A simple comfort food dish especially delicious made with fresh produce from your garden during the summer months. Swiss chard with potatoes and tomatoes is the perfect example of cucina povera, the art of transforming humble ingredients into a healthy and delicious meal.
This Italian swiss chard recipe is probably not what you will prepare when company is coming over. And it’s definitely not the prettiest looking dish either!
But there’s something so comforting and satisfying about this easy recipe made with fresh produce during the summer. Garlic and a drizzle of olive oil are all you need to elevate the flavors of sun ripened tomatoes and swiss chard in this recipe.
You’ll notice that this recipe doesn’t begin with the traditional step of sautéed garlic in olive oil before adding the remaining ingredients. This is my mother’s recommended technique. She simmered her tomatoes and later added minced garlic and olive oil to flavor the sauce towards the end of cooking.
To serve
Just like green beans with tomatoes, my mother always served this braised swiss chard along with her homemade hard bread or pani duru as we called it (which you may know as friselle). This crisp bread was left in the bowl to soften and soak up the rich tomato broth.
Enjoy as a side or main dish. Scroll down further below to my Recipe Notes for substitution and variation suggestions.
Ingredient List
- Swiss Chard
- Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Rinse the swiss chard, chop up the stems and slice the leaves into ribbons.
- Chop the potatoes and tomatoes into cubes.
- In a large skillet or sauce pan, add the diced tomatoes, a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Add the chard and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Stir in the potatoes, a pinch of salt and 1 cup of water.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Uncover, stir in the mince garlic, olive oil, more salt (if needed) and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.
- Drizzle with extra olive oil before serving.
Recipe Notes
-Try making this dish with escarole instead of swiss chard.
-For a complete, hearty meal, stir in a can of chickpeas or white beans along with the potatoes.
-Serve with friselle (hard bread) to soak up the tomato broth.
-You may also serve this swiss chard with potatoes and tomatoes with pasta. Cook small shaped pasta such as ditalini, tubettini or shells separately. Stir into the dish at the end of cooking. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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More Italian swiss chard recipes for you to enjoy!
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Pasta
- Swiss Chard filled Pizza
- Cheesy Swiss Chard and Potato Casserole
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Stew
- Swiss Chard Fritters (crispeddi chi giri)
Ingredients
- 675 grams tomatoes 4 large
- 1 bunch swiss chard about 450 grams or 1 lb
- 500 grams potatoes
- 1 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt to taste
- 3 tbsp. olive oil plus extra for drizzling
Instructions
- Rinse the swiss chard, chop up the stems and slice the leaves into ribbons.
- Chop the potatoes and tomatoes into cubes.
- In a large skillet or sauce pan, add the diced tomatoes, a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Add the chard and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Stir in the potatoes, a pinch of salt and water.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Uncover, stir in the mince garlic, olive oil, more salt (if needed) and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.
- Drizzle with extra olive oil before serving.
Notes
-For a complete, hearty meal, stir in a can of chickpeas or white beans along with the potatoes. To Serve -Serve with friselle (hard bread) to soak up the tomato broth.
-You may also serve this swiss chard with potatoes and tomatoes with pasta. Cook small shaped pasta such as ditalini, tubettini or shells separately. Stir into the dish at the end of cooking. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese. Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days
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