What to Serve with Swiss Chard? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Swiss chard isn’t just some leafy green you pass by in the grocery store. It’s packed with vitamins A, K, and C.

We all get stuck on the main course and forget about the sides. Swiss chard deserves better companions than just plain rice or potatoes.

Ever tried mixing it up with garlicky mushrooms? We did last Thursday. Big hit at our dinner table.

Or how about a splash of citrus in a quinoa salad? Brightens up the plate and the mood.

Adding Swiss chard to your menu is like giving your meal a health boost and a color pop. Who needs a centerpiece with dishes like these?

We’re here to give you the rundown on the top 7 side dishes to elevate your Swiss chard game.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Swiss Chard?

Would you just eat leaves to fill you up? No, you need something substantial to go with it – enter the side dish.

Side dishes are essential to any meal as they provide complementary flavors and textures that help round out the meal.

They also add bulk and help you feel more satisfied after eating.

And these are precisely the reasons why you should consider serving side dishes with Swiss chard.

What to Serve with Swiss Chard? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Here is a look at what you can serve with Swiss chard.

1 – Omelets

Yummy eggs and Swiss chard? Of course, the combo is delicious, and you can have a complete meal with just the two ingredients.

Eggs are versatile ingredient for cooking, and they contain almost all the nutrients.

Swiss chard has an equally impressive nutrient profile.

So, you not only get to enjoy the flavors but also absorb the healthy elements.

Besides, omelets are simple, and you can cook considerable quantities in one go.

You can serve the leafy greens and omelets separately or mix them.

Either way is yummy, and everyone will enjoy the meal.

2 – Mixed Vegetable Salad

A salad also complements Swiss chard, whether you serve the leaves raw or cooked.

While there are several combos for the salad, you can choose your favorite veggies or whatever is available.

Lettuce, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and herbs with a bit of fresh lemon juice can make a lovely salad.

It will provide a sweet and tangy flavor contrasting with the slightly bitter chard.

Combined, you’ll have multiple tastes going on in your mouth.

Sauteed or stir-fried chard is even tastier than the raw version, and it will suit the freshness and crunchiness of the salad.

3 – Garlic Pasta

A simple pasta dish can also be a suitable accompaniment alongside Swiss chard.

It doesn’t matter, even if you serve the leaves freshly chopped in a bowl.

You can enjoy it as a salad with aromatic garlic pasta.

But are simple yet flavorful, healthy, and fresh.

Garlic pasta isn’t a complicated dish to make, as you need only a few ingredients.

You need pasta noodles, butter, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and cheese.

You can enjoy the pasta with the chard in several ways.

You can have it separately or mix the leaves with the pasta.

If you don’t like the slightly bitter taste when raw, sauté or steam the leaves lightly to remove the flavor.

4 – Easy Vegetable Stir-Fry

Swiss chard tastes good with most veggies, so an easy vegetable stir-fry can be an ideal partner for the leafy veg dish.

Since you are opting for a stir-fry, use the chard raw so that you also have a crunchy element on one side.

You can add a variety of veggies to the dish depending on what you have.

You can also add shredded chicken or seafood like shrimp.

Typical veggies for the dish include mushrooms, green beans, broccoli, carrots, peas, tomatoes, and onions.

You can also add some soy sauce, salt, and garlic and use vegetable oil for frying.

5 – Navy Bean Soup

Since Swiss chard is fresh and light, a rich and filling dish like Navy bean soup can be the perfect accompaniment to the leafy greens.

Beans are versatile, so you can cook them in various ways.

They’re also a class on their own regarding nutrients supplying protein aplenty.

You can make Navy bean soup with canned or dried beans.

While the former is more convenient to cook, the latter is healthier.

The soup will also taste more flavorful when you make it with dried beans because you can control the cooking process.

6 – Roast Chicken

Any meat tastes good with Swiss chard, but the chicken and leafy green combo are super tasty.

Depending on how many people will eat the food, you can roast a whole chicken or only the chest part.

Chicken tastes incredible, even if you use a simple rub.

Cayenne powder, garlic and onion powder, olive oil, pepper, salt, and fresh lemon juice are popular ingredients for seasoning roast chicken.

You can add herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary, and sage, according to preference and availability.

You can enjoy the yummy chicken with a bowl of fresh Swiss chard.

The juicy, tender chicken will nicely complement the crunchy and slightly bitter leaves.

7 – Pan-Seared Salmon

Fish and Swiss chard also pair up pretty nicely.

You can cook a dish with any fish but try some pan-seared salmon alongside the leafy veggies.

Salmon has a rich, buttery flavor, and it also contains plenty of nutrients.

It’s one of the tastiest and most popular fish varieties and easy to cook.

The whole process, from preparation to cooking the salmon, takes just about fifteen minutes.

Overcooked fish doesn’t taste great and can ruin the whole dish.

So, keep a watch on the salmon fillets.

You must lower the heat to medium after 2-3 minutes and remove the fish when it turns opaque.

Serve the salmon with fresh chopped Swiss chard.

You can sauté the leaves lightly if you don’t like the slightly bitter taste.