No Oil Sauteed White Beans and Swiss Chard Greens
Beans and Swiss chard are the perfect match in both nutrition and flavor. This no-oil sauté is healthy, delicious, and a must-try.
Beans and Swiss chard are the perfect combination and truly a dynamic duo, offering versatility in a variety of dishes and a rich nutrient-dense profile.
I didn’t discover the versatility of beans until I became vegan, or 100% plant-based as I like to call it. Growing up I had the occasional bean dish for dinner, and in high school, I ate more than my share of bean and cheese burritos from Taco Bell but that was the extent of my culinary bean experience.
It was only when I became 100% plant-based that I began to experiment in the kitchen with a variety of bean dishes. Only to discover, that I actually really love beans!
The key to beans lies in their preparation. Similar to tofu, beans may initially seem bland, yet with the addition of a few spices and seasonings, they transform into a vibrant, nutrient-dense, flavorful powerhouse.
Beans hold immense nutritional value and provide excellent protein, fiber, and vitamins, while Swiss chard, with its vibrant leafy greens, adds a dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Together beans and Swiss chard form a wonderful flavorful combination that offers a symphony of flavors and a boost of health benefits to your meal.
Beans: A Longevity Powerhouse
Beans have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years, and there are hundreds of varieties of dry beans, each with its unique flavor, texture, cooking time, and culinary uses.
According to the US Dry Bean Council, United States farmers plant anywhere from 1.8 to 2 million acres of dry beans every year. With the most popular beans being pinto beans, navy beans, Great Northern beans, red kidney beans, and black beans (1).
Beans are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and more. They contain phytochemicals that help improve cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, as well as protect against cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammation (2).
Swiss Chard: A Leafy Green Marvel
Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable with large red, white, or yellow stalks that are often prepared separately from the leafy part. Chard has a grounded, earthy taste with a slight bitterness that tends to dissipate after it has been cooked.
Swiss chard comes in a variety of forms with the most common being green chard, also known as ‘Lucullus’ or “Fordhook Giant,” or red chard, also known as ‘Ruby Chard’ and ‘Rhubarb Chard.’
Rainbow chard is a mix of the colored varieties of chard and is often mistaken as its own variety (3).
Chard is a leafy green powerhouse filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It is especially potent in vitamins K, A, and vitamin C as well as other antioxidants meant to protect the body from cellular damage.
One thing to note about Swiss chard, as well as other leafy greens, is because chard contains high amounts of vitamin K, those who are on blood thinning medications should be careful not to consume too much chard or other leafy greens, as it can reverse the effects of certain anticoagulant drugs. Please talk to your medical professional about this in more detail before changing your diet (4).
No Oil Sauteed White Beans and Swiss Chard Greens Recipe Helpful Tips
Last Minute Notes Before Making White Beans and Swiss Chard Sauté
No Oil Sauteed White Beans and Swiss Chard Greens Ingredients
1 medium leek
4 cloves of garlic
4 cups Lacinato kale
5 lg leaves fresh Swiss chard – I used rainbow chard
1 15oz cannellini canned beans – or 2 cups of cooked beans
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon – preferably low-sodium
1 1/2 cups filtered cold water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried sage (or fresh sage)
1/2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh thyme leaves)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
pinch of salt & black pepper to taste OR a pinch of red pepper flakes.
NOTE: Preferable to use low-sodium salt
vegan parmesan or pecorino romano cheese (optional)
optional ingredients you may want to consider
Consider these alternative swap options for this Swiss chard recipe if some of the listed ingredients do not align with your taste preferences.
- Green onions, yellow onions, or sweet shallots instead of leeks.
- Butter beans, white kidney beans, or other types of white beans if you are not a fan of cannellini beans.
- Sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.
- Baby spinach instead of kale if you desire.
- Lemon zest is always a lovely opt
No Oil Sauteed White Beans and Swiss Chard Greens Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Wash and dry leek, then finely chop. Rinse to remove any remaining dirt and debris. Set aside.
- Peel and mince garlic. Set aside.
- Wash, dry, and destem kale. Then cut into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Wash, dry, and destem Swiss chard leaves. Then cut into small pieces, including the Swiss chard stems. Set aside.
- Drain and rinse beans. Set aside.
- Mix the vegetable bouillon into the water. Stir until mostly dissolved. Set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Set stovetop to medium-high heat and allow sauté pan, or large saucepan, to heat up. Add 1/4 cup of filtered water and allow to heat up again.
- Next, add the chopped leek to your pan and sauté until just beginning to get translucent. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the chard stalks and sauté for another few minutes until tender.
- Turn the stovetop down to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir frequently for about 1 minute to bring out its flavor and prevent burning.
- Quickly add the herbs and stir for another couple of minutes to bring out the flavors of the herbs.
- Next, add the bouillon water mixture and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine.
- Add the bunch of Swiss chard and kale and stir to combine. Allow the sauté to simmer for several minutes until the greens have started to wilt. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans and stir thoroughly.
- Turn the heat down to low and cover with a small opening to allow the release of some but not all of the steam.
- Let simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until everything is heated thoroughly.
- Once heated thoroughly, remove the pan from the heat and, using the immersion blender, blend about one-half of the sauté mixture.
NOTE: If you are using a regular blender, carefully place half of the chard mixture into the blender and slowly blend it up being careful not to spill and burn yourself. Pour the blended mixture back into the pan with the rest of the sauté mixture. This allows for a wonderful creamy texture. - Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to taste.
NOTE: If desired, feel free to add more apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve this sauté in beautiful serving bowls (I like to use wooden bowls) and top with additional nutrition yeast and/or vegan parmesan cheese.
Serve with warm crusty sourdough bread and you are good to go. ENJOY!
How to Store
This No Oil Sauteed White Beans and Swiss Chard Greens can be stored in the fridge for several days as long as it is in a tightly sealed airtight container. I like to use glass for storage.
You can also store this sauté in the freezer for approximately 4-6 months as long as it is in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container.
More healthy recipes, and caregiver support for you to enjoy
Let’s Connect
I hope you try making this delicious and nutrient-dense no oil White Bean and Swiss Chard Sauté, and I hope you share it with your friends and family too.
Also, please consider giving this recipe 5 stars and comment below. Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you!
Printable recipe for you to enjoy
Equipment
- large quality knife for chopping
- wood cutting board
- large wooden spoon
- large saute pan – cast iron works well
- immersion blender – or a regular powerful blender
Ingredients
- 1 medium leek
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups lacinato kale
- 5 lg leaves rainbow swiss chard
- 1 15oz canellini beans – or 2 cups of cooked beans
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon – preferably low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- salt & pepper to taste – preferably low sodium salt
- vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Wash and dry leek, then finely chop. Last, rinse to remove any remaining dirt and debris. Set aside.
- Peel and mince garlic. Set aside.
- Wash, dry, and destem kale. Then cut into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Wash, dry, and destem chard. Then cut into small bite-sized pieces, including the stems. Set aside.
- Drain and rinse beans. Set aside.
- Mix the vegetable bouillon into the water. Stir until mostly dissolved. Set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Set stovetop heat to medium-high and allow sauté pan to heat up. Add 1/4 cup of filtered water and allow to heat up again.
- Add the chopped leek to your pan, and sauté until just beginning to get translucent. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and stir frequently for about 1 minute to bring out its flavor and prevent burning.
- Quickly add the herbs and stir for another minute to bring out the flavors of the herbs.
- Add the bouillon water mixture and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine.
- Add the kale and chard and stir to combine. Allow the sauté to simmer for several minutes until the greens have started to wilt. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans and stir thoroughly.
- Turn the heat down to low, and cover with a small opening to allow the release of some but not all of the steam.
- Let simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until everything is heated thoroughly.
- Once heated thoroughly, remove the pan from the heat and, using the immersion blender, blend about one-half of the sauté mixture.NOTE: If you are using a regular blender, carefully pour about one-half of the mixture into the blender and slowly blend it up being careful not to spill and burn yourself.Pour the blended mixture back into the pan with the rest of the sauté mixture.
- Add the nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste.NOTE: If desired, feel free to add more apple cider vinegar.
SERVING:
- Serve this sauté in beautiful serving bowls (I like to use wooden bowls) and top with additional nutrition yeast and/or vegan parmesan cheese.ENJOY!
Notes
- It is important to rinse the chopped leek thoroughly because sometimes there can be remaining dirt deep within the leek layers. I will rinse the leek twice – once before I chop and once afterward.
- If you prefer to use baby kale instead of dinosaur kale, that is perfectly fine. Or if you prefer to swap out the kale for spinach or some other green – great!
- If you cannot find rainbow chard, green chard will also work just fine.
- Should you decide to use dry cannellini beans, don’t forget to prepare ahead of time by soaking and cooking them. Or use an instant pot to get it done even quicker.
- You can also swap out the cannellini beans for any type of bean you prefer. I think white beans make this dish smooth, creamy, and tasty but black beans would also be just lovely. Honestly, whichever bean you eat is the one you should use! 😉
- You can also use vegetable broth instead of the bouillon. I prefer bouillons because you can manage the intensity of the broth better but if you have found an already made vegetable broth that you like, then go for it! I would prefer it to be a low-sodium vegetable broth for health purposes.
- Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can also use lemon juice. I have used both and they are equally just right.
- If you are not 100% plant-based or would prefer to use a different cheese to top off this sauté, please do so.
Nutrition
References:
- https://usdrybeans.com/industry/production-facts/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7915747/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chard
- https://lettuceinfo.org/chard-faq/
