This simple, 5 ingredient recipe for Sautéed Swiss Chard with Bacon and Tomatoes recipe is a quick and flavorful side dish. It’s a great way to prepare this leafy green vegetable and makes a delicious addition to almost any meal.

I’ve been having a love affair with chard lately.

It’s my favorite green at the moment. Those colorful stalks and hearty green leaves provide for such an amazing texture.

Chard leaves really seem to soak up any flavor you throw at them–in this case, it’s bacon drippings.

In this easy recipe, just a simple sauté with some onions, garlic, and tomatoes is all you need to make some killer chard.

Sautéd Chard with Bacon and Tomatoes in a skillet on a wooden table.

Why This Swiss Chard Recipe Rocks

Fast: with a cooking time of under 30 minutes, it is a breeze to prepare.
Easy
One Pan: one very large skillet or large sauté pan is all you’ll need
It’s low carb and sugar-free making it perfect for a Paleo, Whole30, or Keto diet

Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients:

Swiss chard: one large bunch of mature chard with large leaves (not baby chard). I really love the vibrant colors that rainbow chard brings to the dish, but any variety will work just fine.
bacon: 3 strips of smoky bacon or roughly 4 ounces. Make sure you’re using sugar-free bacon to be Whole30 compliant.
cherry tomatoes: about a cup of ripe tomatoes
yellow onion
garlic: one or two fresh garlic cloves or about 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.
sea salt or kosher salt
black pepper

How to Make Sautéed Chard with Bacon and Tomatoes

Start by separating the Swiss chard leaves from the stems. Slice the leaves into thin strips and dice the chard stems.

chopped rainbow chard on a wooden cutting board.

Chop the bacon, place it in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Cook the bacon until it is crisp and a lovely golden brown.

Remove the diced bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings in the pan.

close up of chopped bacon cooking in a pan

Increase the heat on the pan to medium-high heat, then add the chopped chard ribs along with the diced onion.

Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the chard ribs are tender, about 6-7 minutes.

Add the minced garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes to the skillet.

Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to blister, about 3-4 minutes.

Close up of cherry tomatoes and garlic in a pan

Finally, add the chard leaves along with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.

Sauté the leaves until they are wilted and tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Plate the chard and garnish with the bacon crumbles. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Sautéed Swiss chard makes a great base for a number of dishes.

A few suggestions are:

Pair it with any grilled meat or fish for a main course

Serve it with eggs for a tasty breakfast

Add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes to spice things up a bit

Storage

Store any leftover chard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Gently reheat it in a pan over low heat to re-serve.

More Greens Recipes

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Sautéed Chard with Bacon and Tomatoes

This simple, 5 ingredient recipe for Sautéed Swiss Chard with Bacon and Tomatoes recipe is a quick and flavorful side dish. It's a great way to prepare this leafy green vegetable and makes a delicious addition to almost any meal.

Course Side Dish

Keyword chard

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 96kcal

Author The Sophisticated Caveman

Ingredients

1 bunch Swiss chard leaves and stems separated and chopped
3 strips bacon chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Increase heat to medium-high, then and add the onion and chopped chard stalks to the skillet. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Toss in the cherry tomatoes and sauté until blistered, about 3-4 minutes.
Finally add the chard leaves, a pinch of salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook until the leaves are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with the bacon bits and enjoy!