35 sensational silverbeet recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat silverbeet? ›

Use silverbeet in exactly the same way as spinach. Add it to soups, pies, lasagnes, pizza and dips for flavour, colour and texture.

In the UK and the USA, what we call silverbeet is called chard so when reading about these vegetables be sure to identify what country the author is from. Dark green leafy vegetables grow very well in shady areas of the vegie garden.

Spinach also has a different nutritional profile to silverbeet, containing more calcium and beta-carotene, around a third more iron, and folate.

I try and use every part of a vegetable when I cook so naturally, I'll use every part of the silverbeet. In all three of these silverbeet recipes, I've included the white stalks, so nothing is wasted. They do take a little bit longer to cook, but they add a delicious depth of flavour and texture to the dish.

Green silverbeet can be sliced thinly, dressed with olive oil and eaten raw. It can also be sauteed or cooked into frittatas, pies, soups and gratins. High quality silverbeet leaves are clean, large, glossy and tender. They have firm leaf stems and no damaged or discoloured parts.

Cooked Silverbeet

Beta-carotene is a strong anti-oxidant that helps to protect the eyes against sun damage, heart disease and cancer. Spinach is also significantly lower in sodium. This would be important on a low salt or sodium diet. Spinach and silver beet are excellent sources of folate.

The stems can be removed from the leafy section and cooked like asparagus, or sliced and cooked. Both the stems and leaves can be used together; the stems take longer to cook so add the leaves 3-4 minutes after the stems. Silverbeet suits quick cooking methods like stir frying, steaming or microwaving.

A relative of beetroot, silverbeet or chard (Beta vulgaris) is a staple in any winter garden; high food value and easy to grow. Generally chard is known as having colored stems, but the names are interchangeable. A biennial, it can be planted year round except for the coldest months and picked year round.

Most of us call it 'spinach' but it's really 'silverbeet', and it's also known as 'swiss chard' in some overseas cookbooks. It's related to beetroot, whereas true 'english' spinach is something different.

Foods high in oxalates include kale, spinach, green-leafy vegetables, silver beet, rhubarb, okra, peanuts, cashews, almonds, tea, soy, wheat bran and cocoa powder which can cause kidney stones. If you suffer from stones, your doctor may recommend that you avoid these foods or consume small amounts.

Who should not eat Swiss chard? ›

This should be avoided by people prone to kidney stones. It contains oxalates that can decrease the body's absorption of calcium leading to kidney stones.

Silverbeet is just as highly nutritious as the likes of spinach and kale, in some respects packed with more nutrients - such as Vitamin A, K and folate than its kale counterpart.

Buying and storing

Buy silver beet with crisp stems and dark-green leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to three days.

Because of the oxalic acid Silver beet should be cooked in boiling water before eating.

Swiss chard is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is a rich source of vitamin K and may help people maintain healthy blood sugar levels and support heart health. It is also commonly known as silverbeet, spinach beet, perpetual spinach, crab beet, and mangold.

The stems can be removed from the leafy section and cooked like asparagus, or sliced and cooked. Both the stems and leaves can be used together; the stems take longer to cook so add the leaves 3-4 minutes after the stems. Silverbeet suits quick cooking methods like stir frying, steaming or microwaving.

Silverbeet can successfully be grown in pots and planter bags too - so perfect for balconies or rentals. Young leaves can be used in salads, or else the vegetable can be lightly steamed or added to a stir fry. While normally the coarse stems are discarded, all parts of the plant are edible.