The best substitute for chard

Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable that comes in a rainbow of colors. This vegetable is not only beautiful, but also very nutritious, low in calories.

Swiss chard is becoming more popular by the day, but depending on where you are, it can sometimes be very difficult to find.

So what is the best substitute for chard?

The best substitutes for Swiss chard are mature spinach, mustard greens, beet greens, black cabbage, and collard greens. All of these substitutes have a similar taste and texture and are excellent low-calorie sources of daily nutrients. 

Today we will see all the elements of Swiss chard, such as its flavor, texture, preparation methods, uses, and nutritional content.

All these elements are important to know in order to choose the correct substitute. For example, if you want a similar-looking substitute, beet greens are best, but if you’re looking for a flavorful substitute, spinach is best.

Let us begin!

Chard

Swiss chard, also called simply Swiss chard or rainbow chard, is classified as a leafy green vegetable.

Because it closely resembles many leafy greens, before it became popular, many cooks used to refer to it by names like silver beets, beetroot spinach, leafy beets, seakale beets, or perpetual spinach.

All these terms actually refer to the same vegetable, chard. Luckily, today we have a much better description of this delicious vegetable and it is much easier to find.

Swiss chard consists of two main parts: the leaf (referring to the large thick stalk that forms the main vein), and the leaf. These two parts are usually prepared separately.

The blade is thick and located in the center of the large blade. In the case of chard, this leaf can be a deep and vibrant green, pink, purple, red, white or yellow; it really is one of the prettiest vegetables you can find.

Taste and texture

The flavor and texture of Swiss chard closely resembles that of many other leafy green vegetables.

The taste of the leaves, specifically, can be slightly bitter for some people. Although everyone agrees that it tastes much less earthy and vegetal than other vegetables like beets and kale.

The stem (leaf), on the other hand, has a much sweeter flavor than the leaves.

Both fresh leaves and stems should have a crisp-tender texture. If the leaves are soft, they are not fresh enough and should be used in cooked dishes.

Once cooked, these two components soften considerably and can be cooked soft enough to become a smooth puree.

Nutrition

Chard is a very nutritious and extremely low-calorie vegetable. This is why most people include it in their diet, so naturally its substitute should have similar properties if this is what you are looking for.

Just a small amount of Swiss chard (about 1 cup) contains enough vitamins A, K, and C to meet the recommended daily intake. However, the same cup of Swiss chard only has 7 calories!

It is also high in minerals, such as calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, sodium, and phosphorus.

All of these different vitamins and minerals mean that it has a ton of antioxidants, is packed with fiber, has beneficial components for heart health, helps lower blood pressure, and can help promote weight loss.

Swiss chard nutritional content (1 cup, uncooked)

These are just a few of the many important health benefits.

If you use Swiss chard for any of these benefits, be sure to choose a substitute that still meets that specific need.

How to prepare chard

The most common way to prepare chard is by cutting the leaf (the stem) of the large leaf.

Run a sharp knife down both sides of the large stem, all the way to the top. Remove the stem and cut it into the desired sizes. The sheet can also be cut into smaller sizes.

The size of the pieces will depend on the uses. If you’re making a soup or smoothie, the pieces don’t have to be that small, but if you’re using it fresh in a salad, you may want to cut it into easy-to-eat or bite-size pieces.

Applications

The main reason people include Swiss chard in their diet is because of the nutritional benefits it provides.

Swiss chard can be eaten raw, cooked, or mixed together (such as in a smoothie or soup). What makes this leafy green vegetable so amazing is the many ways it can be prepared.

Here are some delicious ideas for Swiss chard:

• Sautéed chard with garlic and herbs
• Chard cream with bacon
• sautéed chard
• Baked chard with Swiss chard
• Swiss chard and caramelized onion frittata (or quiche)
• Open sandwich with Swiss chard, poached eggs and mustard-mayonnaise sauce

The best way to cook this green leafy vegetable is to steam it. This way it preserves most of its nutrients and its fresh color. Swiss chard can also be blanched, sautéed, braised, or roasted with other vegetables. Some people have even fried them.

The best substitutes for chard

Here’s our ultimate list of Swiss chard substitutes and alternatives. Some are easier to find than others, but all are interchangeable and equally delicious and nutritious.

1. Spinach

In our opinion, spinach is the closest substitute for Swiss chard, however, only mature spinach (the ones with the large leaf and thick leaf as well).

Also, spinach leaves are slightly bitter while the stems are slightly sweet, and unlike most leafy greens, spinach and Swiss chard don’t have that earthy taste.

Ripe spinach can be prepared just like Swiss chard and makes a flawless, barely noticeable substitute. You can cut the central stem and use both the leaves and the stems in recipes.

Spinach stems and leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked and incorporated into many other dishes. They also cook completely soft, so they can be easily incorporated into soups and smoothies.

Compared to many of the other substitutes, spinach is by far the easiest to find.

If for some reason you can’t find mature spinach leaves, you can use baby spinach. Baby spinach is exactly what it sounds like; they are smaller spinach leaves that have not yet matured.

Baby spinach leaves are popular in salads because they are much sweeter than their mature counterparts.

They are also much more convenient and easier to use compared to mature spinach and Swiss chard, since you only have to wash them before using them.

Nutritional content of ripe spinach (1 cup, uncooked)

2. Mustard greens

Mustard greens are a lesser-known leafy vegetable. It is also known as vegetable mustard, oriental mustard, Indian mustard, or Chinese mustard.

There are a ton of different varieties, but the ones that work as a substitute for chard specifically are mustard greens.

Regardless of the variety you have in your hands, these leaves are known for their spicy flavor with hints of bitterness. They definitely have an earthy flavor, so keep that in mind for raw recipes.

As for the preparation, you have to take into account its flavor. If you don’t like spicy flavors, or your recipe already calls for pepper, simply adjust the proportions or choose a different alternative.

Leaf mustard (also known as cabbage mustard, gai choy, or bamboo mustard) is the most common type and can be found in most places. These leaves look almost like baby spinach, but slightly larger and more elegant in shape.

Korean red mustard and Japanese giant red mustard are two Asian varieties that you’re more likely to find on that continent. These are beautiful reddish-purple leaves that have a much more intense and spicy flavor than other varieties.

The last common variety of green mustard is the curly-leaf mustard, or American mustard, Texas mustard, or southern curly mustard. These leaves are large and curled at the ends, almost like kale.

Nutritional content of mustard greens (1 cup, uncooked)

3. Kale

Collard greens are a very popular nutritious leafy green that closely resembles cabbage and broccoli, at least genetically. They also look like kale and mustard, so they can substitute for chard.

Collard greens and mustard look alike, but they are different. Collard greens are a large, chard-like leaf that has the texture of cabbage leaves.

Luckily, they don’t taste quite like cabbage and have the same bitter, nutty flavor as Swiss chard. They are also cooked in a very similar way and are an especially popular ingredient in South American cuisine.

Other continents known for their use of collard greens are African countries (especially East Africa) and South Asian countries such as India.

To cook collard greens, you have to remove the stems. These stems (or blades) are not usually eaten due to their hard texture and difficult to soften. Instead, substitute collard greens as a substitute for chard leaves.

These leaves have an intense flavor when eaten raw, however, when cooked, the flavor becomes milder and more pleasant.

Nutritional content of collard greens (1 cup, uncooked)

4. Beet greens

Beet greens are another beautiful green leafy vegetable that is the leaves of beets (the purple root vegetable).

These leaves grow above the ground and have deep pink/red leaves (stems) that develop into equally beautiful veins. The leaves themselves are a beautiful vibrant green color.

Visually, beet greens are more like Swiss chard, but taste-wise there are some differences. First of all, beet greens have a very earthy flavor, but they also carry those nutty notes that chard has. They are a good substitute for kale if you ever need them.

Beet greens are very easy to come by these days, or you can just buy them with the beets attached! They can be found all over the world at your local grocery store, or at farmers markets.

To prepare the beet greens, you can follow the same steps as for chard and ripe spinach. Remove the stem (which is edible) and cut the leaves separately.

The cooking methods you can use for beet greens are also pretty much the same as for chard.

Nutritional content of beet greens (1 cup, uncooked)

5. Black cabbage

There are many varieties of kale, but as a substitute for chard, black cabbage is best. This variety is also known as Tuscan kale, dinosaur cabbage, or kale.

This kale has much darker green leaves, sometimes almost black. Its texture has a lumpy appearance, much like lizard skin or heavily crumpled paper.

Black cabbage does not have curly leaves like the more common kale, but flattened, palm-shaped leaves. Black cabbage is much sweeter than regular cabbage and also has the nutty flavors that collards have.

Whatever variety of kale, it’s best to blanch or steam it before sautéing or braising the leaves. This helps to soften the hard, robust leaves.

If you don’t have access to black cabbage, you can use kale instead. Just keep in mind that kale has bitter, earthy flavors that aren’t nearly as similar to chard.

Nutritional content of kale (1 cup, uncooked)