My version of a delicious swiss chard salad with raisins, pine nuts, and porkitos (a.k.a. Crispy Prosciutto)!

Swiss chard salad with raisins, pine nuts, and crispy prosciutto in a bowl.

Swiss chard’s like the Amal Clooney of the produce aisle—it’s more than just a pretty exterior. This gorgeous vegetable’s also nutrient dense, quick-cooking, and delicious in so many different preparations.

A pile of washed rainbow swiss chard.

Although there are numerous ways to serve chard, my favorite is the classic Catalan approach, in which the greens are wilted in a pan with sizzling minced garlic and then tossed with toasted pine nuts and golden raisins. I also crumble on a few Porkitos to add a salty, swiney crunch to each bite.

Time to make a swiss chard salad!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins
  • 3 pounds Swiss chard
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  •  2 tablespoon ghee
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice from ½ lemon

Equipment:

Method:

Place the raisins in a small bowl, and submerge in hot water for at least 10 minutes.

Golden raisins being soaked in a small bowl.

If you don’t have any Porkitos ready, now’s the time to bake ‘em.

Baked slices of prosiutto on a wire rack.

(Because you only need to reserve three pork chips for this recipe, you can feel free to snack on the rest while you’re cooking.)

Wash the chard and flick off the excess water. You want the leaves damp, but not sopping wet.

Someone washing rainbow swish chard under a sink.

Cut out the stems…

Cutting out the stems of rainbow swiss chard with a knife.

…and roughly chop the leaves into thick ribbons.

Chopping the leaves of swiss chard for a swiss chard salad.

Chopping the leaves of swiss chard for a swiss chard salad.

If the stems are fresh and crisp, slice ’em up into ½-inch pieces and discard the ratty ends.

Sliced and chopped swiss chard stems in a bowl.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast the pine nuts until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pine nuts measured in a measuring spoon being put into a pan to be toasted.

Transfer the pine nuts to a plate to cool.

Toasted pine nuts on a plate for a swiss chard salad.

Increase heat to medium high and add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the skillet. When the fat’s shimmering, add the stems with a sprinkle of salt.

Rainbow chard stems frying in a pan.

Sauté until tender.

Sautéing swiss chard stems in a pan for a swiss chard salad.

Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.

Minced garlic in a small bowl.

Adding minced garlic to a pan of sautéed swiss chard stems.

Then, add the damp leaves in batches, each with a sprinkle of salt.

Adding the swiss chard leaves to a large hot pan for a swiss chard salad.

Don’t worry if you can’t get all the leaves into the pan all at once. The leaves will wilt and cook down, and eventually you’ll get all the greens in the pan.

Swiss chard leaves in a pan getting cooked down.

Drain the plumped raisins, and toss ’em in.

Someone holding a handful of plumped golden raisins to be added to a pan with sautéed swiss chard.

Give everything a good stir, and cover the pan. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 2 minutes or until tender.

Sautéeing swiss chard in a pan for a swiss chard salad.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the pine nuts, squeeze on the lemon juice, and crumble on the Porkitos.

Swiss Chard salad with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Porkitos in a bowl.

¡Buen apetito!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Crispy Prosciutto

4.70 from 10 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
This hearty Whole30 vegetable side dish is packed with flavor, textures, nutrition, and crispy pork! It's one of my favorite ways to serve Swiss chard!

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins
  • pounds Swiss chard
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoon ghee
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • 3 Crispy Prosciutto
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox!

Instructions 

  • Place the raisins in a small bowl and submerge in hot water for at least 10 minutes.
  • If you don’t have any Porkitos ready, now’s the time to bake ‘em. 
  • Wash the chard and flick off the excess water. You want the leaves damp, but not sopping wet. 
  • Cut out the stems and roughly chop the leaves into thick ribbons. If the stems are fresh and crisp, slice ’em up into ½-inch pieces and discard the ratty ends.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast the pine nuts until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pine nuts to a plate to cool.
  • Increase heat to medium high and add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the skillet. When the fat’s shimmering, add the stems with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until tender.
  • Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Then, add the damp leaves in batches, each with a sprinkle of salt. (Don’t worry if you can’t get all the leaves into the pan all at once. The leaves will wilt and cook down, and eventually you’ll get all the greens in the pan.)
  • Drain the plumped raisins, and toss ’em in. Give everything a good stir, and cover the pan. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 2 minutes or until tender.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the pine nuts, squeeze on the lemon juice, and crumble on the Porkitos.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

Other Recipes You May Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating