Roasted Pear and Rainbow Chard Salad Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Can chard be eaten raw in a salad? ›

Swiss chard can be enjoyed raw in salads or on sandwiches or wraps, braised, boiled, sautéed or added to soups and casseroles. Here are some tips to incorporate more Swiss chard (leaves and stems) into the daily routine: Add a handful of fresh Swiss chard leaves to an omelet or scrambled eggs.

It is rich in vitamins A, C and especially K, and it is also a good source of magnesium, iron and potassium. Chard can be steamed or sauteed, and it's great in soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas and quiches. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads.

Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw Swiss chard is less bitter than cooked. A bunch of raw Swiss chard will cook to a much smaller amount. The stalks are thicker than the leaves so they take longer to cook.

This should be avoided by people prone to kidney stones. It contains oxalates that can decrease the body's absorption of calcium leading to kidney stones.

Vegetables that belong to the cabbage family such as cauliflower, Brussels, broccoli, and sprouts should never be consumed raw. These vegetables contain sugar that is difficult to digest. Eating these vegetables raw may lead to a number of gastronomical problems.

You can enjoy chard raw like spinach, kale and lettuce. As with spinach and kale, chard is earthy, but its bitterness is less intense than kale's.

All chard is Swiss chard; it's just stalk colors and names that vary! The stalks and leaf veins of Swiss chard vary in color from yellow to pink and deep red to white. Chard with red stalks is called Rhubarb, Red, or Ruby Chard. Chard with multicolored stalks grouped together is known as Rainbow Chard.

Its leaves are mild, earthy and just a tad bitter. Rainbow chard contains the compound betalain which gives its stalks those beautiful red and yellow hues, but also serves to protect the plant from UV rays and attract bees for pollination.

Kidney stone:

Swiss chard contains oxalates that may increase urinary oxalate excretion and predispose some individuals to calcium oxalate stones. As a result, anyone with kidney stones should avoid Swiss chard because oxalates may increase symptoms in certain people.

Raw leaves are a common addition to pre-packaged salads and can also add a big nutritional boost to smoothies. Another fun way to eat raw chard leaves is by using them as a healthy substitute to a tortilla for wraps and tacos. Some people even make their own pesto out of chard!

What is the healthiest way to eat Swiss chard? ›

Boil Swiss chard for a healthier side dish.

Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove, and add several generous pinches of salt. Add the chopped stems from 3-4 leaves, and cook for 2-4 minutes until they're mostly tender. Place the leaves in the pot, and cover for 1-2 minutes. The leaves should be wilted.

All that being said, why should you grow chard? Well as it turns out, chard is a superfood and one of the healthiest veggies on planet earth. 100 grams of chard will give you 3 times the amount of vitamin K you need per day.

Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C and magnesium. Swiss chard also contains the antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamin A plays a significant role in normal formation and maintenance of many organs including the heart, lungs and kidneys.

Chard has a bitter taste when raw because of an acid known as oxalic acid. When cooked, chard's bitter taste and vibrant color tend to diminish. Chard can reach up to 28 inches in height and will produce stems that are white, yellow, orange, or crimson in color.

If you prefer you can eat swiss chard leaves raw. Raw leaves are a common addition to pre-packaged salads and can also add a big nutritional boost to smoothies. Another fun way to eat raw chard leaves is by using them as a healthy substitute to a tortilla for wraps and tacos.

Nutrient-packed chard is a leafy green vegetable that's easy to prepare and cook. It can also be enjoyed raw.

You can eat these greens both raw or cooked. However, cooking chards improves not only the nutrient availability, but also the taste. Swiss chard is susceptible to foodborne pathogens, like other leafy greens, so be careful about washing this veggie thoroughly before preparing it.

I didn't want to compromise those beautiful colors in any way, so I just sliced up the stems and shredded the greens for a beautiful salad. Wait, can you eat rainbow chard raw? You can absolutely eat chard raw, the same way you would eat kale or spinach raw.