READY IN 25 mins

Swiss Chard and Pecan Pesto

Read Reviews (9)

"This tasty pesto is delicious tossed with warm pasta and chicken or spread on garlic bread." — MeghanO

Directions

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the Swiss chard and garlic in the hot oil until the chard leaves have wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Process the basil, pecans, sea salt, Parmesan cheese, and remaining olive oil in a food processor until all the ingredients are well integrated. Add the Swiss chard mixture and the lemon juice to the food processor; continue chopping until the mixture is pureed. Season with salt and pepper.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 5 mins
READY IN 25 mins

Reviews More Reviews

May 05, 2011

I think this was a great recipe. We toasted the pecans first though. and instead of sauteeing, we blanched the basil and swiss chard so it would retain a brighter color.

—nnbnoble

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May 16, 2011

I followed the recipe exactly and found that it needed more olive oil - mine came out a little too thick at first. But other than that, it is a perfect recipe! It tastes wonderful and swiss chard is so good for you! THANK YOU!

—JUCHUNK

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11 Ratings

Nov 01, 2011

Very explosive flavor - I added an additional clove of garlic and used pecorino romano cheese and used some of the pasta water to mix it with the pasta. I also sauteed the stems of the swiss chard first until they were softened before adding the leaves. I like their bitter flavor. It was aboslutely outstanding. Thanks for the recipe!

—Lisa V.

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Aug 08, 2011

Great with walnuts too if you don't have pecans on hand.

—Jenn7

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Jul 30, 2010

Not as good as traditional pesto but a good way to use up Swiss Chard from my garden. I was going to give 3 stars but didn't have pecans so used walnuts so wanted to be fair.

—tjb828

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Sep 26, 2011

Nice way to use up extra chard.

—LizFritz

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May 25, 2011

That was really YUMMY! Thankyou so much for sharing. My kids really liked it too.

—beccasue

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May 17, 2013

This is the perfect recipe for my family. Hubby and I both enjoy the flavor of chard, but don't like the texture of cooked greens. I've made quite a few delicious chard recipes, but all had that "slimy" texture, so neither of us were excited about eating any of them despite the good taste. This recipe eliminates the texture problem. I love basil pesto; hubby thinks it is only so-so. He likes this chard-basil pesto better than regular. This is my new go-to recipe every time I get chard in the CSA box.

—mrs. kosmos

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Nutrition

Calories
228 kcal
11%

Carbohydrates
4.4 g
1%

Cholesterol
7 mg
2%

Fat
22.1 g
34%

Fiber
2 g
8%

Protein
5.4 g
11%

Sodium
358 mg
14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Swiss Chard and Pecan Pesto

Serving Size: 1/10 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 228
Calories from Fat: 199

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22.1g 34 %
Saturated Fat 3.7g 18 %
Cholesterol 7mg 2 %
Sodium 358mg 14 %
Potassium 261mg 7 %
Total Carbohydrates 4.4g 1 %
Dietary Fiber 2g 8 %
Protein 5.4g 11 %
** Sugars 1.1g
Vitamin A 64 %
Vitamin C 27 %
Calcium 17 %
Iron 25 %
** Thiamin 11 %
Niacin 11 %
Vitamin B6 6 %
Magnesium 22 %
Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.