This Sauteed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Cannellini Beans is an easy-to-make, filling, and nutritious dinner, when served on toasted sourdough bread, rice or quinoa. A beautifuly balanced vegan meal filled with nutrients and savory flavor.

overhead view of two slices of sourdough bread with Swiss chard and cannellini beans next to a serving dish with sauté Swiss chard

If you’re unsure about cooking with Swiss chard, this is the recipe for you! It’s a quick, flavorful dish that combines cannellini beans and Swiss chard in a comforting and delicious way. Serve it on a toasted country or sourdough bread (our favorite!) or even over rice, quinoa, or pasta for a complete meal. The garlic and red wine vinegar perfectly balance the mild cannellini beans and let the natural flavors of the Swiss chard shine through.

What is Swiss Chard?

Swiss chard is a dark leafy green vegetable that is related to beets. It has an earthy flavor with a slight bitterness that goes away when cooked. Unlike kale, you can eat the chard stems! Just cut them up small and sautée them with the chard leaves. They will remain slightly crunchy but aren’t hard and fibrous like kale stems. Chard is low in calories and high in vitamins K, A, and C.

A bunch of rainbow kale on a black surface

Varieties of Chard: Swiss vs. Rainbow

Chard comes in several different varieties, but all taste similar! Swiss Chard refers to leaves with a white stem, while red chard has beautifully colored red stems, Rainbow Chard isn’t a specific variety of chard but rather all of the different varieties bundled together for sale! They make a beautiful rainbow of greens with multi-colored stems, what healthy way to eat the rainbow!

Ingredients to make chard with bean labeled: Rainbow chard, garlic, olive oil, canned cannellini bean, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

The Four Types of White Beans

Cannellini beans are one of the four types of white beans, with the other three being Navy (or Pea) beans, Great Northern Beans, and Baby Lima Beans. You can usually use and of these beans interchangeably in recipes as they’re similar in flavor!

Navy beans are small, soft, and creamy in flavor.
Great Northern Beans have firm flesh and are medium in size, in between the Navy and Cannellini beans.
You may know Baby Lima Beans as “butterbeans,” and they’re often used in soups and stews since they’re starchier than the others.

What are Cannellini Beans?

Cannellini beans are white kidney beans that are used often in Italian, Greek, and French recipes. They have a mellow, kind of nutty flavor and a creamy texture that makes them versatile in many dishes. You can find them dried or canned in most grocery stores and they’re an inexpensive pantry staple to keep on hand!

How to Cook Swiss Chard

Start by preparing the Swiss chard. Wash it well and chop stems into small pieces and leaves into large pieces, keeping in mind that they will cook down just like spinach or kale. First saute soem garlic, then add the chard stems in for a minute or two before incorporating the leaves. The stems are totally edible, they just do best with an extra minute of cooking time! Once the chard starts to wilt add in cannellini beans and a splash of vinegar.

Ingredients to make Swiss chard with white beans: Rainbow chard, garlic, olive oil, canned cannellini bean, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

Chopped Chard stems and leaves on a wood cutting board

More Recipes with Leafy Green Vegetables

two slices of country bread with sautéed swiss chard and cannellini beans

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Original publishing date: April 10, 2012