In truth, this recipe is really Swiss Chard Spaghetti with mushrooms, preserved lemon, and chickpeas – but WOW what a mouthful that would be. And in a way, it would still be selling this particularly special recipe short. I call this recipe “particularly special” because it took me a few tries to get right. It’s a plant-based pasta, but packed with vegetables and protein to make it a full meal. I made it because when I see piles of Swiss chard at the market, all I want to do is grab it and use it ASAP. There’s something about the pink, yellow and red stems that make me want to collect eight million bundles of the stuff. The tricky thing is, Swiss chard is best eaten cooked, but when you cook it, you risk losing some of its beautiful color. So I wanted to make a recipe that cooks the chard down to a nice bite, balances its bitterness, and also makes it the star (and maintains its vibrant colors as much as possible!). I also, selfishly, wanted to make it into an easy, healthy dinner.
So yeah, this Swiss Chard Spaghetti took a few tries, but we landed on something that I am extremely proud of. Crispy fried oyster mushrooms, lemon, chilies, red onion, and garlic all cook down with a touch of balsamic vinegar. The pasta goes in, the chard steams on top, everything twirls together, and dinner is done in 30 minutes.
Packed with vegetables, packed with protein, filled with pasta – what could go wrong?
What’s the difference between green Swiss chard and rainbow Swiss chard?
So in terms of flavor, there really is no difference. I tend to gravitate towards rainbow chard simply because I love the color, but green Swiss chard works just as well with this recipe. It’s just another variety of color! Some people say that the darker the chard ribs, the more bitter the flavor, but I’ve personally never been able to tell a difference. If you have, let me know in the comments, because I’d love your POV!
The ingredients you’ll need for this Swiss Chard Spaghetti
I really stressed over this recipe. I didn’t want it to be too fussy (I promise it isn’t), but I still wanted it to pack some flavor (and I promise, it does). So here is everything you’ll need to make it:
- 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms
- 3/4 pound Swiss chard
- 1 large red onion
- 1/2 of a preserved lemon
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 large Fresno pepper
- 2 cups fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, or dry red wine (see note)
As you can see – it’s a lot of vegetables, but I hope that’s a good thing!
How to get oyster mushrooms perfectly crispy
This recipe starts with oyster mushrooms alone in a pan. And that’s for a few reasons! First, I wanted oyster mushrooms in this recipe not just because they are good for you, but also because they add an umami/meaty depth of flavor to this Swiss Chard Spaghetti.
The problem is, oyster mushrooms need a bit of space and time to crisp up in a pan. Without that space or time, they tend to stay a little rubbery and fall a little flat.
To get your oyster mushrooms perfectly crispy, I like to give them two things: space and time.
Space, meaning they go in the pan with just a touch of olive oil and nothing else. They will shrink to under half their size, but that’s a good thing! The moisture release lets them get golden and crispy.
Time means that they take a bit of time to cook. I like to cook my mushrooms undisturbed, then when they are golden on one side, flip them and then shake them around the pan as they continue to caramelize on all sides.
It’s a bit of time, but it’s worth it to get the perfect mushrooms for this plant-based pasta!
How to make the flavorful base of this Swiss Chard Spaghetti
The rest of the flavor for this pasta comes from my favorite thing – vegetables! And ok, maybe one fruit, if a preserved lemon counts as a fruit.
To start the pasta, first start with the mushrooms.
Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add half of the olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes.
Add the torn mushrooms to the pan, stir to coat them in the oil, then let them cook, undisturbed for 4-5 minutes or until darkened in color. Season with salt and shake them around the pan, letting them shrink in size and get dark brown and crisp, about another 4-5 minutes. Transfer them to a small bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining oil and butter to the pan. Allow the butter to fully melt before adding the red onion, preserved lemon, and chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally for 14-15 minutes, or until the chickpeas begin to turn golden brown and the onion is very soft and beginning to caramelize. Season with a large pinch of salt.
Add the garlic and Fresno pepper and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the garlic is golden.
Set a large pot filled with water on the burner next to this pan. Bring the water to a boil and season with a few big pinches of salt.
Boil the spaghetti according to package instructions, until just shy of al dente.
While the pasta is boiling, add the mushrooms back to the sauté pan. Deglaze the sauté pan with the balsamic vinegar. Let it come to a simmer and reduce by half. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Using tongs, scoop the pasta directly into the sauté pan. Nestle the Swiss chard on top and add a splash of pasta water. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan, allowing the chard to wilt into the pasta for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the lid from the pan and stir the chard into the pasta. Add pasta water as needed to get the pasta dark and glossy.
Storage tips & tricks for this dinner
What’s nice about this recipe is unlike my other recipes, I like to store it all together as one big happy family. I’ve found the flavors only build that way, making this a great re-heating pasta for throughout the week!
My best advice is to store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to five days. You can freeze it as well, but it won’t be as good as if you store it in the fridge and eat in a timely way. To reheat it from frozen, I recommend transferring it to a microwave safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on medium power in two-minute increments until it is warm enough to serve.
