• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Happily From Scratch
  • All Recipes
  • Meal Type
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Lunch
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • Soups and Stews
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Whole30
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Lamb
    • Seafood
    • Turkey
  • Quick and easy
  • About
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Meal Type
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Lunch
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • Soups and Stews
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Whole30
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Lamb
    • Seafood
    • Turkey
  • Quick and easy
  • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Lemon

    Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Lemon

    Published: Apr 1, 2024 by Erica Julson · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    • Share
    • Yummly
    Recipe Print

    Mmmm.... Swiss chard.

    This tasty green is often overshadowed by the ever-popular kale, but chard deserves some time in the spotlight!

    The stems are celery-like, and the leaves are nice and crinkly like spinach :).

    Chard typically has white, yellow, or red stems, and can be bought separately or in a rainbow-blend of all 3 colors.

    Chard is actually in the same family as spinach, beets, and quinoa, so it has some powerhouse nutritional benefits. Chock full of fiber and phytonutrients, it's a GREAT source of vitamins K, A, and C.

    It's delicious, nutritious, and super versatile for cooking.

    Red Swiss Chard

    I love chard raw in salads or slaws, quickly sautéed with some garlic and olive oil,  or tossed into soup or stews for the perfect finishing touch.

    But there's one preparation I come back to again and again.

    Chopped swiss chard, quickly sautéed in olive oil and lots of garlic, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon. YUM.

    The nice thing is, you can use the cooking method with pretty much any green. (Spinach, kale, collards, beet greens, etc.)

    It's a great easy prep method you'll come back to again and again once you've mastered the basics.

    Sauteed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Lemon

    Here's the basic overview:

    1. Wash the chard well. Rinse the leaves under running water in the sink to remove any dirt and bugs that might be hiding in the leaves and stems. (Don't forget the underside!)
    2. Chop the leaves and slice the stems. I like to keep it simple. I separate the leaves and stems by chopping off the stems at the base of the chard leaves. Then I roughly chop the leaves (with center stem still attached) and thinly slice the standalone stems. This helps the whole mixture cook more evenly.
    3. Thinly slice the cloves from a whole head of garlic. I don't skimp on the garlic! This step is what takes the longest, but it's worth it.
    4. Slow cook the garlic in olive oil. Over low heat until the garlic is nice and soft and sweet.
    5. Toss the chard in the pan and cook until tender. I told you this was an easy recipe!

    Once the chard is tender, hit it with a finish of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky Maldon sea salt.

    This is sure to become one of your favorite weeknight side dishes. Enjoy!

    Recipe

    Garlic Sauteed Swiss Chard

    Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Lemon

    No ratings yet
    Print
    Prep15 minutes mins
    Cook15 minutes mins
    Total30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 as a side
    (Toggle ON to prevent your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients 

    • 2 bunches swiss chard (any color)
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced
    • Juice of ½ lemon
    • Sprinkle of flaky sea salt (Maldon is my favorite!)

    Instructions

    • Wash your Swiss chard throughly (the curly leaves love to capture grit!) and pat dry.
    • Cut the stems off at the base of the leaves. Slice the stems crosswise into ½ inch thick slices.
      Roughly chop the rest of the leaves (I do this by slicing each leaf vertically into 4 long strips, then roughly chopping crosswise into ~2-inch squares).
      Don't bother removing the inner stems. Just chop them up with the leaves! They're thin enough to cook evenly with everything else.
    • Add the olive oil and sliced garlic to a large skillet and cook over low heat, stirring often, until the garlic is tender and just golden, but not browned. This should take about 5-10 minutes. If the garlic is cooking too quickly, turn down the heat.
    • When the garlic is tender, add the chard (leaves and stems) and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is just wilted and the stems are crisp tender. About 5 minutes more.
    • Turn off the heat, squeeze the lemon over the top of the chard, and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Toss quickly to coat, then serve!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 598mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 9175IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention or tag @happilyfromscratch !

     

    « Confit Turkey Legs with Citrusy Salad
    Easy Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese, Cranberries, and Walnuts »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Erica Julson Profile Picture

    Hi, I'm Erica! Food & wellness lover, cooking enthusiast, and registered dietitian nutritionist. 

    My mission is to help you reclaim the joy of cooking at home by providing you with jaw-droppingly delicious recipes you'll want to make again and again.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Tomato, Zucchini, and Squash Gratin
      Tomato, Zucchini, and Summer Squash Gratin
    • Pasta with Sausage and Fennel Fronds
    • Pappardelle with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
    • Farro Salad with Butternut Squash

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright 2025 The Unconventional RD LLC

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required