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Braised Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Braised Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts

By Rose HattabaughNovember 17, 2021

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    40 minutes
  • Rating

Savory-sweet chard with plump raisins and rich, resinous pine nuts is a common vegetable offering in Catalonia, Spain. In our version, we’ve accentuated the contrast of tangy and sweet by adding a touch of floral honey and woodsy sherry vinegar, and we toss in a small measure of red pepper flakes to add a hint of heat. Any type of Swiss chard works here, but if you can find rainbow chard, the colorful stems make for an especially vibrant dish. To be efficient, toast the pine nuts while the chard cooks. In a small skillet over medium, they’ll take only 3 to 4 minutes to turn fragrant and golden brown.

Tip

Don’t forget to reserve the chard stems separately from the leaves. We chop the stems and sauté them with the aromatics so they spend more time in the pot than the quicker-cooking leaves.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 2

    medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1

    bunch Swiss chard (about 1 pound), stems chopped, leaves cut crosswise into rough 2-inch pieces, reserved separately

  • ⅓

    cup golden raisins

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon honey

  • ¼

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • ¼

    cup pine nuts, toasted

  • 1

    tablespoon sherry vinegar

Step 1

In a large pot over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, chard stems, raisins and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and stems are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 2

Add the chard leaves, honey, pepper flakes and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring, until the leaves are wilted, about 1 minute.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are tender and only a little liquid remains in the pot, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Off heat, stir in the pine nuts and vinegar. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

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