This one-pot rainbow chard recipe is a quick and delicious way to enjoy this healthy green vegetable. The addition of white beans makes it the perfect hearty and nutritious meal.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Do you have a go-to summer meal that you could eat every day?
While it may not be the most visually stunning dish, this Italian “peasant food” is delicious. What it lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up for in taste.
For me, there’s nothing better than gathering fresh rainbow chard from my backyard garden, sautéing it, and combining it with cannellini beans for a one-pot meal my husband and I love. Essentially, it’s a return to our Italian roots and the foods we grew up with.
By growing both Swiss and rainbow chard in my garden, I can use young leaves and skip the parboiling step.
I start by slowly sautéing the chard stems with garlic and shallot, then add the chopped chard leaves until they wilt and cook through, letting the liquid evaporate. This process results in a one-pot recipe variation of my mom’s classic sautéed Swiss chard recipe.
I like to add white beans to make it a vegan meal. It’s a delicious twist on the classic Italian “beans and greens” dish, which usually features escarole.
Here’s how I make this simple rainbow chard recipe with cannellini beans.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Olive oil: For sautéing, it adds a rich, smooth base flavor.
- Garlic: Garlic infuses the dish with an irresistible aroma.
- Shallot: Adds a subtle sweetness and depth to the dish.
- Rainbow chard: The star of the show with its colorful stems and lush leaves. If you can’t find rainbow chard, regular Swiss chard, kale, spinach, collard greens or even rapini can be great substitutes.
- Salt: Essential for seasoning to taste. Sea salt or kosher salt can be used in the same quantity.
- Canned white beans: I love using canned cannellini beans in this recipe. You can easily use navy beans, great northern beans, or even chickpeas.
- White wine vinegar: This will brighten everything up with its fresh acidity. You can use apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or even a splash of balsamic vinegar as a replacement.
- Chili flakes and black pepper: These optional spices can elevate the overall flavor of this Italian dish.
- Olive oil for drizzling: One final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds a touch of richness. Of course, this is optional.
Let’s prep our recipe
- To clean rainbow chard: You need about 1 pound of rainbow chard for this recipe. With a sharp knife, trim off the bottom of the individual stems. If there are other visible dark spots on the stem, use a vegetable peeler to remove them. Cut the thick ribs from the green leafy part and keep them in two separate piles. Fill a large mixing bowl with cold water and gently rub off the dirt and sand from the ribs and then the leaves. You may have to change the water a couple of times in order to properly remove all the dirt. Give them a final rinse.
- To prep the chard: Cut the ribs into ¼-inch strips. Set aside. Next, cut the leaves into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Prep the garlic: Remove the papery skin of 3 garlic cloves and cut off the tips. Finely mince, grate, or use a garlic press. Feel free to use more (or less) according to your preference and the size of your cloves.
- Prep the shallot: Remove the outer layer and finely dice the shallot (1 medium).
How to make this easy rainbow chard recipe
- Heat the oil: In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the minced garlic, stir frequently and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, add the chopped shallot and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
- Cook the chard stems: Toss in the chopped chard stems. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Season: Season with ⅛ teaspoon of salt, a pinch of chili flakes, and pepper to taste (if using).
- Cook the chard leaves: Add the chopped chard leaves to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
- Evaporate the liquid: Remove the cover and cook until there is no longer any liquid, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the beans: Add the drained white beans to the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the beans are heated through.
- Finish with vinegar: Stir in 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Final touch: Remove from heat, plate and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Tips
- Choose fresh chard: When selecting rainbow chard, look for leaves that are bright and crisp, with vibrant, colorful stems. Avoid any wilted or yellowing leaves, as they may indicate older or less fresh chard.
- Blanching the leaves: Consider blanching the chard leaves for a minute or two before sautéing. This quick blanching process can help mellow out any potential bitterness in the leaves.
- Cook the stems separately and first: To ensure that the rainbow chard stems are cooked to the desired tenderness, consider cooking them separately and before adding the leaves. The stems may take slightly longer to cook, so giving them a head start can help achieve a more evenly cooked dish.
- Canned beans without salt: If you use canned beans without salt, there is no need to rinse them.
- Recipe scalability: This one-pot sauteed chard and white bean recipe can easily be doubled to accommodate larger servings or to prepare leftovers. Simply adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
FAQ
Rainbow chard is a leafy green vegetable with vibrant, colorful stems in red, yellow, and orange shades. It belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and is prized for its slightly earthy flavor.
There is no difference between cooking Swiss chard or rainbow chard. In fact, most varieties of chard are interchangeable in recipes.
The thick stems or the ribs of rainbow and Swiss chard are not only edible but equally delicious as their green leafy counterparts. They only need to cook them a few minutes longer than the leaves.
Swiss chard recipes
Recipe origins
Growing up Italian meant there was always a green leafy vegetable served for supper. During the summer, it was fresh from the garden. In the winter, it was frozen Swiss chard or escarole, also from the garden. If you are interested, I shared a glimpse of my dad’s garden in this article on sautéed Swiss chard.
My mother often emphasized parboiling Swiss chard before sautéing to eliminate its bitterness. While this traditional technique can be effective, I’ve discovered that tender, young leaves—especially those from rainbow chard—yield a milder flavor without parboiling.
As a result of growing both Swiss and rainbow chard in my backyard, I use young leaves and skip the parboiling step, developing this variation of my mom’s sautéed Swiss chard recipe.
It’s funny how we often return to the foods we grew up with, although I admit I didn’t appreciate them as much then as I do now. One thing is certain: chard brings back many fond food memories.
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community, where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Rainbow Chard Recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
One Pot Rainbow Chard Recipe with Beans
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 shallot minced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- pinch crushed red pepper or chili flakes or more-according to taste
- 1 bunch rainbow chard about 1 pound, stems chopped ¼-inch , leaves cut into 1-inch pieces, separated
- 15 ounces canned white beans any variety, drained *see notes
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the minced garlic, stir frequently and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, add the chopped shallot and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
- Toss in the chopped chard stems. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Season with salt, a pinch of chili flakes, and pepper to taste (if using).
- Add the chopped chard leaves to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the cover and cook until there is no longer any liquid, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the drained white beans to the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the beans are heated through.
- Stir in the white wine vinegar.
- Taste and adjust for seasonings.
- Place on serving dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Video
Notes
- Choose fresh chard: When selecting rainbow chard, look for leaves that are bright and crisp, with vibrant, colorful stems. Avoid any wilted or yellowing leaves, as they may indicate older or less fresh chard.
- Blanching the leaves: Consider blanching the chard leaves for a minute or two before sautéing. This quick blanching process can help mellow out any potential bitterness in the leaves.
- Cook the stems separately and first: To ensure that the rainbow chard stems are cooked to the desired tenderness, consider cooking them separately and before adding the leaves. The stems may take slightly longer to cook, so giving them a head start can help achieve a more evenly cooked dish.
- Canned beans without salt: If you use canned beans without salt, there is no need to rinse them.
- Recipe scalability: This one-pot sauteed chard and white bean recipe can easily be doubled to accommodate larger servings or to prepare leftovers. Simply adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
Susan Schroeder
Rainbow chard was on sale at Whole Foods and I decided what the heck I’ll try to figure out how to cook this stuff. I found your recipe online and gave it a try today. I am so pleased at how delicious and simple this recipe is. I can’t wait to share it with my husband over dinner this evening. I will be more likely to try new things based on this experience. Thank you!
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks for sharing Susan!
Gail
We really enjoyed this and loved that it was so easy to make.
Maria
Thanks so much for taking the time to share Gail! Happy to read you enjoyed this recipe.
Louise Samson
Another winner, dear Maria. A close second (tie?) with your Swish chard with potatoes. I like to slice (a ton of) garlic in very thin slivers (you showed me that!) and add the shallot with it (since the slivers will take roughly the same time to cook): it adds a garlicky « smoky » flavour and renders it a bit sticky, which is great, IMO. Your dish has layers of flavours, extremely well-balanced. Thank you for so many great, healthy recipes!
Maria
So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for taking the time to share Louise!
Judy M
Hi Maria I’ve been making this dish for years and love it. The only thing different in mine is the cubed potatoes that I sauté with the onion and garlic…thanks again for your great recipes.
Judy M
Maria
Thanks Judy! Yes!!! This is another one of my favorites. I actually have documented my mom’s recipe for Swiss Chard and Potatoes. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Ann
This recipe also works with escarole.
Maria
SO many delicious variations! Thanks Ann!
Sara
Amazing recipe!! Maria, you never fail!
Maria
So thrilled to read this! Thank you Sara!
Jovina Coughlin
Looks delicious and it is a great time of year to make this recipe.
Maria
It truly is! Thanks so much for stopping by Jovina!