Quick and easy, this Steamed Swiss Chard with Soy Sesame Sauce dish is nice served cold or at room temperature.
Throughout the summer, Swiss chard makes a regular appearance in my CSA Box and at the local Farmer’s Market. So often, I hear people say that they have no idea what to do with Swiss chard. Swiss chard is actually a fairly mild tasting leafy green vegetable, somewhat similar to spinach I would say. The stems are edible, but need to be cooked until tender. Although slightly bitter sometimes, I’ve found steaming the leaves and stems together results in a pleasantly tender and mild tasting vegetable.
Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins K, A, C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin E. So, it’s well worth introducing this into your diet if you haven’t already tried it.
With hot temperatures in full swing, making banchan out of summer produce is fast becoming my favorite way to use up many of the vegetables in my weekly CSA Box. Banchan are the little side dishes served with a traditional Korean meal. Almost anything goes – cucumbers, radishes, kohlrabi, spinach, bean sprouts, and napa cabbage have all been turned into banchan in my kitchen.
Although I’ve never had Swiss chard Banchan, this recipe is very similar to the way spinach banchan is made, simply prepared with soy sauce, sesame oil and a touch of sugar. If you’re still skittish about eating Swiss chard after trying this recipe, blend it into pesto – that’s what I do for my kids and they don’t even know it.
Steamed Swiss Chard with Soy Sesame Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar
Instructions
- Steam Swiss chard until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Immerse in ice bath to stop cooking and cool vegetables down. Squeeze dry. Toss with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Serve.
Sources:
WebMD: 9 Healthy Facts About Swiss Chard
The World’s Healthiest Foods: Swiss Chard
I admit I’m not crazy about Swiss chard, but I love the way you’ve prepared this so I’m going to give it another try.
I’m a HUGE Swiss chard fan – this looks incredible!
Liz – I would love to hear how you prepare your Swiss chard.
Love swiss chard! This looks delicious!
Thanks Sommer – I try to get in as much Swiss chard as possible when it’s in season.
i just bought rainbow chard at our farmer’s market the other day. It’s so easy to cook!
Carolyn – I love rainbow chard – it’s so naturally beautiful and so good for you. It’s also easier to cook than most people think.
The recipe is simple and yet it’s delicious. Swiss chard is one of the most nutritious vegetables so, I will try it.
Thanks Louise – Swiss chard is so good for you, I hope you try this recipe.
This sounds delicious Jeanette! I love swiss chard and can’t wait to try it this way. It’s so cute to hear all these creative ways you hide the veggies for your kids, I love that!
Thanks Kelly – I’m always looking for ways to get my boys to eat more veggies. They know it makes them feel better and keeps them healthy, but there are some vegetables that I do sneak in because they might not eat them as readily ;).
Sounds like a very fun way to eat swiss chard, and I love the idea that it’s good at room temperature!
Thanks Kalyn – I made this for lunch and my kids (who normally don’t like Swiss chard) enjoyed it. Good for a no fuss veggie dish.
Your timing on this post couldn’t have been better for me. My neighbor just gave me a huge clump of swiss chard a few days ago and I have been trying to figure out what to do with it. So it appears I will be having it with dinner tonight. Thanks for the inspiration!
Brian – Swiss chard is one of those vegetables that so many people are puzzled by. It’s really like any other leafy vegetable and can be stir-fried, steamed, made into pesto and tossed with pasta. So good for you and easy to prepare. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Yum. I love deliciously simple recipes like this!
Thanks Russell – most times, it seems simple is the best way to treat fresh veggies. Hope you’re having a wonderful summer!