• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wimpy Vegetarian
  • Home
  • About Susan
    • About Susan
    • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Recipe Index
  • Essential Pantry
    • Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Meal Plans
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » MAINS

    Easy Swiss Chard Sauté with Quinoa, Capers and Olives

    Modified: Apr 15, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

    Easy sauteed Swiss chard recipe -- sautéed with lemon, quinoa, capers, and olives. Perfect vegan or vegetarian main dish, or serve as a side dish for the meat eaters at the table.

    Best of all, this dish is ready in 30 minutes!

    Jump to Recipe
    A skillet of a vegan Swiss chard sauté with quinoa, lemon, capers and olives.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe

    Jump to:
    • 👩‍⚕️ Is Swiss Chard Good For You?
    • 👩‍🍳 How do you cook Swiss chard?
    • 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • ⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
    • 👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips
    • 💡Ideas for Possible Variations
    • 🍽 Side Dish Ideas
    • Easy Swiss Chard Recipe with Lemon, Quinoa, Fried Capers and Olives

    A quick sauté of Swiss chard is a beginning of many a vegetarian dinner at my house. For example, I often make this Swiss chard pasta, with lemon and ricotta cheese, but when I don't feel like pasta, I mix Swiss chard with quinoa, lemon and olives. For a comfort food approach to sautéed chard, make these cheesy grits and greens and this Swiss chard casserole with quinoa.

    👩‍⚕️ Is Swiss Chard Good For You?

    Swiss chard is loaded with nutrients. It's rich in vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C and K. And it's full of antioxidants. But truthfully, if you compare it with spinach, spinach will still come on top.

    So make room in your diet for both of these greens.

    👩‍🍳 How do you cook Swiss chard?

    Swiss chard can be bitter, so I recommend cooking it first. The two most common ways to cook it are:

    • Boil or steam the leaves by themselves, such as for this Swiss Chard, Lemon and Ricotta Pasta or Swiss Chard Gratin. Or by adding the leaves and stems to a simmering soup, such as in this Italian Chickpea Stew.
    • Sauté the leaves and stems in olive oil with a little garlic, and dress it up in this dish.

    🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes

    For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.

    • Cooked quinoa - I use white quinoa in this recipe.
    • Swiss chard - the leaves and the stems. Both green and rainbow chard work well in this recipe.
    • Capers
    • Green olives
    • Garlic
    • Parsley
    • Lemon
    • Dried red pepper flakes

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    🔪 Recommended Equipment

    • Chef's knife
    • Large skillet

    ⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time

    Make the quinoa ahead of time, and store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips

    Sauté the stems in the olive oil until they begin to crisp before adding the chopped leaves.

    💡Ideas for Possible Variations

    Swap out quinoa for rice or tofu that has all the moisture squeezed out.

    Top with gremolata breadcrumbs for a little crunch.

    🍽 Side Dish Ideas

    Baked potato or these air fryer potatoes that are ready in 15 minutes.

    Marinated roasted red peppers

    Sliced tomatoes, lightly salted and peppered, and drizzle with a light lemon vinaigrette.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    A skillet of a vegan Swiss chard sauté with quinoa, lemon, capers and olives.
    4.33 from 70 votes

    Easy Swiss Chard Recipe with Lemon, Quinoa, Fried Capers and Olives

    Easy Swiss chard recipe, sautéed with lemon, quinoa, capers, and olives. This makes a perfect weeknight vegetarian main dish or side dish for the meat eaters at the table.
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Vegetarian Dinner
    Cuisine: Any
    Keyword: easy Swiss chard recipe, vegan Swiss chard dish
    Servings: 2 main dishes
    Calories: 477.6kcal
    Author: Susan Pridmore
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Chef's knife
    • Large skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    • 2 bunches Swiss chard about 3 cups when cooked
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons capers
    • 2 tablespoons sliced green olives
    • 8 garlic cloves minced
    • 3 tablespoons Italian parsley coarsely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste (⅛ teaspoon table salt)
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

    Instructions

    • Cook the quinoa if you don't have any on hand. (Go to the link for instructions on making perfect fluffy quinoa.)
    • Remove the leaves of the Swiss chard from the central stems and slice the stems into 1-inch long pieces. Stack the leaves on top of each other, and slice into 2-inch wide pieces.
    • Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add the Swiss chard stems and cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until they soften and begin to crisp. Add the capers, olives, and garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the parsley and cook another minute before adding the chard leaves. Cook until partially wilted.
    • Add the cooked quinoa, butter, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
    • Serve warm.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 477.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.6g | Protein: 9.7g | Fat: 37.9g | Saturated Fat: 11.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20.3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 39.1mg | Sodium: 843.6mg | Potassium: 457.7mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 1.9g | Vitamin A: 3982.3IU | Vitamin C: 28.4mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 3.2mg
    « Pesto Cauliflower Steaks
    Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Eggs »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Norma Chang

      March 18, 2015 at 4:22 am

      Oh, I like this a lot, caper, quinoa and Swiss chard my favorite foods in one dish, definitely saving recipe.
      Going to start my Swiss chard seeds this week, bit too early but I am anxious.

      Reply
    2. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      March 18, 2015 at 4:32 am

      You KNOW that is right up my alley!

      Reply
    3. Tara Noland

      March 18, 2015 at 6:25 am

      5 stars
      Love the lemon with the salty olives and capers. This is a great recipe and one that we will be making soon!!

      Reply
    4. Lynda

      March 18, 2015 at 7:10 am

      I feel the same way at the end of a day of cooking. This would be a perfect dinner for me.

      Reply
    5. Rita Held

      March 18, 2015 at 10:44 am

      Yummy one, Susan! My kind of supper :o)

      Reply
    6. Shaina

      March 18, 2015 at 10:55 am

      Totally going to pick up some swiss chard tomorrow when I go grocery shopping!! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

      Reply
    7. Oui, Chef

      March 18, 2015 at 4:20 pm

      Oohs, love the addition of the flavor bombs...the capers and olives!

      Reply
    8. mjskitchen

      March 18, 2015 at 6:25 pm

      Swiss chard and polenta is one of my refrigerator cleanout recipes but I sure like the use of the quinoa. I can see how this one was a keeper! Looks delicious!

      Reply
    9. Joanie @ ZagLeft

      March 19, 2015 at 5:43 am

      I often feel the same way about making dinner after I've spent the day in the kitchen and I love easy recipes that help me put a great meal out with very little effort. This looks lika a great recipe for one of those evenings.

      Reply
    10. Cherie

      March 19, 2015 at 6:11 am

      This looks delicious but I think I'm missing something. Where are the olives in the recipe? What type and how many?

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 19, 2015 at 7:43 am

        Cherie- thanks so very much for catching that! I've been making this dish for a few years now, but the original version didn't have olives and I copied that version in here. I've made the change. THANK YOU!!

        Reply
    11. fabiola@notjustbaked

      March 19, 2015 at 11:02 am

      Oh how I feel you on that! We make food all day, and sometimes I want my husband to bring home dinner lol.
      This looks beautiful!

      Reply
    12. Cynthia/What A Girl Eats

      March 19, 2015 at 11:38 am

      This is my kind of side dish. I love and caper twist you've added! sounds fantastic!

      Reply
    13. Mirlandra @ Mirlandra's Kitchen

      March 19, 2015 at 12:59 pm

      5 stars
      This looks really beautiful!

      Reply
    14. cathy branciaroli

      March 19, 2015 at 1:07 pm

      Well, being Italian I can't pass up swiss chard -- looks like a great dish

      Reply
    15. cristina

      March 19, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      That's exactly how I feel when working on a post earlier in the day...I'm spent. Happy w/a glass of red and wish there were leftovers or some magical means of dinner appearing w/out being involved. 🙂 I'm trying to get more swiss chard and quinoa in our meals and this looks like a keeper!

      Reply
    16. cheri

      March 19, 2015 at 6:59 pm

      Hi Susan, this is my kind of meal, I bet even the hubs would love this for dinner.

      Reply
    17. Stephanie Stuart

      March 20, 2015 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      I just love Swiss Chard recipes! Really helps demystify this wonderful green 🙂

      Reply
    18. Kristy Bernardo

      March 21, 2015 at 6:00 am

      First of all, you had me at "lemony swiss chard". Then I saw the fried capers and I was swooning! Throw in the olives and I'm now stalking you and won't leave your house until you share some! Seriously - awesome dish!!

      Reply
    19. pam (Sidewalk Shoes)

      March 21, 2015 at 8:22 am

      Perfect!

      Reply
    20. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free

      March 21, 2015 at 9:13 am

      I'm the same way - I really don't like making dinner and often wish we could eat out more! It's just so exhausting after being in the kitchen for work.

      Just had kale and quinoa for breakfast, but your recipe looks much more inspired!

      Reply
    21. Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence

      March 21, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      Fried capers are my JAM. I'd love a scoop of this.

      Reply
    22. Susan | LunaCafe

      March 21, 2015 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      I identify completely with the "too tired to cook dinner because I cooked all day" syndrome. 🙂 Love the capers and olives here. And chard is a favorite too.

      Reply
    23. Kristi

      March 25, 2015 at 6:34 am

      5 stars
      Hi There! I wanted to stop by and tell you how delicious this saute looks. I discovered your recipe on Pinterest, and wanted you to know that I've linked to your recipe on my Weekend Healthy Recipes Roundup. I've been trying to incorporate more chard into our meals to get those greens in.

      Reply
    24. Kathryn Pfeffer

      February 23, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      This is delicious! I posted a picture of my version on my Instagram and included your website. Thanks so much for such a beautiful (and yummy) dish!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        February 23, 2016 at 7:45 pm

        Thank you so much!! I'm so happy you liked it!!

        Reply
    25. Maggie

      August 14, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      My husband LOVED this dish! My 17 year old suggested pine nuts rather than cheese, which was really good. My 14 year old said there was a war going on in her mouth and mixed it 50:50 with cheese. That's a winner in our house! Thanks!

      Reply
    26. annmarie

      January 22, 2018 at 9:26 pm

      If you don't have capers or olives, preserved lemons are a beautiful addition to add both a lemon and salty goodness. Slice preserved lemons, thin or thick, depending on the mouth surprise you desire.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        January 24, 2018 at 10:07 am

        That is a perfect idea! I'm going to try this next time I make it. I always have some preserved lemons hanging around the refrigerator! Thanks!!

        Reply
    27. Caroline

      February 09, 2018 at 5:55 am

      Going to add cashews and feta instead of mozzarella. Will let you know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        February 09, 2018 at 7:58 am

        Yes! Please let me know!! That sounds like it would be really good!!!

        Reply
    28. Aimee

      April 02, 2018 at 12:38 pm

      Thank you for the easy, quick delicious and nourishing meal idea. My tummy and taste buds are happy and so is the chard because it was getting ready to wilt and now has a purpose.

      Reply
      • thewimpyvegetarian

        April 07, 2018 at 2:35 pm

        I'm so happy you liked it! And it's always so nice to find a good purpose for that chard! Thanks for letting me know how it worked for you!

        Reply
    29. Grigsby

      April 07, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      Added cherry tomato halves before capers and olives absolutely delicious

      Reply
      • thewimpyvegetarian

        April 07, 2018 at 2:35 pm

        What a great addition! Love that idea!

        Reply
    30. Tammy

      April 18, 2021 at 8:38 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night as swiss chard is running rampant in my garden. I subbed rice for the quinoa and it was fabulous. Thank you!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        April 22, 2021 at 10:15 am

        5 stars
        I'm so glad you liked it!! Thanks for letting me know! You're so lucky to have so much swiss chard on hand - I love it.

        Reply
    31. Gisela

      December 19, 2021 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      I will definitely make this recipe for my family this holiday season.

      Reply
    4.33 from 70 votes (62 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

    about the author:

    Susan Pridmore

    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

    More about me →

    READER FAVORITES

    • Summer peach cake topped with fresh peaches and blueberries on a marble counter.
      Lazy Summer Peach Cake Recipe with Blueberries
    • A bowl of fresh strawberry salsa with a crostini spread with cheese and topped with salsa.
      Easy Strawberry Salsa Recipe with Chocolate Nibs
    • A bowl of cooked, fluffy brown rice topped with a little fresh thyme.
      How to Cook Fluffy Rice with Tips (White AND Brown Rice)
    • Four dishes from a vegetarian St. Patrick's Day roundup of recipes with text overlay.
      Irish Vegetarian Recipes (St. Patricks Day)

    15 Tips for Going Vegetarian (Updated!)

    A colander filled with freshly washed apples with text overlay.

    Purchase My Cookbook!!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Purchase my cookbook
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe Index

    Copyright © 2025 The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.