In Honor of Susie's Mom
If you’ve followed our Lead Gardener Susie for any length of time, you know she has a thing for Swiss chard. It’s always tucked into her GreenStalk planters somewhere, adding those beautiful green leaves and colorful stems to the mix.
One of the biggest reasons she loves it is because of her mother and a special family recipe.
Growing up, Susie remembers her mother making a simple Swiss chard salad with a warm bacon dressing. It was one of those from-the-garden dishes that quietly became a family favorite.
Recently, she recreated the salad from memory and added a few touches of her own. Now it's their salad – a little bit of her mom, a little bit of Susie, and a whole lot of comfort in one bowl.
Why We Love This Salad
This is a wilted salad, which means the greens are lightly “cooked” with a warm dressing. Think of it as a cross between a fresh salad and a pan of tender greens.
The Swiss chard becomes glossy and vibrant when the hot dressing hits it.
You get smoky, salty bacon, sweet cranberries, and crunchy roasted pecans in every bite.
It’s a fantastic side dish for roast chicken, holiday ham, or even burgers off the grill.
It’s simple enough for a weeknight, but special enough to serve when company comes over.
Grown in a GreenStalk
Both main stars of this salad – Swiss chard and green onions – are right at home in a GreenStalk Vertical Planter.
Swiss chard is a cut-and-come-again crop. Harvest the outer leaves and it just keeps growing, which makes it perfect for dishes like this where you need a few cups at a time.
Green onions tuck into the pockets easily, don’t need much space, and are happy to be snipped again and again.
If your GreenStalk is overflowing with leafy greens and onions, this recipe is a delicious way to put them to good use. You won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients
Salad:
3–4 cups thinly sliced Swiss chard, stems removed
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup roasted pecans (whole or roughly chopped)
-
9–12 oz bacon, fried until crisp and crumbled
Reserve ¼ cup bacon drippings for the dressing
Warm Dressing:
- ¼ cup bacon drippings
- 2–3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1–2 Tbsp water
- ¼ cup brown sugar (substitute honey, maple syrup, or white sugar if you prefer)
- 4–5 green onions, thinly sliced
- Salt, to taste
Optional Topping:
- Crumbled feta cheese
Directions
Prepare the salad base
Add the sliced Swiss chard to a large heat-safe bowl. Top with dried cranberries and roasted pecans. Set aside.
Cook the bacon
In a skillet, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and allow to cool, then crumble.
Measure out ¼ cup of the hot bacon drippings and return that amount to the pan. (If you have extra drippings, save them for another recipe)
Make the warm dressing
To the ¼ cup bacon drippings in the pan, add apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar (or your chosen sweetener), sliced green onions, and a pinch of salt.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the onions soften slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Wilt the salad
Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the Swiss chard mixture, or reserve some to sprinkle on top at the end.
Carefully pour the hot dressing over the chard, cranberries, pecans, and bacon. Toss immediately until the chard is glossy and just slightly wilted.
Finish and serve
Top with crumbled feta, if using. Serve warm right away for the best texture and color.
You can easily double this salad for gatherings, or halve it for a cozy dinner at home. We hope it becomes a favorite for your family, too!
