Introducing our new favorite way to get our greens in: sautéed Swiss chard seasoned with garlic, sesame, and tamari. These greens are flavorful, tender, and restaurant-quality yet so EASY to make! Just 1 pan, 5 ingredients, and 15 minutes required.
This versatile, nutrient-packed side pairs well with Asian-inspired entrées and makes a simple meal with rice + your choice of protein. Let’s make crave-worthy greens!
These simple, savory greens begin with sautéing garlic in toasted sesame oil until fragrant. Ginger and red pepper flakes are optional for a spicy, gingery kick! We recommend them.
Next, we add chopped Swiss chard leaves. Using just the leaves creates a more tender, crave-worthy result, but you can also include the stems, adding them sooner to ensure they become tender.
The final ingredients are tamari and water. Tamari makes these greens incredibly flavorful with an Asian-inspired flavor profile and water allows them to cook long enough to become very tender and soak up all the flavors.
Note that this recipe isn’t inspired by any one specific dish, but the ingredients are commonly used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. If you know of a dish like this one, we’d love to hear about it in the comments!
We hope you LOVE this sautéed Swiss chard! It’s:
Tender
Savory
Garlicky + gingery
Subtly spicy
Quick & easy
& SO versatile!
For a simple meal, we love to pair these greens with rice and tofu (new recipe coming soon!). They would also be delicious with our Crispy Baked Gochujang Tofu (Korean-Inspired), Easy Baked Chicken Breasts, or Crispy Skin Salmon (Perfect Every Time!).
More Delicious Ways to Prepare Greens
- Garlicky Sautéed Greens
- Easy Massaged Kale Salad (15 Minutes!)
- Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens
- 15-Minute Miso Soup with Greens and Tofu
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Sesame Sautéed Swiss Chard
Ingredients
- 2-3 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (omit if not a fan of spice)
- 1 bunch Swiss chard leaves*, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped (1 bunch yields ~5-6 cups or 180 g)
- 2-3 tsp tamari (ensure gluten-free as needed)
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat a large rimmed skillet over low-medium heat. Add the sesame oil (starting with lower end of range) along with the garlic, ginger (optional), and red pepper flakes and cook until lightly sizzling and fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), being careful not to burn. Add the additional oil, as needed.
- Add the Swiss chard and increase the heat to medium. Mix well to evenly coat the greens in the oil and garlic mixture. Once the greens have wilted slightly, add the tamari and toss to coat.
- Add the water (to prevent sticking/burning), cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated and the greens are tender and dark in color.
- Taste and adjust, adding more tamari for saltiness and overall flavor, or more water if the greens need to cook for longer. Enjoy warm paired with Asian-inspired entrées or rice + your protein of choice.
- Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
*We preferred the texture of the chard leaves without the stems, but if you want to use the stems, add them in step 1 and increase the cook time in step 3.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients and with the lesser amount of sesame oil.
Michele says
Love the addition of sesame to my favorite chard preparation!! But please don’t waste the stems—chop up (very thin if thick stems, pieces are fine for thin stems) & sauté first, adding leaves when stems are soft. Also, young, fresh chard will cook much faster—more like 3 minutes, or you will get mush—& taste sweeter. Large, thick leaves require the longer steaming, thinner ribbons, plus a pinch of sugar.
Thanks so much for the great tips and lovely review, Michele! xo
Lindy says
this was yummy! I agree with others that it’s a waste to not include the stems, I just finely slice them and sauté them with the garlic and ginger and I really like the textural addition.
Thanks for sharing, Lindy!
Tmoo says
This turned out fabulous!
Added a little freshly grated turmeric with the ginger since I had some. Served over white rice with tamari marinated baked tofu.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Joann Stewart says
I’ve printed this recipe to try.
A friend who lived in Japan for years gave me a similar treatment for greens: using a mix of butter and oil, make a little sauteed onion, sauteed garlic, the greens, a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil (about a tablespoon), 1/4-1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, then a TINY amount of sugar before serving. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese after plating if desired.
That version sounds lovely, Joann! We hope you enjoy the recipe! xo