Light, flavorful, and satisfying this Swiss Chard and Lemon Spaghetti is the perfect easy meal. This pasta dish is so simple and I truly never tire of it. It’s a satiating yet healthy meal that can be thrown together in no time at all – only 20 minutes! When you want something comforting but fresh, this pasta recipe is a great choice.
This dish is my favorite way to eat Swiss chard, hands down. Because of that, I prefer to overload the pasta with plenty of chard and love how bright that makes the dish. You can use whatever type of chard you want – rhubarb, rainbow, silverado, etc. – but I tend to reach for rainbow varieties because the beautiful color it brings just seems more fun. Either way, whatever variety you choose, the taste will be the same: light and abundantly flavorful yet filling.
For this Swiss Chard and Lemon Spaghetti recipe you'll need:
- Dried spaghetti – Feel free to use another long pasta – like linguine – or gluten-free pasta if you prefer.
- Olive oil – A good quality olive oil makes a huge difference in terms of richness and flavor!
- Shallot
- Fennel seeds
- Fresh sage – Dried sage can be used as well, just use about 1 tsp instead.
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt
- Nutritional yeast
- Swiss chard – Any variety of Swiss chard works, pick your favorite or whatever is available to you. If you can’t find chard, kale varieties are also perfect for this recipe.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is best! Feel free to add some lemon zest for an extra punch of lemon.
Notes:
What's the best way to cook Swiss chard?
Since Swiss chard can be a little fibrous, I recommend slicing the stems into thinner pieces and cooking on medium or medium-low heat. That way the stems and leaves will cook more evenly and be easier to chew.
How can you make the sauce creamier?
One of the easiest ways to get a creamier sauce is to either add some pasta water or a splash of plant milk (I prefer unsweetened soy milk) before adding in the cooked spaghetti.
What goes well with this Swiss chard Spaghetti?
For a more well-rounded meal, serve with some vegan sausage, homemade TVP crumbles (I love this recipe!), or crispy tofu! Garlic bread is also amazing to eat as a side with this too.
Swiss Chard and Lemon Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 9 oz spaghetti
- ¼ c olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tsp fresh sage minced
- ¼ c nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 hefty bunch of Swiss chard chopped, I used about 6 cups
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a pot with salted water, boil your spaghetti until al dente or according to package instructions.
- While that cooks, in a large skillet over medium heat, add half of your olive oil then sauté the shallot, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and sage until fragrant.
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and Swiss chard and gently toss until the chard begins to wilt. Toss in the lemon juice and let the chard cook down another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the remaining olive oil and your cooked spaghetti and toss everything together until combined. Remove from the heat, and enjoy!