Skewered Swiss Chard and Edamame Skillet

A bunch of chard in the fridge usually turns into a limp side dish nobody asked for. Skewered Swiss chard and edamame skillet turns it into dinner: edamame pods are threaded onto skewers and seared until blistered, then the same pan cooks garlicky chard with shelled edamame. The whole thing takes about 40 minutes, serves four, and leaves one pan to wash.

The pods get a sweet-salty soy and honey glaze and a little char. The chard stems stay tender-crisp, the leaves go silky, and the shelled beans add enough protein to make it a meal over steamed rice.

Why Chard Stems and Leaves Need Separate Timing

Chard is two vegetables on one stalk. The stems are firm and need about 4 minutes in the pan, while the leaves wilt in 2 to 3. Tossed in together, the leaves turn to mush before the stems soften. So the stems go in first, the garlic and ginger follow, and the leaves come last with just enough clinging water to steam them.

The pods go first for a different reason. Searing leaves browned bits stuck to the pan, and the chard dissolves those bits into its own juices.

Ingredients

For the Skewers

• 8 oz (225 g) frozen edamame in the pod, thawed (about 40 pods)
• 8 bamboo or metal skewers, about 8 inches (20 cm) long
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup works for a vegan version)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

For the Chard

• 2 bunches Swiss chard (about 1 1/2 lb or 680 g), stems and leaves separated
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz or 225 g) frozen shelled edamame
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Soy is built into the dish, so there is no soy-free version. For gluten-free, use tamari. For a sesame allergy, cook the chard in neutral oil and skip the seeds.

Instructions

1. Prep the skewers. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes so the ends do not scorch. Pat the thawed pods completely dry with a towel, then push 5 pods onto each skewer so they lie flat side by side.
2. Prep the chard and glaze. Cut the stems away from the leaves. Slice the stems into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces and cut the leaves into 2-inch (5 cm) ribbons. Rinse the leaves and shake off only the loose water, since the leftover water will steam them later. Whisk the 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
3. Sear the first batch. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil, then lay 4 skewers in a single layer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side without moving them, until the pods are blistered with brown spots.
4. Glaze and repeat. Move the skewers to a plate and brush them with half of the glaze. Using tongs, wipe the pan with a paper towel, add the remaining neutral oil, and sear the second batch the same way. Brush with the rest of the glaze.
5. Cook the stems. Wipe the pan once more with tongs and a paper towel, leaving a thin film of oil, and lower the heat to medium. Add the sesame oil, chard stems and salt. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until the edges look glossy and a fork slides in with slight resistance.
6. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir them in and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant and not browned.
7. Wilt the leaves. Add the leaves in three handfuls, tossing until each batch collapses before adding the next, about 2 minutes. Pour in the 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the water, cover, and cook for 3 minutes, until the leaves are dark green and tender.
8. Add the shelled edamame. Remove the lid, stir in the frozen shelled edamame, and cook for 3 minutes, until the beans are bright green and hot all the way through and the pan is nearly dry.
9. Finish and serve. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rice vinegar. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Lay the skewers on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions, and serve right away.

Skewered Swiss Chard and Edamame Skillet: How Long Does It Take?

The skillet takes about 40 minutes from start to table: 15 minutes to soak the skewers, thread the pods and chop the chard, then roughly 25 minutes of cooking. The pods sear in two batches of about 5 minutes each, and the chard finishes in about 12 minutes in the same pan.

Tips for Blistered Pods and Bright Green Chard

• Dry the pods. Water on the pods turns the pan into a steamer and keeps them from browning.
• Leave a little room. Four skewers fit a 12-inch skillet. More than that and the pan cools down.
• Add the vinegar off the heat. Acid cooked into green vegetables dulls their color, so it goes in at the end.
• Eat only the beans. The pods are tough. Bite along the pod, slide the beans out with your teeth, and set the empty pod aside.

Common Mistakes and Their Fixes

• Pale, soft pods. The pan was not hot enough or the pods were wet. Pat them dry, wait for the oil to shimmer, and leave the skewers alone for 2 minutes.
• Burnt glaze. Honey scorches fast in a hot pan. Brush the glaze on after the skewers leave the heat, not before.
• Chewy stems. The pieces were too big or went in with the leaves. Cut them to 1/2 inch and give them the full 4 minutes first.
• Watery chard. The lid stayed on too long. Take it off for the last step and cook until the pan is nearly dry.
• Olive-drab leaves. They cooked too long or met vinegar too early. Stop when the leaves are dark green and add the vinegar off the heat.
• Scorched skewer ends. Soak bamboo skewers for 15 minutes, or switch to metal ones.

Swaps and Serving Ideas

Rainbow chard works the same way, though its colorful stems tint the pan a little. Bok choy or kale can replace the chard, and kale needs a few extra minutes under the lid. If you have fresh pods instead of frozen, boil them in salted water for about 5 minutes, drain, and pat dry before threading.

Serve the skillet over steamed rice or soba noodles, with the skewers on top. A fried egg works as a topping when you want more protein. No skewers on hand? Sear the pods loose in the pan and toss them in the glaze, which is a little less tidy but tastes the same.

Storing and Reheating

Let leftovers cool, then refrigerate them within 2 hours. Keep the chard and the skewers in separate airtight containers and eat them within 3 days. Reheat the chard in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until it is steaming hot throughout, to 165°F (74°C). The pods soften in the fridge, so warm the skewers in a dry skillet for 2 minutes per side, or eat them cold.

Nutrition (Estimate)

Nutrition values are estimates per serving and vary with quantities and brands.

Values are per serving of 2 skewers and about 1 1/2 cups of chard, without rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you eat the edamame pods?

No. The pods are fibrous and tough. Squeeze or bite the beans out and discard the pod.

Can you eat Swiss chard stems?

Yes. They are firm, so chop them small and cook them for a few minutes before the leaves go in.

Can the skewers be cooked ahead?

The pods can be threaded and the glaze whisked a day ahead and refrigerated. Sear the pods just before serving, because the blistered skin softens as they sit.

One Pan, Two Textures, Easy Cleanup

The charred pods give the plate something to crunch against, and the chard cooked in the leftover pan flavor gives it depth. Cook the skewers fresh each time, and keep any extra chard to fold into eggs or a bowl of grains the next day.