Roasted Chard and Pepper with Feta turns healthy into heavenly.
Chard, also known as Swiss chard, might not be your go-to veggie. But this recipe might change that. The stems are roasted with chopped red pepper to caramelized perfection. Then, the leaves, tossed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, are piled on top. Once roasted, the leaves have delightfully crispy edges. The browned feta adds a salty cheesy flavor boost. A final scattering of chopped walnuts adds a lovely toasted nutty finish.
Roasted Chard and Peppers with Feta
I was pursuing a website that touted the benefits of dark, leafy green vegetables. That inspired me to find a recipe for chard, which I hadn’t had for ages but remember liking. I discovered a recipe on allrecipes with many variations people had tried. So I picked the tweaks that sounded good and made one of my own (a squeeze of lemon to brighten the dish.)
Original Recipe
Onion – The allrecipes version also included a large chopped onion. It was tossed in when the chard stems were roasted. Feel free to add the onion for more flavor (my constitution is shying away from garlic and onions these days.)
Bell Peppers – A yellow bell pepper was used in the allrecipes version. So you can use whatever color you’d like. However, I would recommend red, yellow, or orange as they are sweeter, which works better for this dish.
Other Options – There is a host of other options mentioned in the comments on the link above. A few include adding garlic, roasted beet cubes, honey mustard vinaigrette, diced apricots, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, and the list goes on from there.
Don’t Overcook – I reheated some leftover chard in the oven and it crisped up nicely. But be sure not to overcook it. One comment on the allrecipes site mentioned it turned bitter when she roasted it too long.
Regular vs. Rainbow chard – Actually, either will work in this recipe. Here’s a link that explains the differences in various chards.
Serving Size– I stuck with the estimate of 4 servings from the original recipe. But it really depends on how big the chard bunch is and what you consider a serving portion. Based on my experience it was more like 3 servings (the chard shrinks a lot.)
What to Serve with Roasted Chard and Pepper with Feta
I grabbed some rotisserie chicken to enjoy with my chard, which was a perfect choice. Since this side packs lots of flavor, a simply prepared main dish is recommended. Chicken, pork, fish, or seafood would be my top choices.
Veggie Side Dishes
Interested in some of my other favorite healthy vegetable sides? Check out these recipes.
Roasted Chard and Pepper with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 bunch rainbow chard – leaves and stems separated and chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 c. toasted chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the chard stems and pepper on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. Spread out on sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the chard stems have softened, about 15 minutes. Toss the chard leaves with 1 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the leaves over the stem-pepper mixture, then scatter the feta cheese over top.
- Return to the oven, and bake until the stems are tender, the leaves are beginning to crisp, and the feta is melted and golden, about 20 minutes. Top with walnuts and serve.
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