Mains
Sweet, Spicy, Savory Rainbow Chard Pasta
30 minServes 4
Rainbow chard is one of the most beautiful vegetables in the produce aisle - and one of the most underused. This pasta brings it center stage with a sauce that hits sweet, spicy, and savory all at once. It's a weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you spent way more time than you did.
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta of your choice
- 1 large bunch rainbow chard, stems and leaves separated
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Parmesan or nutritional yeast to finish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- 2Slice chard stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Roughly chop the leaves.
- 3Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chard stems and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
- 4Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5Add chard leaves and raisins, toss to wilt, about 2 minutes.
- 6Add drained pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss everything together over medium heat.
- 7Finish with lemon juice, pine nuts, and Parmesan. Season to taste.
Jennifer's tip
Don't skip the raisins - they balance the bitterness of the chard and the heat of the pepper flakes perfectly.
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