Chard and White Beans Sauté

Swiss chard, rainbow chard, red chard… they all taste exactly the same. Some are just have more colorful stems. In Northern California, I can keep the same plants going for years and enjoy countless harvests. Between my constant supply and love for it, I am always trying to come up with new ways to enjoy it, including this vegan chard and white beans sauté recipe with leeks, garlic, lemon juice, fresh dill and more. It’s a lovely spring dish, whether you enjoy as a main or side.

This recipe makes ~4-8 servings, depending on whether it’s a main or side dish.

A few things…

• Dirt likes to lurk inside leeks. I usually slice the white part in half vertically and then, fan out of the leaf sheaths under running water to flush it out.

• I used cannellini beans, because they tend to hold their shape. You could also use great northern white beans, but I’ve found they break apart somewhat easily.

• When you’re chopping the chard, keep the stems separate. You will add the stems to the skillet with the beans, so they have more time to cook through.

• I chose fresh dill, because it has a lot of flavor. While I haven’t tried it, you could substitute it with dried dill (maybe 1 tsp?). If you try this, I’d love to know how it worked out.

Please enjoy this chard and white beans recipe! It tastes particularly lovely with some crusty bread on the side. And don’t miss other UVK recipes like Potato Swiss Chard Soup, Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes, Sweet Potato Chickpea Stew, Slow Cooker Stewed Kidney Beans, Carrots and Chard with Bulgur, Slow Cooker Vegan Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens, and more.

Chard and White Beans Sauté

1 large leek (white part only!), finely chopped (OR ~⅔ cup finely chopped leek [white part only]) – (see notes above)

2 Tbsp (+ more to drizzle) olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ tsp salt

2 15.5 ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (OR ~3½ cups cooked cannellini beans) – (see notes above)

5 cups chopped chard, leaves and stems separated (see notes above)

¼ cup water

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill – (see notes above)

Black pepper, to taste

1. First, we’ll get the leeks going for this chard and white beans recipe. In a large, deep skillet, add the olive oil, leeks and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté over medium heat until the leeks are soft.

2. Next, add cannellini beans and the chard stems to the skillet. Stir around for 3 minutes to fry up the beans and soften the stems. Then, add the garlic and stir around for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the chard leaves and ¼ cup water. Turn the heat down to low. Cover and steam for ~5-10 minutes or until everything is tender enough to enjoy eating. Check it at the half way point and add more water, if needed.

4. When everything is cooked through, remove the lid from the chard and white beans. Allow any remaining water to evaporate. Then, add the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, fresh dill, additional salt and black pepper (to taste). Drizzle with olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed (more salt? lemon? vinegar?). Serve.