Steamed Swiss chard in a pressure cooker or multicooker is perfect if you love simple, light, and quick recipes but don’t want to miss out on a perfect base for creating tasty dishes.
With just a few minutes of cooking, you’ll get soft but firm chard, not mushy, ideal for use in many different ways: you can serve them immediately with a drizzle of oil and lemon, or turn them into patties, fillings, savory pies, focaccia, bread, risottos, or fusion dishes.
We have carefully tested times and quantities, and with this method, you will never end up with overly soft or watery vegetables. Simply cut the leaves and stalks correctly and stick to the 3 minutes of cooking after reaching pressure. If you use the multicooker, the result will be identical with both the steam cooking and pressure cooking modes.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Instant pot, Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for steamed Swiss chard in pressure cooker or multicooker:
- 1.65 lbs Swiss chard
- 1 cup water
Tools for steamed Swiss chard in pressure cooker or multicooker:
- 1 multicooker cecotec
- 1 Steamer basket
Steps for preparation and cooking of steamed Swiss chard in pressure cooker or multicooker:
Wash the Swiss chard well, then divide them into leaves and stalks: this will help maintain uniform cooking. Cut the stalks into small pieces of about 1–1.5 cm (½ inch), while you can cut the leaves into slightly larger pieces, about 2–3 cm (1 inch).
Pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker or multicooker and place the steamer basket inside. Arrange the stalks at the bottom and the leaves on top: this way the cooking will be even and without excessively soft parts.
For cooking in the multicooker:
Close the lid and set the cooking program to steam or pressure cook for 2/3 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the stalks).
At the end of cooking, perform a quick release and open the lid and remove the steamer basket, this way the leaves will remain soft and the stalks tender but not too soft.
Cooking in a pressure cooker:
Close the cooker, bring it to pressure, and when pressure is reached, cook for 2/3 minutes (again, depending on the thickness of the stalks), after the time turn off the gas, open the valve for rapid steam release, remove the lid and take out the steamer basket for pressure cooking.
Now your Swiss chard is ready to be seasoned and used in salads or as a base for other preparations.
Important tip: do not add salt during cooking, neither in the water nor on the leaves. Salt them only after, when they are cooked and warm, or directly in the final recipe. This way they will remain firm, compact, and not watery, perfect for being sautéed or used in fillings and doughs.
Notes
We cooked for 3 minutes because the stalks were very thick, if you buy Swiss chard with flat and thin stalks, 2 minutes is enough.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I cook leaves and stalks together?
Yes, but it is important to cut them differently to achieve uniform cooking:
stalks: pieces of 1–1.5 cm (½ inch)
leaves: pieces of 2–3 cm (1 inch)How long do they last in the fridge?
They keep for 2–3 days stored in an airtight container and well dried.
Can they be frozen?
Yes. Once cooled and well patted dry, portion them and freeze in food bags for 2–3 months.
Tip: freeze them already chopped if you know you’ll use them in doughs or patties.
