Swiss Chard with Feta, Olives, and Pine Nuts

Once you try this Swiss chard dish, you’ll be wondering when you can make it again, and again…and again. Trust me.

When you need something fresh and healthy but don’t want to eat plain blanched or steamed greens, eat this. This recipe is so easy to make, I think the hardest part may be washing the chard! The feta, olives, and pine nuts add the perfect flavors and textures to the chard, however, you can always substitute with a different cheese, olive, or nut.

Blanching is one of my favorite ways to cook veggies. There’s nothing worse than green vegetables coming out a gross greenish-brown. So not only does blanching keep your green vegetables that beautiful bright green color, but it’s one of the healthier ways to cook them. It also helps in prepping for events, since it allows you to fully or partially cook vegetables ahead of time. Once you’re ready to serve you can quickly reheat by searing, grilling, or sautéing.

Ingredient Notes:

• Green Swiss Chard – You can definitely substitute any sturdier green in this recipe, such as rainbow chard, kale, or collard greens. They can all get very dirty, so make sure to wash them well!
• Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock – I like using a tiny bit of stock when reheating the greens after blanching. I learned this trick from a friend and love it. I think it adds a bit of extra flavor to the greens, however if you don’t have any stock you can always use water.
• Feta Cheese – If you don’t want to use any dairy, don’t use the cheese. But I do think it adds a really great creamy salty flavor to the dish.
• Pine Nuts – These are one of my favorite nuts, but they’re also one of the most expensive. Why are some of the best things in life always the most expensive? UGH! You can always substitute chopped hazelnuts, slivered almonds or sliced almonds.

Swiss Chard with Feta, Olives, and Pine Nuts

5 from 1 vote

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Course Side Dish

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Colander to drain the Swiss chard
• Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  

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• 2 bunches of green Swiss chard cleaned and trimmed, leaves and stems separated and cut into 1” strips
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or chicken stock
• Kosher Salt
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 10 Kalamata olives halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Place the stems in first and cook for one minute, then add in the leaves, submerging completely, and cook for an additional minute.
• Strain and place directly into a large bowl of ice water (doing so will help the chard keep its bright green color). Keep in the ice water for at least one minute, so that the chard can cool completely, then strain and gently squeeze out any excess water.
• Heat the olive oil and stock in the same large pot used to blanch the Swiss chard over medium-high heat. Once the stock is simmering, add in the chard just to reheat, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with Kosher salt, if needed.
• Platter the chard and sprinkle with the feta, olives, and toasted pine nuts. Grind some fresh black pepper on top and serve warm.

Notes

Chard Storage: After it’s blanched, you can keep the chard stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze and store airtight for up to a year. The finished dish can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and eaten cold or at room temperature. If reheated, there is a possibility that the chard will turn a murky green, but will still taste good.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!