Naturally vegan, this Swiss Chard Recipe with Potatoes makes a great Italian side dish that goes with almost any meal. It’s an easy Italian recipe just like nonna used to make.
Do you like to create amazing side dishes with simple foods that just scream comfort food?
Italian regional cooking provides endless examples when it comes to green leafy vegetables and potatoes.
Whether it is sauteed escarole, rapini, spinach or Italian roasted potatoes, some of these classic Italian side dishes have stood the test of time.
In this Swiss Chard Recipe with Potatoes, the vegetables are first boiled and then quickly sauteed together with garlic to make one of the best comfort food recipes. This easy side dish is not only healthy but delicious as well.
The longest part of the recipe is cleaning the Swiss chard so let’s get started!
Mise en place
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While we wait, let’s start chopping.
Prep the potatoes: You need about 4 medium yellow potatoes or about 2 pounds. Peel and dice into ¾-inch cubes.
When the water begins to boil, add the diced potatoes and a teaspoon of salt.
Turn down the heat and gently simmer the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes, until they become tender and can be easily pierced with a knife.
While the cubed potatoes are simmering, let’s prep the other two main ingredients.
Prep the garlic: Remove the papery skin of 3-4 garlic cloves and cut off the tips. Give them a rough chop. Feel free to use more (or less) according to your personal preference and the size of your cloves. Set aside.
Prep the Swiss chard: You need about 2 pounds of Swiss or 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 water and gently rub off the dirt and sand from the ribs and then the leaves. Keep them separated.
You may have to change the water a couple of times in order to properly remove all the dirt. Give them a final rinse.
Cut the ribs into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.
Next, cut the leaves into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.
By this time, the potatoes should be tender. Add the chopped ribs.
Boil for 3-5 minutes or until just beginning to soften. The total time depends on their size.
Next, add the leafy portion of the chard and boil for approximately 30 seconds. Drain all the vegetables in a colander.
Instructions for sauteeing
Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice (from half a lemon) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Serve immediately and enjoy the best-cooked swiss chard recipe any time of the year!
Tips
- Season your water properly with salt.
- Add the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pan first, and then turn on the heat. This allows the garlic to slowly cook, preventing it from burning.
- Start cooking your potatoes in a pot of boiling water as we want to exterior to be soft.
- Add the lemon juice once the pan is off the heat to preserve its bright flavor.
How can I make this a complete meal?
The addition of a can of chickpeas transforms this simple side dish into a high fiber, healthy and complete meal.
What foods go well with this Swiss chard recipe?
These sauteed greens with potatoes make a great side dish to almost any main meal. One of my favorite ways to serve it is alongside this baked cod recipe. It’s also great with this recipe for pan seared lamb.
Recipe inspiration
Vegetables have always played a major role in Italian cuisine.
When my grandparents and parents immigrated from rural Italy, having a backyard garden was very important to them.
It was just one way to provide their family with simple foods while maintaining their values and traditions.
As a result, I grew up eating A LOT of greens.
My dad planted them all –broccoli rabe, escarole, spinach, collard greens and of course Swiss chard. If you are interested, I shared a photo of my dad’s garden in this recipe post for Italian-Style sauteed Swiss chard.
Swiss chard and potatoes are referred to as bietola e patate in Italian. This was a side dish that was often made by my paternal nonna, especially in the summer.
It really is the perfect example of a simple, humble side dish.
Today, my goal was to document my nonna’s recipe the way she made it.
Over the years, I have sauteed this dish with onions and other vegetables. It really is very versatile and always comes out great.
I have also created a swiss chard hash that I plan on sharing with you in the coming weeks. But first, my garden chard needs to grow a little…
What about you? Do you have a favorite recipe you make with Swiss chard and potatoes?
I would love to hear about it!
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.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Italian swiss chard recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Swiss Chard Recipe with Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes about 4 medium, peeled and diced (¾ inch)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds Swiss chard ends trimmed, cleaned, ribs separated from the leafy part, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons olive oil separated
- 3-4 cloves garlic fresh, roughly chopped
- pinch red pepper flakes optional, or more
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice from ½ lemon and olive oil optional, to garnish, from ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional, to drizzle over the top
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Add the diced potatoes and the salt.
- Reduce heat to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until they become tender and can be easily pierced with a knife.
- While the potatoes are simmering, properly clean and chop the chard into ½ inch strips. (refer to details in post).
- When the potatoes are tender, add the chopped chard stems.
- Boil for 3-5 minutes or until just beginning to soften. The total time depends on their size.
- Next, add the leafy chopped portion of the chard and boil for approximately 30 seconds. Gently drain all the vegetables in a colander.
Sauteeing:
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan.
- Add the coarsely chopped garlic and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Turn on the heat to medium-high. Once the garlic begins to sizzle and starts turning golden, reduce the heat to medium. Add the mixture of boiled chard and potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
- Sauté until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir often.
- Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Season your water properly with salt.
- Add the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pan first, and then turn on the heat. This allows the garlic to slowly cook, preventing it from burning.
- Start cooking your potatoes in a pot of boiling water as we want to exterior to be soft.
- Add the lemon juice once the pan is off the heat to preserve its bright flavor.
Olga Owen
I grew up in Croatia, and ate tons of chard with potatoes as a child. Now I prepare all green leafy veg this way, my family love it!
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Olga!
Connie
This has become my new favorite recipe. I love it if I have any leftover.
Beautiful side dish.
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Connie!
kristi l manning
just made this and it’s fantastic! made it as is but look forward to adding chickpeas next time. thank you!
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Kristi!
Laura
I am reluctantly adding more greens to my diet, and this recipe is a winner! I think I overcooked the potatoes a little – maybe add the chard stems when they’re barely tender? And like Erika’s son, I pretty much inhaled half the dish by myself! I bet it would be good topped with crumbled bacon – next time!
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks for sharing Laura!
Aimee
New Years rez is to limit, if not completely omit meat and it’s by-products.
This was a great start!
I did add the chick peas as well as carmelized butternut squash. Also, I didn’t have enough chard but I had beet greens which added more intense color and added flavor.
This dish is soo delish!! A great main dish!!
Maria
How wonderful Aimee! Thanks so much for sharing!
Erika
This recipe was delicious! I made it exactly as described. My 17-year old son practically inhaled it! In fact, my boyfriend and I practically inhaled it too, lol. We also made breaded chicken drumsticks and it was a perfect pairing.
The next day my boyfriend served the leftover potato/chard dish (not that there was a lot leftover by the time we had two-three servings each the night before) with eggs. He said he felt like he was having brunch in a fine restaurant 🙂
It’s is now our favourite recipe for swiss chard, which I grow in copious amounts some years and can rarely find great ways to eat except freezing and adding to soups/stews! I also found a great recipe for pickling the stems in Canadian Living on-line; jarring veggies is time-consuming but I will totally do that again, too, when I have the time and a good crop!
Thanks again for sharing this recipe!!
Maria
My pleasure Erika! So happy to read you all enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Cynthia Gillespie
This has become one of my husband’s favorite meals. Now whenever he shops for me, he looks for chard. We prefer the rainbow chard and it makes the dish colorful and scrumptious.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and hints.
Maria
How wonderful Cynthia! This really is such a great dish with fresh summer chard. Thanks so much for sharing.
Amanda C
I’m so glad to have found this recipe and this website!! We love growing greens but often have a hard time thinking of new ways to incorporate them! This recipe is soooo delicious!! Thanks so much!!
Maria
My pleasure Amanda. Sometimes the simplest recipes have the most flavor! Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it!
Annette MacDonald
Great recipe! The grandchildren chowed down on this and I got two requests for the recipe that evening. I added a bit of Spicy Pepper seasoning at the end to taste. The lemon juice and olive oil drizzled on top really made this dish sing…can’t thank you enough. Definitely a keeper!
Maria
So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Annette!
AnnMarie
Absolutely delicious! M new favorite way to have Swiss Chard.
Maria
How wonderful AnnMarie! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lindsey
This was delicious! I did add the can of chickpeas because I wanted to make it a meal, but it was very tasty without.
Maria
So happy to read this Lindsey! Thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it!