Sautéed Swiss Chard

Sautéed Swiss Chard, a tasty way to eat chard leaves! Great as a simple wilted greens side dish or a topping for salads, bowls, or even pizza.

a plate with pan fried chard leaves on a plate with a gold fork

Want to Save This Recipe?

Save Recipe

Love chard? If you’re looking for a way to eat it beyond salads and wraps, try sautéing it in a pan for a tasty side dish or topping for bowls or even pizza.

👉 Want to learn how to sauté swiss chard leaves? Let’s do it!

swiss chard leaves on a table with bowls of oil, garlic, salt, and pepper for sautéing
Ingredients: swiss chard, garlic, oil, salt, red pepper (optional)

🥣 How to make (step-by-step)

1️⃣ Step One: Prep chard greens

Wash chard leaves under running water or submerging them a water bowl. Then dry with a salad spinner or by laying flat to dry.

Then cut leaves into thin thin strips before cooking by stacking the leaves, rolling them, then slicing off the ends into thin strips. This will make the leaves easier to cook since they are generally very large and thick.

cut swiss chard leaves on  a wood cutting board with a knife
Wash and cut chard into strips

2️⃣ Step Two: Heat and season cooking oil

Add olive oil to a medium frying pan and heat over medium-low heat.

Add minced garlic and cook until it begins to brown and become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Next add the red pepper and cook about 20-30 seconds more, or until the pepper begins to release its color into the oil (be careful not to overcook the pepper as it will easily become brown and release a burnt flavor).

a pan with oil and garlic
Heat oil and garlic

3️⃣ Step Three: Sauté chard laves

Add cut chard greens strips to the pan and stir until they are covered in oil, completely wilted, and have cooked down, about 2-3 minutes. Chard is a sturdier leaf, similar to chard, so they cook and reduce to about ⅓ of the volume when they are cooked.

a pan with oil, garlic, and strips of cut swiss chard
Add chard to pan

When the greens are done, remove them from the pan and plate. Serve immediately for best flavor, and enjoy!

sautéed swiss chard in a pan after cooking
Cook until wilted

❓ Questions + quick tips

Are chard leaves healthy?

Chard greens are a healthy leafy green that are high in vitamin K, iron, calcium (USDA Food Nutrient Database).

Can you freeze chard greens?

Chard leaves can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Simply remove the greens from the thickest part of the stem, and then wash and dry them before storing in an airtight freezer bag wrapped in a kitchen cloth or paper towel.

sauteed swiss chard leaves on a plate with a gold fork

♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips

  • Stock up on greens during chard season! The best time to make this recipe is during chard season, which is typically in late spring or late fall depending on when they are planted.
  • Store cut stems in water to keep them fresh. If you’ve cut the greens from the stem before using, keep them fresh by placing the stems in a glass of water and storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The water will keep the stems and leaves from wilting.
a close up photo of sauteed chard leaves on a white plate with a gold fork

🌿 More chard greens recipes

Want more recipes using chard? Try our Chard Pesto Sauce and Baked Chard Chips.

a screenshot of Fork in the Road's 4-day plant-based meal plan
NOT SURE WHERE TO START WITH PLANT-BASED EATING?

Get my 4-Day Plant-Based Meal Plan to start your journey on the plant path.

sauteed swiss chard leaves on a plate with a gold fork

Sautéed Swiss Chard

Kristina Todini, RDN
Sautéed Swiss Chard, a tasty way to eat chard leaves! Great as a simple wilted greens side dish or a topping for salads, bowls, or even pizza.
5 star (1 rating)
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings 2 servings
Calories 80 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pan

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups chard greens
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional

Instructions
 

  • Prep chard greens: Wash 4 cups chard greens under running water or submerging them a water bowl. Then dry with a salad spinner or by laying flat to dry. Then cut leaves into thin thin strips before cooking by stacking the leaves, rolling them, then slicing off the ends into thin strips. This will make the leaves easier to cook since they are generally very large and thick.
  • Heat and season oil: To a medium pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Add minced 2 cloves garlic and cook until it begins to brown and become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Next add the 1 pinch salt and pepper and 1 pinch red pepper flakes and cook about 20-30 seconds more, or until the pepper begins to release its color into the oil (do not overcook or the pepper will burn).
  • Sauté chard greens: Add the chard greens and stir constantly until they are covered in oil and completely wilted and cooked down, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate and serve immediately.

Notes

Tools Needed: glass mixing bowl, medium pan, knife set, cutting board, salad spinner
Prep Ahead: Cooked leafy greens are best eaten immediately, so we do not recommend cooking these chard leaves ahead of serving. However, you could wash and prep the greens up to a day ahead of time so they’re ready to be cooked. Any more than this and the greens will wilt and not look their best.
Leftovers and Storage: Store any leftover greens in the refrigerator for up to two days and reheat over the stovetop or quickly in the microwave. We do not recommend freezing.
Nutrition Notes: Nutrition information is estimated using all included ingredients. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and is a good source of vitamins K, iron and calcium.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 165mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4419IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Keyword sauteed swiss chard
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Did you make this recipe? Rate it!