Roasted Swiss Chard Stems

When you cook up Swiss chard leaves, make delicious use of the leftover stems by roasting them. It's a simple way to use the stems that might otherwise be discarded and a quick no-waste cooking recipe. The roasted Swiss chard stems make a great veggie side dish for any meal. Chard pairs particularly well with cured meats like ham and bacon, as well as lamb. It's also excellent with garlic pasta dishes, eggplant, and tomatoes for vegetarian and vegan meals.

When cooking Swiss chard, the leaves are almost always separated from the stems. That's because the leaves are naturally far more tender than the stems, which can be tough and fibrous, so they require different cooking times. To stem Swiss chard, rinse off any dirt, fold the chard in half so the two parts of the leaf overlap, then run your knife down the stem. You can make this dish with just a bunch or two of Swiss chard or as much as you have on hand.

The recipe is straightforward: Roast the Swiss chard stems drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with salt for about 30 minutes. The stems are covered with foil for the first portion of that cooking time to trap in steam, then uncovered for the remainder to ensure the stems come out of the oven nice and tender. This also reduces some of the chard's natural bitterness to create a sweeter flavor reminiscent of roasted beets. Adding a squirt of fresh lemon juice when plating gives it a tasty boost. If you'd like to add some freshly chopped herbs, basil, cilantro, and thyme are well suited to Swiss chard.