Greek Stewed Swiss Chard (With Vegetables and Feta)

If you are wondering what to do with a bunch of Swiss chard, this easy Greek recipe is one of my favourite ways to enjoy it. Tender Swiss chard is slowly simmered with onions, tomatoes, carrots and celery before being finished with creamy feta cheese. It’s healthy, naturally vegetarian, and delicious served with crusty bread.

Growing up in a Greek home I learned early on the value of real food. One of my greatest joys, and something that was instilled in me early on from my parents, is gardening. I love growing my own vegetables the way my parents still do. My husband and I have a lovely summer garden where we grow everything from tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, zucchini, peppers and lots and lots of Swiss chard. Learning how to use this amazing bounty is key because nothing should go to waste! Recipes like our Roasted cauliflower and kale salad, Easy tomato and cucumber Greek salad and Sauteed green peppers are dishes we turn to all summer long. This amazing swiss chard recipe is another!

This stewed Mediterranean Greek Swiss chard recipe with vegetables and feta falls into a category of meals called lathera , or oily (sounds so much more appealing in Greek, we promise!).  These are foods which are often vegetable based and stewed, usually in a combination of tomato sauce and olive oil.  The result is not greasy or heavy as you might expect it to be, but deeply flavourful and wholly satisfying.  The addition of feta, which melts and coats all of the vegetables, is an added bonus.  All in all, this dish, which admittedly looks a little messy and maybe a little confused, is sure to become one that you turn to again and again.

Why you will love this recipe

Great way to use garden Swiss chard

If you grow Swiss chard you know that sometimes it can get overwhelming! This is a good thing! Still, it is handy to have recipes that star Swiss chard, the way this one does! You will need 6 cups of chopped Swiss chard to make this dish. That is a lot of greens!

Budget-friendly

Vegetarian dishes tend to be more cost-effective than meat or seafood based meals. When you grow some of your own vegetables the savings are obviously even better! Still, buying veggies is almost always cheaper than buying meat.

Naturally vegetarian

No one is going to miss the meat in this recipe! You can serve it as a complete vegetarian meal, or as a side if you will be serving something like our Roasted chicken thighs, Pork souvlaki or Greek Chicken Gyros. You can even keep this recipe vegan by omitting the feta.

Mediterranean-diet friendly

Plant-based, olive oil rich and loaded with veggies. This real food recipe is exactly what the mediterranean diet is all about! You will make this healthy Swiss chard recipe again and again.

Easy weeknight dinner

Especially if you have your veggies prepared from the day before, this Greek Swiss chard recipe comes together fast! No fuss, and little mess. Perfect for busy weeknights when you still have to cook!

Key ingredients

Swiss chard I typically use green Swiss chard, but other types will work as well. Make sure that your leaves are fresh, bright and have any blemished parts removed.

Olive oil I use the best quality Greek olive oil for this dish. Remember that this is a lathero, meaning the olive oil is meant to be obvious in the finished recipe.

Carrots Add colour and sweetness to the dish.

Celery Add great flavour and texture.

Tomatoes I like to use vine-ripened tomatoes when I have them.

Onion I like to use yellow onions in this recipe. They cook up beautifully and add a great flavour.

Tomato sauce I typically use homemade tomato sauce using my family recipe. If you do not have homemade tomato sauce a good jarred passata, or strained tomatoes will work really well.

Feta Only Greek feta! Be mindful to buy feta made with sheep and/or goat milk.

How to make it

All you need is a couple of pots, a bit of chopping skills, about 30 minutes and you will have a great meal.

Step 1
Chop your Swiss chard, boil it, drain it and rinse it in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 2
While the Swiss chard is cooking, sauté the onion, celery and grated carrot in the olive oil until the onion is softened.

Step 3
To the pot add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, drained Swiss chard and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the crumbled feta. Stir until softened and combined. Serve with additional feta on top and enjoy this amazing vegetarian Swiss chard recipe.

What is Swiss chard?

Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable with large, dark green leaves and crisp, colourful stems that range from white and yellow to pink and deep red. Despite its name, Swiss chard is actually native to the Mediterranean region, where it has been enjoyed for centuries in traditional dishes like this Greek stewed Swiss chard. It belongs to the same family as beets and spinach, giving it a mild, earthy flavour with just a slight bitterness that softens beautifully when cooked.

One of the best things about Swiss chard is that the entire plant is edible. The tender leaves cook down much like spinach, while the sturdy stems add a pleasant texture and sweetness when simmered. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fibre and antioxidants, Swiss chard is a nutritious addition to soups, stews, pasta dishes, and vegetable sides. Whether you grow it in your garden or pick up a bunch at the farmers’ market, Swiss chard is an easy and delicious way to add more greens to your meals.

What does Swiss chard taste like?

Swiss chard has a mild, slightly earthy flavour that is often compared to spinach, although it has a bit more texture and a subtle hint of bitterness. When cooked, the leaves become tender and mellow, while the stems develop a gentle sweetness. In this recipe, simmering the Swiss chard with tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery and olive oil balances its natural bitterness, creating a rich and flavourful Mediterranean vegetable dish.

What to make with Swiss chard

Of course, this recipe for stewed Swiss chard with vegetables and feta should be high on your list, but you can also try other amazing recipes like these. Expert tip: Take your favourite spanakopita recipe and add in some Swiss chard!

Recipe substitutions

If you prefer to make this recipe without Swiss chard then you can use the following:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Collard greens
• Rainbow chard

For the tomatoes you can use regular tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or even a good quality canned tomato if fresh tomatoes are not in season.

You can add some fresh herbs like parsley, dill and even fresh basil.

Expert tips

Swiss chard one of the stars of this meal.  To prepare this powerhouse of a green leafy vegetable, it is helpful to remove part of the thick stem prior to chopping up the leaves and boiling it.  If you would like to include the entire stem in your meal (not a bad idea!), chop the larger part of the stem into chunks and saute it along with the onions, celery and carrot.

I tend to eat lathera meals with a nice hunk of Greek feta on the side, and some fresh bread.  In this recipe however, the feta is incorporated into the dish, ensuring that the sharp tang of the cheese is present in every bite.  How wonderful! And to top it all off, you are meant to top of your dish with even more feta! You’ll note that I don’t actually include an amount of feta for this topping. Use your discretion, and crumble at will!

How to serve

I love to serve this dish as a complete meal and when I do I am sure to add some delicious bread, extra feta (if I can get my hands on some traditional Greek sfela cheese, I serve that!) and some olives.

Recipe

Greek stewed Swiss chard with vegetables and feta

If you are wondering what to do with a bunch of Swiss chard, this easy Greek recipe is one of our favourite ways to enjoy it. Tender Swiss chard is slowly simmered with onions, tomatoes, zucchini and herbs before being finished with creamy feta cheese. It's healthy, naturally vegetarian, and delicious served with crusty bread.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Greek

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 485kcal

Author: miakouppa

Equipment

• 2 large pots
• Grater

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped Swiss chard (leaves and stems) See Recipe Note
• 2/3 cup Greek olive oil
• 3 yellow medium sized onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery, cut into chunks
• 3 medium sized carrots, grated
• 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce or passata See Recipe Note
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta, plus more for topping

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the Swiss chard leaves and finely diced stems.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until Swiss chard is tender.  This will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes.  Drain in a colander and pour cold water over the Swiss chard to prevent it from cooking further at this point.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot heat the olive oil and saute your onions, celery and grated carrots.  Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onions are soft.  This will take 5 – 7 minutes
• To the pot add the chopped tomatoes, tomato juice, drained Swiss chard and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and all the vegetables are soft (approximately 15 – 20 minutes).
• Stir in 3/4 cup of crumbled feta and continue to cook until the feta is melted, stirring occasionally.
• Upon serving, sprinkle additional crumbled feta on top of dish.  Best served warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Swiss chard: Prepare your Swiss chard by washing it well and separating the leaves from the stems.  Cut the leaves into bite size pieces.  Cut the stems into small dice.

We use our homemade tomato sauce in this recipe (Homemade tomato sauce recipe). If you do not have homemade tomato sauce then you can use a good quality jarred passata or strained tomatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 904mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 11964IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg

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