I never planted Swiss chard in my garden, or I should say, I didn’t have any success in growing it my first year. I do remember my mom growing Swiss chard, but as a kid, I wasn’t too fond of it. I guess your taste buds do change as you get older—at least for me, they did. When my Swiss chard was ready to pick, I researched recipes. I decided, on creamed Swiss chard because that’s how I remember my mom making it. My husband and I just loved it, and I decided I was making this for Thanksgiving and started planning.
I had one problem: I wasn’t sure I would harvest enough by Thanksgiving. I had to do it in batches, but luckily, it freezes well. I thawed the batches in the refrigerator overnight and then popped them in the slow cooker for a couple of hours on low to heat them through. Creamed Swiss chard was the star of Thanksgiving as everybody loved it, and would you believe I had no leftovers of it as my kids took it in their leftover boxes. If you’re interested in more recipes I used for Thanksgiving, please visit A Pickle Patch Bountiful Thanksgiving.
Are you ready to try this simple yet delicious recipe? The recipe is just below.
Creamed Swiss Chard
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Swiss Chard
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 1/2 Medium Onion (Half an onion typical weight 2.5-3 ounces.)
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 Cup 2% Milk
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Cut the ends off your Swiss chard and set aside. Slice them finely along with your half onion.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter and add onions plus Swiss chard ends (not the leaves), sautéing over low heat until the ends and onion soften, about 5 minutes.
- While sautéing the ends and onions, slice the Swiss chard leaves into 1-inch thick strips.
- Measure the remaining ingredients and set aside.
- Add the strips of Swiss chard to your pan and stir.
- Add the garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Stir the Swiss chard until the chard starts to wilt, about 3 or more minutes.
- Move the chard to the side of the pan. Add the flour to the center of the pan and stir a couple of times to cook all the flour.
- Slowly pour in the 2% milk, then start stirring it all together while it thickens.
- Add the nutmeg and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Serve hot as a side dish.
Notes
Freezing and Reheating Instructions:
- Freeze: Place the cooked and cooled creamed Swiss chard in quart-sized freezer bags. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet and freeze.
- Thaw: When ready to use, thaw the bags in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
- Reheat: Transfer the thawed creamed Swiss chard to a slow cooker or a large skillet. Heat on low until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
