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Swiss Chard Farinata

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A topping of sautéed Swiss chard and Parmesan finishes our take on the Italian dish farinata. It's an easy-to-make chickpea flour pancake that you can pick slices of with your hands just like pizza. It's also gluten free.

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Raw Swiss Chard, Cabbage, and Brussels Sprout Salad

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Don't overlook the potential of Swiss chard raw in salads. We pair it with super crunchy cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Everything marinates together in a tangy vinaigrette for maximum flavor. It's a dish everyone will want you to make again.

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Chard Osh*tashi

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Osh*tashi is a Japanese preparation used for leafy greens such as spinach, but we love to make it with chard. The dark green leaves contrast with the colorful stems and bring a pop of color to any plate. The greens are lightly cooked, drained, and chopped, then tossed with soy sauce and topped with bonito flakes for serving.

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Swiss-Chard and Almond Pasta

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A natural addition to pasta, cooked Swiss chard, like any green, almost becomes more of a sauce than an ingredient. In this recipe, we pair the green with toasted almonds and nutty Parmesan for a quick and flavorful plant-based meal.

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Rainbow-Chard Quiche

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In this showstopper dish, tender leaves of chard are mixed into a delicate quiche filling, resulting in this gorgeous phyllo dough pie. Chard stems make an appearance as a final colorful touch atop the greens filled-egg custard.

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Beet Salad with Honey-Lavender Dressing

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Beets and goat cheese are a match made in heaven, so it's no surprise that Swiss chard, a relative of beets, also tastes fabulous with this assertive cheese. Pair the most tender spring leaves with spring beets, then drizzle with a honey and lavender dressing.

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Chard-Tomato Sauté

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Looking for a creative, yet quick side dish? This chard and tomato sauté is just the thing to make tonight. It's packed with burst cherry tomatoes, basil, capers, Parmesan, and, of course, Swiss chard. Basically, it's everything we'd want in a great pasta dish (without the actual pasta).

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Swiss-Chard-and-Ricotta Galette

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Swiss chard's earthier notes combine well with creamy, cheesy dishes, which is why we knew it was the green for this free-form pie. The buttery crust includes cream cheese and oats, the perfect foundation for greens and more cheese.

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Farro Salad with Oven-Roasted Grapes and Autumn Greens

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Swiss chard season spans from June to October and beyond, meaning there are plenty of chances to pair the green with different seasonal produce. Here, we showcase the heartier fall side of chard by pairing it with sweet roasted grapes and nutty farro.

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Bacon, Potato, and Swiss Chard Scramble

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For those who like greens (and potatoes) with their classic bacon and eggs, here's a hearty breakfast, brunch, or even dinner entrée.

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