Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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Sauteed Swiss Chard and White Beans, an Italian-inspired side dish, comes together quickly with only 4 ingredients – Swiss chard, olive oil, garlic and white beans. Serve it hot with a bit of extra olive oil drizzled on top and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

After admiring the gorgeous Swiss Chard (also called rainbow chard) at our local farmers market, I finally bit the bullet and brought some home. I knew I wanted to try a healthy Swiss chard recipe, so I went to my collection of old cookbooks.

This Sauteed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Olive Oil recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks called Vegetables on the Side. Serve this perfect side dish with any grilled meat such as Grilled Pork Shoulder Steak and the Easiest Grilled Chicken Ever.

Try our Steamed Swiss Chard recipe for a simpler side dish.

Table of Contents

Notes About This Recipe:

  • Fresh garlic is always best, but use jarred minced garlic if that’s all you have. I’ve found that jars or roasted garlic are a great substitution for the real thing, and one teaspoon of the jarred garlic equals one clove of fresh garlic.
  • Do not burn your garlic. You only need to cook it for about 30 seconds. If you leave it there longer, it will burn and give an off-flavor.
  • Sauteed Swiss chard recipe calls for white beans. Use whatever cans of white beans you have on hand, but Cannellini, Great Northern Beans or White Kidney beans all work just fine.
  • I would not recommend using a coarse salt to season this recipe because it will give the dish a gritty texture.
  • Sauteed Swiss Chard with White Beans recipe is served best hot, and drizzle with additional olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese to jazz up the recipe.

How to Prepare Italian Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe:

Full Recipe for Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans can be found below.

Wash chard carefully to remove dirt and sand. Separate the stems from the leaves. Cut the stems into 1 inch pieces and parboil JUST the stems in acidulated water for 3 to 5 minutes or until partially tender. Drain.

Cut the chard leaves into 1 inch strips. Cook JUST the leaves in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes in the water that clings to the leaves. Once leaves are wilted, remove from pan and set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems to the oil and saute until completely tender. Add garlic and cannellini beans and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in wilted rainbow chard leaves and season well with salt and black pepper.

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (3)

Notes About Swiss Chard:

Have questions after seeing Swiss Chard (also known as Rainbow Chard) at the grocery store or farmers market? Let’s try and answer some of them!

Is Swiss Chard healthy?

Yes, Swiss chard contains high levels of iron, calcium, Vitamin A,, Vitamin K and Vitamin C.

What are the benefits of Swiss chard?

Swiss chard is a dark, leafy vegetable that is high in antioxidants and vitamins. Adding Swiss chard to your regular diet can help prevent certain chronic illnesses. Swiss chard is also low in calories meaning it is a great weight-loss friendly food option.

Can Swiss Chard be eaten raw?

People usually eat the leaves of the Swiss chard raw more often than the stems. Use the Swiss chard leaves in salads and massage gently with the dressing in a similar way as you would with kale to tenderize the leaves.

What does Swiss chard taste like?

Swiss chard tends to have a slightly bitter taste and the leaves have a delicate texture similar to spinach.

How do you prepare Swiss Chard?

Prepare Swiss chard leaves and stems in two different ways. Typically, you strip the leaves from the stems. Fold the leaf in half. Grasp the bottom of the stem and pull up. This should separate the two parts. If it’s a bigger, tougher chard, fold in half on a cutting board and take a knife along the stem.

Traditionally you prepare Swiss chard leaves the same as spinach and are a good substitution for recipes that call for spinach. Wash the leaves well to remove any excess dirt or sand, because you don’t want a gritty texture to your dish. Cook the chard in the water that clings to the leaves after washing. Do this in a skillet over medium heat until the leaves wilt, usually just 2 to 3 minutes.

Swiss chard stems can quickly turn brown. To prevent this, cut the stem in 1 inch pieces, and boil in acidulated water.

What is acidulated water?

Acidulated water is water that has lemon juice added to it, and typically, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice added to 1 quart of water will do the trick.

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (5)

Our Favorite Green Vegetable Recipes

I love this healthy Swiss chard recipe. Do you love green vegetables? Try our Tangy Wilted Bacon and Kale, Low Carb Sesame Broccoli, Crock Pot Green Beans, Simple Kale Mango Salad, and Instant Pot Braised Kale and Tomatoes. Check out Beyer Beware’s Brussels Sprouts with Onion and Bacon (made in the Ninja Foodi).

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (7)

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4.50 from 2 votes

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans

Sauteed Swiss Chard and White Beans, an Italian-inspired side dish, comes together quickly with only 4 ingredients---Swiss chard, olive oil, garlic and cannellini beans.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Italian Swiss Chard, Sauteed Swiss Chard, Swiss Chard and Beans

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Swiss chard
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 15.5 ounces Cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • Salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Wash Swiss chard to remove dirt and sand

  • Remove stems from the leaves.

  • Cut stems into 1 inch pieces and parboil JUST the stems in acidulated water (1 quart water with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice added) for 3 to 5 minutes; drain.

  • Cut the chard leaves into 1 inch strips. Cook JUST the leaves in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes in the water that clings to the leaves. Once leaves are wilted, remove from pan and set aside.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat; add olive oil. Saute parboiled stems until tender, approximately 5 minutes.

  • Add drained and rinsed cannellini beans and garlic; stirring constantly for 30 seconds (be careful not to burn garlic).

  • Add wilted Swiss chard leaves to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Serve hot. An additional drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese are optional toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 9247IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 5mg

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Swiss chard less bitter? ›

It has a slightly bitter taste, but that can be resolved with adding a little acid, like lemon juice. Swiss chard is generally served cooked, as the leaves brighten nicely when sautéed in a bit of oil.

What does cooking do to the flavor of chard? ›

What Does Swiss Chard Taste Like? Swiss chard's leafy green leaves are tender with a bitter taste when eaten raw. Once cooked, the bitterness dissipates, turning into a mild, sweet taste similar to spinach.

What are 3 ways you can 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.

Is it better to eat raw or cooked Swiss chard? ›

It is an excellent source of vitamin K, and a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, manganese, and copper. Swiss chard may be more nutritious when cooked.

When should you not eat Swiss chard? ›

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. Allergy: If you are sensitive to grass pollen, you should avoid eating Swiss chard because inhaling vapor from boiling the vegetable may trigger rhinoconjunctivitis.

What spice takes away bitterness? ›

Spices mask bitter flavors, so don't be shy. Add some spicy peppers or powders to your cooking, or sprinkle some onto your dishes for a little bit of extra heat. Black pepper in particular has compounds that counteract bitterness. Some other great spices include cayenne, red pepper, paprika, and chili powder.

Should you eat the stems of Swiss chard? ›

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.

Is there a difference between chard and Swiss chard? ›

All chard is Swiss chard; it's just stalk colors and names that vary! The stalks and leaf veins of Swiss chard vary in color from yellow to pink and deep red to white. Chard with red stalks is called Rhubarb, Red, or Ruby Chard. Chard with multicolored stalks grouped together is known as Rainbow Chard.

Why is Swiss chard a super food? ›

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.

Is chard healthier than spinach? ›

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.

Can I freeze Swiss chard? ›

The best time to enjoy chard (sometimes called Swiss chard) is spring and summer, when the plant is at peak availability and most affordable. But you don't have to limit your chard consumption to that window. You can preserve these hardy, healthy greens by freezing them.

Is Swiss chard hard to digest? ›

Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage are among the most challenging to digest due to their complex fibers, which tend to ferment in the gut, causing gas and bloating. Alternative nutrient-rich foods that are easier on the gut include dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard.

How to cook Swiss chard so it is not bitter? ›

The flavor of Swiss chard mellows once it's cooked. Adding onions and garlic will impart a sweet flavor, or pair with salty bacon, white beans or creamy cheese to offset the bitterness. I love adding a touch of spice and squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright pop of flavor.

Why is chard so bitter? ›

Chard has a bitter taste when raw because of an acid known as oxalic acid. When cooked, chard's bitter taste and vibrant color tend to diminish. Chard can reach up to 28 inches in height and will produce stems that are white, yellow, orange, or crimson in color.

Is Swiss chard good for your stomach? ›

Loaded with fiber

For example, it feeds beneficial gut bacteria, promotes regular bowel movements, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and slows digestion to stabilize blood sugar levels ( 8 ). Just 1 cup (175 grams) of cooked Swiss chard provides about 4 grams of fiber.

How do you neutralize bitter taste? ›

The Fix: Balance bitter flavors by introducing something salty, sweet, or sour. For naturally bitter foods such as kale, you can soften the flavor by add a lemony vinaigrette, Parmesan cheese, and pomegranate seeds. You can also elevate kale by tossing it olive oil and salt, then roasting it in the oven until crispy.

What kills the bitterness of greens? ›

Sautéing greens in oil with lots of garlic and/or onions works well to counteract the bitterness of mildly bitter greens. Counterbalancing with acid, salt and strong flavors. A bitter salad green like arugula (rocket, rucola) demands a rather strong tasting dressing.

Why does my Swiss chard taste bitter? ›

Swiss Chard May Taste Bitter

As part of the Goosefoot plant family, Swiss chard contains geosmin, which gives it its characteristic bitter taste. Many chefs and foodies favor Swiss chard for this naturally-occurring bitterness which pairs perfectly with various dishes.

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