Swiss Chard Pasta with Garlic is a flavorful meal that's easy to make in under 30 minutes. It's naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free.
I love easy classic pasta recipes.
They cook up quickly with only a few ingredients.
Some of my favorites include Pan Roasted Tomato Pasta, Pasta with Zucchini, and Lemon Artichoke Pasta.
They all start with a vegetable, like tomatoes, summer squash, or artichoke hearts, and combine them with garlic and olive oil.
It's such a simple way to eat that's full of flavor and is relatively inexpensive.
When I start getting chard in my CSA box, I wondered what to do with it.
So I started experimenting and found my favorite way to eat it is with pasta.
Chard or Swiss chard comes in various colors, even rainbow, with stems that are pink, red, yellow, and orange.
I prefer to remove the tough stems and ribs, but if you don't want to waste them, just cook them first before adding the leaves since they take a little longer.
Chard reduces substantially in size when cooked, just like spinach and kale.
It's very nutritious since it's high in vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Chard is also a great source of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
You can learn more about Swiss chard by reading this article from WebMD.
What do I like the most about Swiss Chard Pasta?
--It's pasta, which is comforting and delicious. It's also affordable and a staple in my pantry. And probably yours, too.
--This recipe only takes a few minutes to make. Dinner will be on the table in under 30 minutes.
--If you want, you can prepare the greens in the same pot you used to cook the pasta. Fewer dishes to clean is always a plus for me!
--You only need a few ingredients: pasta, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, chard, and salt.
--The leftovers taste great reheated the next day.
Swiss Chard Pasta pairs well with other dishes.
While it's a complete meal on its own, this pasta dish goes well with salads, soups, and vegetable side dishes.
I enjoy it with Grilled Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Tomatoes.
It's also wonderful with Vegetable Bean Soup.
And I also like it alongside Pesto Brussels Sprouts with Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
Now let's make Swiss Chard Pasta with Garlic!
Swiss Chard Pasta with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 box short pasta, (12-16 ounces) such as penne (I use Barilla gluten free penne)
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil, for sauteing
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch swiss chard, any color, cut into ribbons
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the chard and a pinch of salt and saute until the chard is tender and reduced in size.
- Combine the chard with the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Louise
I've had a bumper crop of chard this year & eating it with pasta has been on high rotation for dinner. Sometimes with some mushrooms, sometimes with other herbs like thyme or parsley added, even a splash of white wine.
Love your photography of this dish. (goals!)
Amy
Sounds delicious, Louise! I especially love mushrooms. And thank you very much! 🙂
Kim
Just made the garlicky chard pasta and loved it!! Just the right amount of garlic without being over powering. I added a little Romano cheese on the top too. I will make this again for sure.
Amy
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!