Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe - Don't Waste the Crumbs (2024)

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This Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe is super healthy and can easily be made vegan! We use rainbow or red chard and sometimes add peppers too! This is my husband’s all-time favorite recipe! Enjoy it as a side with my almond crusted baked chicken recipe!

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A few years ago I made a Swiss chard and bacon pasta dish that my husband absolutely LOVED… which is pretty funny, because he grew up as a super picky eater!

My step-mom played an important role in getting him to eat a greater variety of foods… It’s hard to be so picky when your mother-in-law cooks you dinner every Sunday and isn’t afraid to call you out on your pickiness!

To this day I’m thankful for her, because that delicious combination of caramelized onions and Swiss chard quickly morphed from a meal where I thought “If I cross my fingers and serve it with pasta, MAYBE, just MAYBE he won’t notice…” to a much-requested and my husband’s FAVORITE side dish!

I think the reason he likes this caramelized onions and Swiss chard recipe so much is because it doesn’t cook fast. In fact, it’s one of the few dishes I make that actually takes some time to prepare.

Because the onions cook slow, on low, they get a chance to release their natural juices and caramelize… i.e., they get sweet. So sweet, that your family just might forget that they’re eating onions!

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Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe

I’ve made this caramelized onion Swiss chard recipe about a million times since we did the Whole30 (kidding… sort of) and here’s why. It’s…

  • Healthy. Swiss chard offers a decent amount of dietary fiber.
  • Frugal. Especially if you belong to a CSA!
  • Satisfyingly Delicious with healthy fats and sweet earthy vegetables.
  • And it’s even vegan-friendly!

Ingredients for Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe

With only a few nourishing ingredients, this recipe is the best example of how delicious simple, real food can be.

  • Cooking Fat. My absolute favorite cooking fat for this recipe is bacon grease. Yum, yum, yum!
  • Onions. No matter what type of onion you choose, you simply cannot go wrong. Depending on whatever is on sale, I’ve had both yellow, white and sweet onions in my pantry and they all taste delicious. Red onions would be okay too.
  • Swiss chard. I typically use rainbow chard simply because I like all the colors (and a variety of colors in a diet generally means a variety of nutrients), but you can use red Swiss chard leaves as well.
  • Garlic. I’ve tried this recipe with both fresh garlic and granulated garlic and hands down, granulated garlic wins out every time.
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Do you eat the Swiss Chard stems?

Yes! You thinly slice the stems with the leaves. They’ll get sauteed with everything, adding color, a little crunch, and extra nutrition!

How Can I make Swiss Chard and caramelized onions vegan-friendly?

Coconut oil earns the award for the second best cooking fat here, and the slight sweet of the coconut adds to the sweet of the onions. I’ve purchased coconut oil from Costco, from Walmart, and this brand on Amazon.

Another option is olive oil too, which would be great if you want a bit more of a savory swing to the caramelizing that’s happening.

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How to Make Swiss Chard with Caramelized Onions

Although this side dish isn’t hard, it does take about 45 minutes or so to make. Because of this, it’s usually the first thing I start when I’m cooking dinner.

Step 1. Preheat your skillet on low and add your cooking fat.

Step 2. Meanwhile, cut your onions in half and thinly slice all halves. When all the onions are sliced, add to the pan.

Step 3. Stir every few minutes, for the first 5-7 minutes or so, to ensure the onions are thoroughly coated with fat, are not sticking to the pan and are cooking. Adjust the heat if necessary, but keep it on low.

Step 4. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash the chard and dry completely. Then thinly slice the chard.

Step 5. When the onions begin to brown slightly and turn translucent, add the chard. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the chard wilts and the onions turn brown and caramelize.

Step 6. Season to taste with granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Serve warm

Notes:

  • One good thing about the slow cooking temperature, is that you don’t have to hover over the stove the entire time. I like to be close by for the first 5 minutes or so, to make sure the onions don’t get stuck to my cast iron skillet, and to make sure that all the onions are covered well in my cooking fat (my favorite is re-using bacon grease!).
  • Once all the onions are coated in fat, and I’m sure nothing is sticking, I move on to whatever else I’m cooking that night and come back to stir occasionally.
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FAQs for Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard

Are Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Good as Leftovers?

This recipe is fantastic as leftovers, probably because it’s soft when it’s done and therefore it’s soft when you reheat. In fact, my son recently asked if I would put these leftovers in his school lunch! I would have if I didn’t already have plans to serve it with a couple of fried eggs on top! 😉

If you do plan on serving this for leftovers, I encourage you to start with a double batch. I usually use my large skillet (I use this 12” cast iron skillet to make this), but you’ll want to use something bigger like a 5-quart pot instead. You’ll lose a smidgen of flavor without the cast iron, but NOT spending another 45 minutes cooking a second batch is worth the trade off in my opinion!

What does this Swiss Chard and caramelized onion recipe go well with?

Really, the possibilities are endless! But I think this recipe is perfect with lemon and herb sheet pan chicken or almond-crusted chicken. It is also amazing with a couple of fried eggs on top… that oozy yolk? Oh my!

What if I don’t have Swiss Chard? Can I use a different leafy green?

Yes, of course. This cooking method would work with other hearty green leaves, like collards, mustard greens, or beet greens. You can also use slightly less sturdy greens, like kale or dandelion greens, but know that they’ll be done much quicker than the Swiss chard I’m calling for in this recipe.

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Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard

Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe - Don't Waste the Crumbs (7)
Print Recipe
★★★★★4.8 from 4 reviews

This caramelized onions and Swiss chard recipe is made with 4 simple ingredients and can easily be made vegan. Use rainbow or red chard for this delicious family-favorite side dish! Enjoy paired with my Almond Crusted Baked Chicken.

  • Author: Tiffany
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Sides
  • Method: Sauté
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 medium/large onions
  • 1 lb Swiss chard (any variety)
  • 24 Tbsp cooking fat (I prefer bacon grease)
  • ½– 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 12 tsp salt
  • ½ -1 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your skillet on low and add your cooking fat.
  2. Meanwhile, cut your onions in half and thinly slice all halves. When all the onions are sliced, add to the pan.
  3. Stir every few minutes, for the first 5-7 minutes or so, to ensure the onions are thoroughly coated with fat, are not sticking to the pan, and are cooking. Adjust the heat, if necessary, but keep the temp low. To truly carmelize the onions, you need to cook them low and slow.
  4. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash the chard and dry completely. Then thinly slice the chard.
  5. When the onions begin to brown slightly and turn translucent, add the chard. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the chard wilts and the onions turn brown and caramelize.
  6. Season to taste with granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve warm.

Notes

  • One good thing about the slow cooking temperature, is that you don’t have to hover over the stove the entire time. I like to be close by for the first 5 minutes or so, to make sure the onions don’t get stuck to my cast iron skillet, and to make sure that all the onions are covered well in my cooking fat (my favorite is re-using bacon grease!).
  • Once all the onions are coated in fat, and I’m sure nothing is sticking, I move on to whatever else I’m cooking that night and come back to stir occasionally.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 197

Keywords: swiss chard, swiss chard recipe, caramelized onions and swiss chard, swiss chard with onions

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Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe - Don't Waste the Crumbs (2024)

FAQs

What happens to onions when caramelized? ›

When onions caramelize, one of the main things that happens is the sucrose, or natural sugar hidden within their cells, is transformed into other, simpler forms of sugar, including glucose and fructose. Those sugars taste sweeter than sucrose, which accounts for the increase in sweetness as the onions caramelize.

Why do you add baking soda to caramelize onions? ›

When you add baking soda during cooking it changes the pH which increases the Maillard reaction causing the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly, which we cover below when we discuss the texture.

Why are my onions taking so long to caramelize? ›

Before onions can caramelize, enough moisture has to evaporate out of the pan for the cooking surface to climb above 212 degrees. That alone takes a while, and once it happens, you're still committed to stirring and scraping so the onions' natural sugars break down evenly.

Is it better to caramelize onions with butter or oil? ›

Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.

What do you add to onions to make them caramelize faster? ›

So using baking soda will speed up the process. But you have to be careful. If you add too much, it will impact the flavor. Different recipes recommend anywhere from ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon per pound of onions (aka about 3 large onions).

What is the best pan for caramelizing onions? ›

I love non-stick pans for making pancakes and eggs, but they're not the best pick for caramelized onions. Instead, I recommend using a cast-iron skillet. As the onions cook, a delicious fond will develop on the bottom of the pan. If you scrape it up and stir it into the onions, it will make their flavor even richer.

Should you cover onions while caramelizing? ›

Yes, you should cover the onions when caramelizing them. Covering the onions helps to trap the steam and heat, which aids in the caramelization process by softening the onions and allowing them to release their natural sugars. This results in a sweet and flavorful caramelized onion.

Why add vinegar to caramelize onions? ›

Tip: use apple cider vinegar for white and yellow onions and balsamic vinegar for red onions. Tip: the vinegar serves to deglaze the pan, adds acidity, and brings this recipe together by boosting the tangy and savory flavors of the caramelized onions. If the onions stick to the pan, that's fine.

Why did my caramelized onions turn to mush? ›

Using baking soda to caramelize onions

Stir it in at the end of cooking for about 1 minute. Adding it too early will break down the onion fibers, turning them into mush.

Do you salt onions when caramelizing? ›

Salting caramelized onions is like the icing on the cake. They must have salt but don't make the mistake of salting the onions too early. Instead, salt them at the very end of the recipe. Salt makes the onions release moisture which can slow down the caramelization.

How much baking soda do I use to caramelize onions? ›

In order to shift the pH of your onions as they caramelize, López-Alt recommends adding no more than 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per pound of onions you're cooking.

How many minutes does it take to caramelize onions? ›

Before you start, let us be clear about something: No matter the approach, the caramelization process will take time: 15–20 minutes for French onion soup and 45 minutes to an hour for jammy, mahogany-hued onions. Fortunately, while they cook over low heat you can take care of other things.

How often should you stir caramelized onions? ›

Fold onions with a spatula, scraping bottom of pan to ensure they don't stick or scorch. Cook, stirring every 5 to 6 minutes and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes.

Can you overcook caramelized onions? ›

On the other hand, you can not caramelize onions for too long – they will be bitter. You need to cook the onions for 45-60 minutes – they will be soft and light brown in color. The onions are done and ready to use in any recipe that calls for caramelized onions!

Why can't I caramelize onions? ›

A few reasons could be that you sliced them too thick or too thin. You haven't cooked them long enough. Your heat isn't at the right temp, use between medium and medium-low. Adding too many onions at once can actually cause them to steam because of too much moisture, instead of caramelizing.

Why are my onions burning and not caramelizing? ›

You don't want to slice them too thin or they'll cook too fast which could cause them to burn. You'll also want to start out with fat. I choose oil and butter. Butter gives it a good flavor and helps with the caramelization and the oil helps the butter not to brown too fast.

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