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
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!
Servings 2 servings
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
*Other greens would work here! Spinach will cook faster. Kale, collard greens, or mustard greens might need more water and will require a longer cooking time.
*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.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 66 Carbohydrates: 4.8 g Protein: 2.5 g Fat: 4.8 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 528 mg Potassium: 369 mg Fiber: 1.6 g Sugar: 1.2 g Vitamin A: 929 IU Vitamin C: 28 mg Calcium: 53 mg Iron: 1.8 mg
