Swiss Chard Pesto Recipe

Name: Swiss Chard Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 large bunch Swiss chard; 2 cups fresh basil; 6 cloves garlic; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (or plant-based substitute); 2/3 cup walnuts; 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt; 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)

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This Swiss chard pesto is one of my favorite Swiss chard recipes! It makes a delicious and earthy pesto sauce to serve over pasta, risotto, or with garlic bread!

This sauce is the perfect recipe for Swiss chard that came out of the garden, from the farmer’s market, or from the grocery store. Follow our easy step-by-step photos and make this Swiss chard pesto in just 10 minutes.

Want more great pesto recipes? Try our mustard green pesto, creamy pesto gnocchi recipe, and our favorite lemon balm pesto.

swiss chard pesto with garlic and walnuts and parmesan cheese

Table of Contents

This recipe was updated on 9/27/25 with new images, additions and substitutions, and step-by-step photos to show how to make this dish!

I have been loving our CSA boxes at work! We get such a great variety of amazingly fresh and local produce. One of the major perks is that I get to try all kinds of things that I never had before, and find cool ways to use them in the kitchen.

This Swiss chard pesto is a bright and fresh way to use your Swiss Chard, and tastes amazing. While pesto usually is made from just basil leaves, I found that adding both basil and Swiss chard made a fantastic and delicious pesto sauce.

This Vegan Chard Pesto Recipe Is:

Bright
Earthy
Flavorful
Garlicky
Fresh
Savory
Ready in 15 minutes
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, and SO good!

With a few extra ingredients, the pesto came together into one of the most amazing and delicious sauces I’ve ever made. It’s perfectly garlicky (and we looooove garlic) and earthy and sweet from the basil.

Seasonal Swiss Chard Recipes

This Swiss chard pesto sauce recipe is a great way to get in some seasonal fresh produce! Swiss Chard is available here in New England in late spring and early summer. And add in some garlic scapes in the pesto for an extra zing of spring flavor!

I cooked mine up with pasta, sautéed zucchini, and baby spinach, but the possibilities are endless! Pastas, dips, spreads, pizzas, soups, etc!

This recipe makes a LOT of sauce, which is perfect for a LOT of leftovers.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Swiss chard, washed, chopped, both leaves and stems – you can use a single color chard or a rainbow chard for this vegan pesto.

Basil is traditional in Italian pesto, the fresh basil adds a kick and complexity that pairs really well with the mustard greens.

Fresh garlic cloves add a delicious flavor to the pesto. We also add in fresh lemon juice and some parmesan cheese, both of which are traditional in pesto sauce.

I used walnuts in this pesto which gave it a nutty and delicious texture. I find walnuts give this pesto a similar flavor and texture to pine nuts, so I always make my pesto sauces with them.

For the base of this sauce, I drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil into the food processor. The oil gives this sauce a super silky texture and delicious flavor.

Additions and Substitutions

Pine nuts and traditional in pesto, and you could use toasted pine nuts instead of walnuts for this recipe.

Add some more chili flakes for a spicier pesto!

You can omit the parmesan cheese for a vegan version, or substitute a plant-based crumbly cheese instead.

How Do I Make Swiss Chard Pesto?

swiss chard with red stems rainbow chard with bright green leaves and dark red stems chopped and separated

Step 1: Wash and dry your Swiss chard leaves. Chop the leaves from the stems (for this recipe I only use the leaves).

a food processor of swiss chard leaves, basil, walnuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

Step 2: To a food processor, add the Swiss chard leaves. Then toss in the walnuts, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

how to add olive oil to pesto in a food processor to stream it in

Step 3: Put the lid on the food processor and turn on the machine. Stream in the olive oil into the pesto. The Swiss chard pesto should be processed after 1-2 minutes.

food processor Swiss chard pesto recipe with olive oil and basil leaves.

Step 4: Open the lid and scrape the inside of the food processor bowl to ensure all the greens and garlic have been mixed in. Transfer the pesto to a serving bowl and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Can you use raw Swiss chard for pesto?

Absolutely, raw Swiss chard leaves are perfect for this pesto. They are bright, fresh, and so delicious. I found using the leaves was best, as the stems made the pesto a bit fibrous and tough, but you could add the stems too if desired.

Can you make Swiss chard pesto vegan?

Yes, pesto with Swiss chard is simple to make vegan. Just omit the parmesan cheese in our recipe, or use a plant-based version if desired.

How to store leftover Swiss chard pesto

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

a bowl of swiss chard pesto with garlic and walnuts

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