Stuffed Swiss Chards

These Lebanese Stuffed Swiss Chards make a fabulous vegan dish that bursts with flavour! Fresh, tender Swiss Chard leaves are wrapped around a savory filling of rice, herbs, and warm spices. It's a light yet satisfying dish perfect for a healthy lunch, a flavorful side dish, or a meatless main course. This family recipe will become a new favorite!

Unbelievably Flavorful Lebanese Stuffed Swiss Chard (Vegan!)

Ingredients

Time

Total:
30m
Prep:
10m
Cook:
20m

Filling

  • Basmati rice, 1 cup
  • Fresh parsley, 1/2 cup
  • Fresh mint, 1/4 cup
  • Onion, 1 medium
  • Garlic, 2 cloves
  • Walnuts, 1/2 cup
  • Extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 7-Spices (see tips), 1 tsp
  • Salt, or to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Rolls

  • Swiss Chard, 20 leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp
  • 7-Spices, 1 tsp

Garnish

  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 4 (serving size: 5 rolls)
Calories per serving: 406
% Daily Value
Total Fat 32.5g50%
Saturated 4.5g23%
Omega-3 1.2g105%
Cholesterol 0g0%
Total Carbohydrates 29.5g10%
Dietary Fibers 11.5g41%
Sugars 4.5g5%
Protein 10.3g22%
Vitamin C 90mg120%
Iron 11.3mg76%
Vitamin A 450mg64%
Sodium 650mg28%

Instructions

Step 1

Finely chop the onions, herbs, the walnuts, and crush the garlic cloves.

Now rinse the rice a few times and then mix it in a bowl with the parsley, mint, onion, garlic, and walnuts.

Add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, the 7-spice blend (see tips for making it at home), and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well and set aside.

Step 2

Wash the Swiss Chard leaves well.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add the Swiss Chard leaves and blanch for 2-5 minutes or until slightly soft. Don't cook them too much, or they won't hold the stuffing.

Remove the leaves from the pot delicately to avoid breaking them, and sieve off excess water.

Step 3

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the thick stem ends of each Swiss Chard leaf.

Lay the leaves flat on a work surface.

Now, place a heaping tablespoon of the filling mixture on the thick end of the leaf, where you just cut off the thick stem.

Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling. Then roll up tightly, starting from the thick bottom.

Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

Step 4

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or deep skillet.

Arrange the stuffed Swiss Chard rolls in a single layer, seam side down. I don't advise stacking the rolls on more than one layer—as some recipes suggest—because they will cook unevenly. Instead, cook them in two different pots or in batches.

Add enough water to cover the leaves by 1 finger (1/2 inch). Add a pinch of salt here, according to taste.

For extra flavor, you can gently stir in another teaspoon of the 7-spice blend here.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the leaves are tender.

Step 5

For the final touch, transfer the rolls to a serving platter and drizzle with a dash of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of the remaining half lemon.

Enjoy these wonderful stuffed Lebanese Swiss chards!

Tips

You can either buy Lebanese 7-spices or make it yourself by mixing the following spices in equal measure: allspice, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg.

Goes well with

If you are throwing a party or are looking to whizz up a proper Lebanese feast, I wholly recommend pairing these cute chard rolls with mouthwatering cheesy Lebanese flatbread and a side of spicy coriander potatoes.