Swiss Chard Filled Pizza (Pizza con bietole) is a classic double crust pizza filled with sautéed swiss chard, black olives and mozzarella. Pizza and greens, what a wonderful combination! You can make this double crust pizza and fill it with a variety of ingredients from sausage to cured meats, vegetables and cheeses. But there's something about garlicky sautéed greens that give this pizza a delicious earthy flavor and makes it so satisfying, not to mention healthy!
Almost any type of greens will do for this pizza such as spinach, escarole or even rapini. However during the summer months I'm partial to swiss chard simply because it grows plentiful in my garden. This is also what my mother has always used for her stuffed pizza which inspired this recipe.
I just love the look of a slab pizza cut up into squares! And you may think it looks intimidating to make but it is much easier than you think.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the dough: It all begins with a basic pizza dough. I prepared a half portion of my basic go to pizza dough that I wrote about here. I'll walk you through that process once again.
Proof the yeast: heat water until lukewarm and place in a small bowl. Stir in yeast and sugar and let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile combine flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
When the yeast is ready, stir in olive oil and with the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour it into the flour. Mix until combined, then increase to the next speed and knead the dough for about 7 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic.Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with olive oil, turning it on all sides to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm part of your kitchen for 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. If your kitchen is cold I would recommend placing it in the unlit oven with the light on.
Prepare the filling: While the dough rises rinse the swiss chard well. Do not dry it as the water still clinging to the leaves will help wilt it in the pan. Give it a coarse chop. Do not discard the ribs: finely chop them by cutting them lengthwise and then crosswise into small pieces (as you would chop celery).
Heat a large, deep skillet on medium high heat. Toss in the swiss chard and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.
Uncover, add olive oil, finely minced garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes (optional). Sauté for 2 minutes longer.
Transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in chopped black olives.
To assemble: Generously grease a rectangular baking sheet with olive oil. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into a large rectangle of about 3 mm thickness to fit the baking sheet. Carefully transfer it to the baking sheet.
Evenly distribute the swiss chard mixture over the dough leaving a small border along all sides. Top with mozzarella cut into cubes and sprinkle the entire filling with grated Parmigiano cheese.
Roll the second piece of dough and carefully place over the filling. Fold the edges of the bottom dough over the top dough to seal. Prick the surface with a fork in order to allow steam to escape while baking. Brush the dough with olive oil.
Bake in a 400 degree F preheated oven for 20 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the bottom crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing into squares.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions and Variations:
- If you don't have swiss chard, escarole, spinach or rapini may be substituted.
- For extra flavor add toasted pine nuts, raisins or anchovies to the filling.
- If you're not partial to greens, this pizza can be filled with a variety of ingredients of your choice including sausage, cured meats, cheeses or grilled vegetables.
To serve:
- Enjoy hot or at room temperature.
Storage:
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in your oven and serve.
- Swiss Chard filled Pizza can be frozen well sealed in plastic wrap. Wrap in aluminum foil before placing in your oven to defrost.
If swiss chard is plentiful in your garden this summer you'll enjoy it stuffed in this pizza. Let me know how much you've enjoyed it by leaving me a comment below. Feel free to Pin the recipe for later. Buon appetito!
Check out more delicious swiss chard recipes!
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Pasta
- Swiss Chard Fritters
- Cheesy Swiss Chard and Potato Casserole
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Stew

Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 envelope dry yeast (8 grams)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup water
- 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For the filling
- 1 large bunch swiss chard (about 1 ½ lbs or 680 grams)
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing pan and brushing on the dough
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ cup black olives pitted and sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cubed
- 3 tablespoon Parmigiano cheese grated
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Proof the yeast: heat water until lukewarm and place in a small bowl. Stir in yeast and sugar and let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile combine flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- When the yeast is ready, stir in olive oil and with the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the mixture into the flour. Mix until combined, then increase to the next speed and knead the dough for about 7 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with olive oil, turning it on all sides to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm part of your kitchen for 2 hours. If your kitchen is cold I would recommend placing it in the unlit oven with the light on.
Prepare the filling
- While the dough rises rinse the swiss chard well. Do not dry it as the water still clinging to the leaves will help wilt it in the pan. Give it a coarse chop. Do not discard the ribs: finely chop them by cutting them lengthwise and then crosswise into small pieces (as you would chop celery).
- Heat a large, deep skillet on medium high heat. Toss in the swiss chard and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.
- Uncover, add olive oil, finely minced garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes (optional). Saute for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in chopped black olives.
To assemble
- Generously grease a rectangular baking sheet with olive oil. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into a large rectangle of about 3 mm thickness to fit the baking sheet. Carefully transfer it to the baking sheet.
- Evenly distribute the swiss chard mixture over the dough leaving a small border along all sides. Top with the cubed mozzarella and sprinkle the entire filling with grated Parmigiano cheese.
- Roll the second piece of dough and carefully place over the filling. Fold the edges of the bottom dough over the top dough to seal. Prick the surface with a fork in order to allow steam to escape while baking. Brush the dough with olive oil.
Bake
- Bake in a 400 degree F preheated oven for 30 minutes. If the top beings to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing into squares.
Notes
- If you don't have swiss chard, escarole, spinach or rapini may be substituted.
- For extra flavor add toasted pine nuts, raisins or anchovies to the filling.
- If you're not partial to greens, this pizza can be filled with a variety of ingredients of your choice including sausage, cured meats, cheeses or grilled vegetables.
- Enjoy hot or at room temperature.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in your oven and serve.
- Swiss Chard filled Pizza can be frozen well sealed in plastic wrap. Wrap in aluminum foil before placing in your oven to defrost.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Simona
I brought this as a side dish yesterday to my parents for Sunday lunch. Tasted just as good as my mother’s! It was devoured in minutes by everyone. 😀 Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Nadia
Hello Simona, I'm so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Tina Doverspike
My Sicilian mother made something similar, but called it Scachatta. She made one similar to the swiss chard, only with spinach. Other fillings were cauliflower with bits of tomato and the black olives, broccoli and cheese, tomato and onion, ricotta and sausage and for Easter, lamb, peas, bits of tomato and parsley. Needless to say, they were all flavored with garlic. I really miss her cooking.
Nadia
Hello Tina, yes I have heard of sciacciata and the description of the fillings you listed sound absolutely delicious! In fact I must try them out. If I'm not mistaken, is sciacciata not rolled instead of just 2 sheets of pizza dough placed on one another? Thanks!
Tina Doverspike
My mom stretched out the dough, filled it and folded it over, crimping the edges closed. Sort of like a calzone. She did make one that she rolled, jelly-roll style. She made a thick tomato basil sauce with a lot of caramelized onion and she would spread that over the dough and roll. That was one of my favorites. Even though I haven't had it in many decades, I can still remember the taste.
Nadia
I think I've seen photos of the rolled one and the filling sounds delicious! Did she add olives to that? I think I'll have to put this on my to do list. Thanks for sharing!
Tina Doverspike
No olives, just the onion and tomato basil sauce. She did put olives in her Cauliflower Sciacciata. Bits of tomato and the black wrinkled olives, I don't know the name of them but they were on the salty side.
Nadia
Thank you Tina, I am definitely looking forward to trying these variations!
tom
Excellent. 4 stars when warm 5 stars cold from the fridge the day after ! I used you quick pizza dough method so mine looks a bit different.
Nadia
Hi Tom, love your rating. I totally agree. And I guess we're on the same track cause I was wondering how this recipe would turn out with the no knead dough. Thanks for doing the work for me, much appreciated!
Maria Vetrone
Thank you Nadia for this wonderful recipe. Just the way I remember eating it as a child. Simply perfect. I have made this several times now and it always comes out perfect. Can't wait to try more recipes. Grazie mille!
Nadia
Hello Maria, I am so happy to hear that you enjoy it! It's always nice to hear that a recipe has transported someone back to their youth, such wonderful memories. Enjoy!