Chard Soup

Chard soup includes chard, most commonly known as Swiss chard, as the main ingredient. The recipe for this soup is very popular  among the Mediterranean cooks who use the tender and young leaves of the chard to prepare this nutritional as well as flavorful soup.

The ribbed and shiny green leaves of the chard are most commonly used in cooking. The leaves have a bitter taste that fades only after boiling or cooking. The color produced by the leaves after cooking varies, as some leaves are white in color whereas red and green colored leaves are also the most common cultivars of chard.

Chard Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation Overview

It is advisable to select the chard for cooking from the 'Chill' section of a grocery, as one can be assured of finding crunchier and sweeter leaves there. Washing of chard leaves is extremely important in order to remove any dirt, but soaking in water may remove the water-soluble nutrients of the leaves.

Chard leaves are recommended to be boiled in water before being incorporated in the soup or any other dish. This process will leach out the acids present in the leaves to the boiling water. The boiled water is not suitable for using as stock or for any other purpose due to the acid content.

Boiled chard can be easily combined with other soup ingredients depending upon the recipes to make soups. Some commonly used ingredients with chard are chicken or vegetable stock, onion, garlic, herbs, seasonings and cream, if creamy soup is required.

Beans, lentils, cereals and vegetables may also be included to make some special chard soup dishes.

Popular Chard Soup Recipes

• Creamy Swiss chard soup with goat cheese – This is a thick creamy soup prepared with  chard as the main ingredient. It is a nice option for nutritious vegetarian meal, if prepared with vegetable stock. However, the chicken stock version is also well-liked. Goat cheese is particularly used to drizzle over the soup while serving.
• Mushroom, chard and barley soup – A low-fat soup with goodness of chard. Sliced mushrooms are sautéed before adding to the soup and combined with other stock, seasonings, barley and chard to make a hearty soup. Dijon-mustard and white wine are the ingredients added for flavor enhancement.

Nutritional Value and Health Facts Related to Chard Soup Recipe

The excellent amounts of phytonutrients present in chard are good antioxidants. Proteins and dietary fibers are also abundantly found in this leafy vegetable. Some of the health benefits provided by chard soup are as follows:

·        It is a good addition to the diabetic diet as chard is believed to control blood sugar levels.

·        It supports bone health, as significant amounts of calcium and Vitamin K are found in chard.

·        It provides relief in chronic stomach inflammation by reducing the inflammatory enzymes.

·        Chard soup is also said to prevent liver damage.