19 Ways to Use Excess Swiss Chard From the Garden
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Sometimes the garden produces so much, you don’t know what to do with excess Swiss chard that you grow. But preserving excess produce so I can use everything I grow is my jam! Check out what you can do.
Learn how to prep and use Swiss chard and how to preserve it for later. There are many reasons to grow swiss chard and many ways to use it. So check it out!
Check out this book to find out how to use everything you grow in the garden without canning to get the most out of your garden produce.
Swiss chard can be eaten raw or cooked. Cooking it a bit takes out some of the bitterness. A large bundle of swiss chard cooks down to a minimal amount. The stalks are edible as well but take longer to cook. We like to chop them up and saute them with some onions and then add the leaves. We try to use every part of what we grow.
Swiss chard is easy to grow, it’s not fussy, and it’s super nutritious. It’s adaptable, will grow in containers, and doesn’t get a lot of damage from pests. It doesn’t mind the heat. It will also grow when it’s cool, so you can plant it in spring and grow it until a hard freeze at the beginning of winter. It may even overwinter. It usually does here in Oklahoma and we don’t cover our plants. And, it’s pretty.
You harvest it when the leaves are still tender but big enough to eat. Once you cut it, more leaves will grow out from the base. It’s a classic cut-and-come-again plant. If you want to know more about growing swiss chard, check this out. And also more information for beginning gardeners is here. If you’re looking for more fruits and vegetables that grow in the shade, check this out.
Check out this month by month garden planting guide for information on what to plant when in the garden.
And also, check out this amazing garden planner for planning out what else you will grow.
If your Swiss chard gets wilty in the fridge after a few days, revive tired-looking leaves in a bowl of cold water with a splash of vinegar. After 20 minutes or so, the leaves should perk up.
What can I do with swiss chard
Swiss chard is very versatile. So that’s another reason it’s great to grow. Here are a few ideas on how to use it:
- Salad (the leaves can be eaten raw)
- Wrap or sandwich
- Saute in a skillet in bacon fat or butter with some onions and whatever else you like. (cannelloni beans are great)
- Use it instead of cabbage to make rolls
- Add it to scrambled eggs
- Soup
- Puree it instead of basil into a pesto
- Blanch it and dry it and blend it up into pasta or filling or even into fritters
If you want to read the full story of how we got started growing our own food at Little Sprouts and get all the basics to start yourself, check this out. The Journey of the Little Sprouts: A Guide for Growing a Better Tomorrow.
How to preserve swiss chard
Swiss chard can be frozen or dehydrated. We love to add it to the green powder that we sprinkle in kid’s food when we cook to enhance nutrition. Making green powder is a great way to use up excess greens from the garden.
I’m sure you could probably can it, but I’m not a fan of any canned greens and I also don’t can at all because we aren’t allowed to serve home canned foods to daycare kids, so I just don’t can anything.
Check out this Beginner’s Guide to Freezing and Dehydrating for more information.
Freezing Swiss chard
It is very easy to freeze excess Swiss chard for later. Wash it well. Drop in a bot of boiling salted water for about a minute. Remove from water and plunge into an ice bath or a bowl of ice water. Drain it and squeeze out as much water as you can. Place it on a sheet pan and freeze it. Once it’s frozen, get ready to store it.
Place the leaves and stems in separate airtight containers removing as much air as possible. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can suck the air out of the container with a straw and then seal. Swiss chard will keep for 4-6 months frozen.
Dehydrating Swiss chard
Dehydrating excess Swiss chard could not be simpler. Just grab a bundle of leaves, wrap a rubber band around the end or some string and hang it upside down for a couple of weeks.
Once it’s crunchy, take it down, hold it in a large paper sack or bag and strip the leaves off the stems. Then you can grind it up into powder, or place it in mason jars whole to toss into dishes you cook later. Easy peasy. Just make sure it’s washed well before you start.
If you want to dehydrate Swiss chard in a dehydrator, you can just wash it, dry it, and strip it off the stems. Then place it in the dehydrator in a single layer and process until crispy.
You can also place a layer of leaves on a sheet pan and put it in the oven with your pilot light. If you have an electric oven, you can use the bread-proofing setting or turn it to 200, let it heat part of the way, and turn it off about once every hour until it’s dried. You don’t want to dehydrate anything at too high a temperature.
Swiss chard recipes
Here are some recipes to get you inspired with your excess Swiss chard!
