Lemon Pasta with Rainbow Swiss Chard

Prepared with rainbow swiss chard, fresh thyme and chives, parmesan, and pine nuts, this lemon pasta is not only aromatic and delicious, it’s a bright and refreshing pasta dinner! The chard can easily be substituted with kale or spinach, but don’t skip out on the vinegar; it makes a world of difference!

To me, this particular pasta dish just screams fall. Let me explain why. Even though Swiss chard is available all year round, it seems to only gain momentum and popularity in the fall. I think we should all consider using it more often, because it’s really delicious and super healthy too. If you’re not convinced, you will be as soon as you taste this Lemon Pasta with Rainbow Swiss Chard!

This summer, I grew swiss chard in my backyard raised garden beds for the first time. I picked up some seeds from my favourite local garden supply shop – Hi, Mary! – and it was as easy as opening the packet and sprinkling them over freshly tilled soil with a little bit of good compost sprinkled in for good measure. I’ve already harvested a large bunch from that same sowing three times already. And, just this morning, I cut away some of the outer, wilted leaves and there are still lots of newer smaller leaves sprouting up.

Swiss Chard is not expensive to buy in most grocery stores, but if you have a backyard, try growing some yourself. If you don’t have a backyard, you can grow chard in a bucket on your balcony as well!

DO I HAVE TO USE SWISS CHARD?

The answer is simple – no. If you don’t like Swiss chard, or if you’re not sure you want to try it, then feel free to substitute it. Swiss chard might not be easy to find for everyone. I imagine that it would be difficult to find in smaller towns. But you can totally substitute the Swiss chard with kale or even spinach.

Kale and Swiss chard will take about the same amount of time to cook, but if you decide to use spinach, it will cook and wilt much faster. I would recommend adding the spinach in step 5 along with the vinegar, lemon juice, thyme leaves, and chives. The spinach just needs to be wilted, not cooked.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Pasta – I’m using spaghetti, but any pasta shape will do.
• Olive Oil
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best result.
• Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably.  Either of them will do just fine.
• Rainbow Swiss Chard – You can use any chard, or even kale or spinach here. See notes above about substituting the chard with spinach.
• Red Wine Vinegar – You can use other vinegars like champagne, rice, or cider, etc., but nothing extremely strong like malt or balsamic.
• Lemon Juice
• Herbs – You will need fresh thyme and fresh chives.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Pine Nuts – See the notes below on pine nuts. I have included alternatives because pine nuts can be quite costly.
• Parmesan – As I have mentioned so many times before, freshly grated parmesan is best, but the stuff in the can will work here too.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON PASTA WITH RAINBOW SWISS CHARD

Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Add a good pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.

Add the olive oil, onions, and chard stems to a large skillet. Over medium heat, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic. Stir into the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add the chard leaves, salt, and ground black pepper. Toss to coat and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the leaves are wilted.

Stir in the vinegar, lemon juice, thyme leaves, and chives. Add the cooked spaghetti, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, and the reserved pasta water. Toss well to coat and cook until the pasta is fully reheated. Plate and garnish with parmesan cheese and chives, optional. Serve immediately.

PINE NUTS

I use pine nuts often in my recipes, so I will buy a large bag at Costco. The bag costs about $40, but it will last a long time. Pay attention to the expiry date before you purchase and buy one that expires in a year or two from now.

Once you open the package of pine nuts, avoid placing your hand in the bag. Carefully pour out the amount you need. To keep the pine nuts fresh and from spoiling, the less contamination the better! Seal the bag and keep the bag in your fridge. It will last for months!

If you want to use a substitute, I would recommend slivered almonds, chopped hazelnuts, or even macadamia. The taste might be slightly different, but you want to mimic the texture of the pine nuts. Any of these substitutes, or the pine nuts themselves, will need to be toasted first. And, you should buy the unsalted versions.

TOASTING PINE NUTS

The first thing you should do it to toast your pine nuts. How do you do that? It’s very simple! To be perfectly honest, this applies to any nuts or seeds, not just the nuts in this recipe. If you are not familiar with toasted nuts, then please try it just once. You will probably never revert to using nuts in your cooking or baking again without toasting them first!

I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. You could use a cast iron pan, but since they get very hot and retain heat so well, it’s easier to burn the nuts. See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you run out and buy this same cookware set, but I want you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results will plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting nuts. Add the nuts to a cold pan. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner.

Keep the nuts moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The nuts will take on a darker colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

PARMESAN CHEESE

I know a wedge of parmesan – even a small one – can be anywhere from 12 to 20 dollars. So, you can use other cheeses that will save you a few bucks. My go-to cheese if I can’t get good parmesan is pecorino romano. It has a very similar taste and texture.

I have another option that’s a little outside the box, but don’t knock it until you try it! Have you heard of nutritional yeast? It’s quite good and is an ingredient many vegans will use as a parmesan alternative.

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast commonly used as an ingredient in creamy, dairy-free cheese substitutes. You can often find it used as a topping for foods like my Doritos Cool Ranch Popcorn.

I’ve also used it in my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, which is great stirred into buttermilk to make a salad dressing. Or into sour cream for a very tasty ranch dip! I’ve also used it in this Garlic Bread recipe. Honestly, Dear Reader, it’s delicious!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!