When you have a large crop of chard from the garden or farmstand, you don't have time to casually include it in complicated recipes or to frantically figure out how to use it up before it goes bad without getting sick of it. You want to make the most of your harvest and to actually enjoy it.
Here at Plant to Plate, we like to keep things simple! Here are some of my favorite ways to use or preserve chard:
- Sauté it with garlic. Add a splash of olive oil, apple cider vinegar (plain or infused), or lemon juice if desired.
- Sauté or stirfry it with leeks or onions. This combination can be eaten on its own or served over rice, quinoa, or other grains.
- Sauté or stirfry it with cheddar and drizzle with a cayenne-based hot sauce.
- Add it to egg dishes like omelets and quiches.
- Add it to pasta dishes, both stovetop and baked.
- Add it to stirfry.
- Make a Simple Salad. A few ideas for simple salad combinations with chard are as follows:
- Broccoli, red onions, and cheddar
- Chicken and lemon balm
- Tomatoes and pepitas
- Tomatoes and sunflower seeds
- Tomatoes and cheddar
- Tomatoes and mozzarella
- Bell peppers and cheddar
- Banana peppers and cheddar
- Banana peppers and manchego
- Use it as a Base or Partial Base for an Interesting Salad. (Wondering why I capitalized those letters? Read more about Interesting Salads here!) Consuming raw chard is not recommended for those sensitive to or otherwise concerned about oxalates. Cooking chard reduces its oxalate content and potency.
- Add it to other salads.
- Add it to smoothies for a green nutrition boost.
- Blanch and freeze it to save it for later. Check out this article for more about blanching.
- Dry or dehydrate it. This is another great preservation technique for greens like chard. Once dry, the chard can be powdered and added to smoothies or used as a thickener for soups and sautés.
Further Reading
Growing chard? Check out these quick facts like its best growing conditions, companion plants, and expected yields.
Chard is also featured in these articles: