The Best Swiss Chard Recipe Ever (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat Swiss chard? ›

Chard can be steamed or sauteed, and it's great in soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas and quiches. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads. Chard always has green leaves, but the stalks can be a variety of colors.

Cooking Styles I most often see:

My suggestion for when you encounter a really bitter green that you are not ready to eat just sauteed: Blanch in boiling water – this helps to remove the bitterness and soften the greens, Blanch THEN saute with bacon and onions, etc.

Fordhook Giant is a popular standard for many home gardens. This variety is one of best tasting Swiss Chards! The Fordhook Giant grows to be a dark glossy green color with a deeply savory leaf.

Swiss chard contains certain nutrients and compounds that some people may need to limit, including vitamin K and dietary oxalates. It may also trigger an allergic reaction for some people.

Chard stems are edible, too, so don't toss them when you're cooking the leaves! If I'm making sautéed Swiss chard, I simply add the stems to the pan a few minutes before I add the leaves so that they have a chance to soften.

Kidney stones: Swiss chard contains antinutritive oxalates, which may increase urinary oxalate excretion and increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones. Blood clotting: If you are on blood thinners, you may want to avoid Swiss chard due to its high vitamin K content, which plays a role in blood clotting.

Dark leafy greens like kale, collards, Swiss chard, and spinach contain magnesium, a mineral that helps soften stools, making them easier to pass.

Spinach have significantly more Vitamins A than chard. Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron. Spinach is a great source of Thiamin, Niacin, Zinc, Phosphorus.

While both vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, they differ in their concentrations of certain nutrients. For example, kale is a better source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium, while chard is higher in vitamin A and iron.

Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C and magnesium. Swiss chard also contains the antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamin A plays a significant role in normal formation and maintenance of many organs including the heart, lungs and kidneys.

What are the cons of Swiss chard? ›

Swiss chard is rich in potassium and magnesium, which helps control blood pressure. And it also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two heart-healthy antioxidants. Sauté it with a bit of olive oil until wilted and season with herbs and pepper for a delicious dish.

Along with other leafy greens and descendants of the beet family, Swiss chard contains high levels of nitrates, which been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance.

You can eat these greens both raw or cooked. However, cooking chards improves not only the nutrient availability, but also the taste. Swiss chard is susceptible to foodborne pathogens, like other leafy greens, so be careful about washing this veggie thoroughly before preparing it.

Choosing to eat chard raw or cooked depends on your taste and textural preferences. You can enjoy chard raw like spinach, kale and lettuce. As with spinach and kale, chard is earthy, but its bitterness is less intense than kale's.

Unlike rhubarb, Swiss chard stems and leaves are entirely edible. The stems need a little more cooking time than the dark green leaves because they have a lot of cellulose that needs to soften for longer. The leaves cook quickly. Can you eat raw Swiss chard?

Swiss chard, like many other leafy greens, is loaded with nutrients, vitamins, and phytochemicals. It is regarded as a powerhouse of flavonoid antioxidants, vitamins, calcium, and iron. One cup of Swiss chard contains 60 percent of your daily vitamin A requirements, making it excellent for vision, skin, and eye health.