Fry

Swiss Chard and Lemon Ricotta Pasta

July  5, 2021
4.5
13 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This is an easy, last minute dinner since you might have many of the ingredients on hand. If you don't have any swiss chard, kale, spinach and arugula also work great. If you use kale, I recommend removing the tough central stem. If you use either arugula or baby spinach leaves, you don't need to precook them at all; just toss them in at the end. The warmth of the pasta will sufficiently wilt them. —TheWimpyVegetarian

Test Kitchen Notes

Tender swiss chard, creamy ricotta cheese, crispy bacon, and lemon zest combine with spaghetti to create a dish that is brimming with fresh, lovely flavors. This dish comes together quickly and doesn’t feature unusual ingredients, making it perfect for a weekday dinner. I loved how nothing is wasted, the same pot is used to cook the pasta and chard and the bacon fat is left in the pan to flavor the pasta. A few notes: Chard cooks down, so I used 4½ cups rather than the 3 cups called for in the recipe. I also upped the ricotta cheese to ½ cup to make the sauce a little richer. —cookinginvictoria

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 cups raw Swiss chard, sliced (including the stems)
  • 2 handfuls dried spaghetti
  • 2 strips bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices or lardons
  • 1/2 large shallot, minced
  • Olive oil, as needed
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • Zest from 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • 1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
Directions
  1. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the Swiss chard for 5 minutes. Scoop out the chard, and drain well, squeezing out as much of the water as possible. Chop again and set aside.
  2. Keep the pot of water boiling, and add the spaghetti noodles. Follow the directions on the packet for making the spaghetti. Drain and set aside, retaining about 1 cup of liquid from cooking the noodles.
  3. Fry bacon until just crispy. Add the shallot and saute until soft, adding olive oil if needed.
  4. Add the Swiss chard and toss well to break up the chard clumps.
  5. Combine the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses in a small bowl, and add the lemon zest, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add to the Swiss chard mixture in the saute pan and mix well.
  6. Add cooked spaghetti, and some of the pasta water as needed.
  7. Serve warm.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Full-Flavored Cook
    Full-Flavored Cook
  • Danna Farabee
    Danna Farabee
  • panania
    panania
  • Heather O'Neil
    Heather O'Neil
  • Bir
    Bir

73 Reviews

Full-Flavored C. December 14, 2023
This was an easy and delicious pasta -- we used baby arugula because we had it in the house along with all the other ingredients. Would make again!
 
Danna F. April 11, 2022
Made this tonight. It was really great. Didn't have ricotta so used keffir with the parmesan, no lemon because it's already tangy. Great one pot meal!
 
panania February 4, 2022
It's been a long time since I read this recipe, but I make at least twice a month now. One change I did make was I remove the bacon from the pan before I add the shallots and save it as a garnish at the end. I also remove the chard stems, but these things are preferences. As far as the instruction go they're spot on. You just need to make it a few times before you get the timing right. And as far as the taste is concerned,.. There's a reason why this recipe has made it into our regulars, it is awesome.
 
jencordes February 3, 2022
This recipe required so much tweaking to make it taste like anything, that it no longer resembled the original recipe as written. As I am reviewing the actual recipe itself, I would pass if you’re thinking about making it. Otherwise just wing it with similar ingredients.
 
Helen August 26, 2021

This was a good, easy recipe that I used as a road map. I used rigatoni because I had a lot in my pantry but will try linguini next time. I had a lot of chard so I increased everything. I used 1 lb of pasta, 6 c. chard leaves, 5 slices of thick cut bacon, 1/4 c parm, 1 1/12 c. ricotta, zest from 2 lemons plus juice from one, 1/4 t. italian seasoning, 2 shallots and chili flakes. I reserved the stems for another use and just used the chard leaves (because I had so much) so I wish I had cooked them with the bacon and shallots instead of blanching. Three adults ate all of this in one sitting. It was that good.
 
panania July 5, 2021
This was really great! I still have to work on the timing though. The blanching of the chard throws off the normal pasta dish flow. I suggest doing that first then starting the pasta then starting the sauce. That's how I'm going to do it next time. Also, for all that left over cheese you'll have, there's a really great recipe here for a Ricotta loaf cake by ASHONFIRE - https://food52.com/recipes/10530-loaded-with-good-stuff-loaf. The 2 compliment each other really well. Bon Appetit!
 
Merry July 5, 2021
Thanks for the tip - I always struggle with the remaining ricotta and this sounds delicious!
 
Patti April 28, 2020
This was outstanding. I didn't have shallots and roasted young spring onions, finishing Up the cooking of them in the bacon fat. Used 1/2 cup of whole milk ricotta which was a good choice vs the 1/3 c recommended. Used Aleppo pepper which was perfect. It did need some of the pasta water as I had to use brown rice spaghetti and it was a little dry. Swiss Chard was perfect, but any green would be good. Will definitely make again.
 
Beata April 14, 2020
Fantastic! Fast and easy, full of flavour. I doubled everything for 4 people and used gluten free spaghetti. Definitely will make it again
 
lois April 9, 2020
I made this the other night with two bunches of chard (so more than called for). It's very easy and very tasty. Still eating and enjoying the leftovers for lunch!
 
Anno B. October 9, 2018
Wonderful dish and so satisfying- I used (real) bacon bits as it was easier, and left out the ricotta. The rainbow chard adds great colour and the stems are delicious and crunchy. Added a few capers and grated my own parmesan to mix in. Will be making this again!
 
Heather O. July 8, 2018
Wow! This recipe is delicious. I followed as written, using freshly picked rainbow swiss chard from the farmers' market. Light and lemony. This will become a favorite.
 
catydid May 30, 2018
Vegetarian version - forget the bacon, use green garlic instead of shallot and a jalapeno for some punch, saute in giant cast iron skillet (no blanching- keep all those vitamins!). Add chopped chard stems, then the chard leaves to the skillet, then the ricotta mixture. Added a lot of lemon juice as well. Kept sauce separate from the pasta (linguini) to avoid soggy pasta leftovers. Added lots of extra parmesan on top. Super delicious!
 
NMPate April 28, 2018
Delicious. I used 8 oz of linguini, since I was out of spaghetti. I added about a tablespoon of lemon juice to bump up the lemony flavor and that went well with the dried red chili flakes. If you want a creamier sauce I would increase the ricotta cheese to 1/2 cup and Parmesan to 3tablespoons but if you want a lighter dish follow the recipe as written. I’ll make this again.
 
Merry January 2, 2017
What a delicious and forgiving recipe. We purchased some beautiful ricotta at our farmer's market yesterday and wanted to find a way to use it for dinner tonight. No chard, but we did have arugula and asparagus. Briefly steamed the asparagus and threw it in with the arugula just before adding the remaining ingredients. Wow - delicious!!! We will be making this again with chard and/or other green options.
 
Bir April 9, 2016
What are the calorper serving?
 
JUDITH December 28, 2015
what is the amount when described as 2 handfuls ? I'm not good at winging it.
 
glammie January 14, 2016
Add two handfuls and if you think it could use more, go ahead and add more. It's not an exact science and you don't have to adhere to the recipe perfectly. Does your family eat/like kale? Then put as much as you think they are prepared to eat! :)
 
katmccrane August 28, 2015
Has anyone else used this recipe as a guide to make the perfect pizza? I make the chard and ricotta mixture as suggested, then spread the chard on the dough and add the ricotta mixture in large spoonfuls. It's crazy good. Just like the original recipe!
 
NXL September 23, 2023
Good grief, that sounds fantastic!
 
hanachocho August 25, 2015
This has become a regular dish with some precooked lentils added in.
 
kara July 21, 2015
I tried this when my CSA box had so much chard I didn't know what to do with it all. I loved it and now make it all the time. I use thin spaghetti but only out of preference. It's easy to scale down - but blanch all your chard at once and shock whatever you aren't using, chop and freeze then this can be a super quick week night meal!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian August 4, 2015
Thanks so much, kara! In truth I make this all year round. It's so, so quick during the week!
 
Karen B. February 21, 2015
Very tasty dish. Made it with 4 strips of bacon and 3 Tablespoons Parmesan-Reggiano (with extra for serving). Served it over my homemade fettuccine noodles. It's a great way to use Swiss chard.
 
Yazoolulu November 7, 2014
I made this tonight - quadrupled the recipe, left out the bacon and used double the shallots sauteed in butter. Such a delicious recipe. Everyone ate it all up!
 
ingababinga July 21, 2014
I had a lot greens to use and saw this recipe was the highest rated chard recipe on the site. Added a touch of garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan and it was perfect! Already planning to make it again next weekend - bravo on this recipe!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian July 21, 2014
Woo-hoo! Congratulations - I'm so glad it worked for you!! Thanks for letting me know!!
 
Barb July 15, 2014
This was a great recipe, we really enjoyed it. It's a great way to use the greens that are so prevalent at the farmer's market at this time of year. I added garlic and extra parmesan, as well as some fresh basil I had in the garden.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian July 15, 2014
Oh yay!! I'm so glad you liked it :-)
 
Kgiersch July 13, 2014
Delicious! I subbed chèvre for ricotta, because that's what I had on hand. I stirred it directly into chard/bacon mix, then topped with Parmesan.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian July 13, 2014
That sounds like a great version, Kgiersch! I almost always have chèvre on hand!!
 
lschrive January 24, 2014
I do something similar with peas, but I liked it with the swiss chard. Thank you for the recipe! Don't forget the lemon!!!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian January 24, 2014
It's amazing the difference that lemon makes, isn't it?
 
mauigirlcooks January 22, 2014
Looks & sounds delicious!
 
Anne H. November 1, 2013
I made this tonight, it was quick, very good and a great way to use the swiss chard I had from CSA. I did not have bacon, sprinkled some browned pancetta on top instead.
 
Bir October 25, 2013
Excellent. I made a few changes: 1/2 cup of ricotta, in addition of zest the juice of 1/2 a lemon, doubled the Parmesan, doubled the bacon, added 3 gloves of garrlic.
 
ErinC October 2, 2013
Tried this last night, super delicious! I added minced garlic and subbed spinach. Will definitely make again! Thanks Wimpy Vegetarian!
 
cschaefer July 10, 2013
Yum. I have made this recipe several times now and deem it a new dinner staple in my household. It has become one of the most frequently requested meals by my #1 taste tester, my husband. I love the wonderful combinations of bacon & challot, lemon, ricotta & parmesan, all melding & melting with pasta & tender swiss chard. This recipe is a perfect go-to for weeknight dinners & satisfies the frugality of low-budget foodies. I definitely recommend trying it!
 
Desert D. June 14, 2013
I've made this twice so far, once overdoing it with the red pepper flakes. I agree that "two handfuls" is vague, but 1/2 lb of pasta seems right. Kids and veggie-adverse husband ate it all up. It's delicious!
 
Andreas D. June 10, 2013
I would not worry about plagiarism with this recipe - ricotta with lemon zest is an Italian standby and has been a classic in my own kitchen for years.

Like a frittata, it is the perfect vessel for leftovers. Asparagus, grilled or steamed? check. A handful of spinach past its best? Check. Basil grown rampant? Check. Just add what's in the larder and it'll be fine. I've even served this with chunks of good olive oil cured tuna.
 
Andreas D. June 10, 2013
PS: I am not that much of a fan of the bacon is this - the ricotta easily gets overpowered by more assertive flavours.
 
gotham G. June 2, 2013
I made this recipe last night and it's delicious! The flavor of the fresh chard still comes through all the creamy goodness of the sauce. Two comments: Measuring the pasta by "handfuls" is problematic and leaves a lot a room for error. I used 1lb of linguini pasta and quickly realized I needed to almost double the amount of chard used as well as the ricotta. Delicious recipe all the same!
 
Kate's K. May 17, 2013
Yummy! Used Swiss Chard from my garden, upped the ricotta to 1/2 cup and added a little extra tablespoon or two of Parm. I would make it again. Used thin spaghetti pasta.
 
AnnT August 12, 2012
I've been meaning to try this ever since I first saw it on The Savory Notebook. I like your spaghetti substitution.

http://savorynotebook.blogspot.com/2008/06/pasta-with-swiss-chard-bacon-and-lemony.html
 
TheWimpyVegetarian August 13, 2012
I've never heard of The Savory Notebook, so thanks for the link. Proof that some ingredients are just classic combinations for pasta dishes. I hope you give the dish a go, I think you'll like it. It's been one of my favorite go-to pasta dishes for the last year.
 
lapadia July 23, 2012
Hi! Made this recipe with spinach, what I had in the garden, love the creamy ricotta lemon flavor! Looked for the recipe on your website (to comment) but couldn't find it. Anyway, delicious recipe :)
 
TheWimpyVegetarian July 24, 2012
Hi Linda! Thanks so much. It's on my blog, but I'm woefully behind on indexing. This is a great reminder for me to get it done! Here's the link:
http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2012/05/pasta-bloghop-swiss-chard-and-lemon-ricotta-pasta/
I'm so glad you tried it and liked it so much!!
 
sue J. July 17, 2012
I made this last night - WOW it was delicious! The only change i made was to double the ricotta and parmesan so it was cheesier, and added some lemon juice. I used the rainbow chard from my garden, and served with some chicken sausage on the side. A keeper!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian July 17, 2012
So happy!!! I'm so glad you let me know how it worked for you!!
 
srcerer June 29, 2012
What a fantastic recipe! So lovely and summery. We loved it and will put it in our repertoire.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 29, 2012
I'm so glad you tried it and liked it so much. It's so easy to make too. Thanks so much for letting me know :-)
 
Dabblings June 26, 2012
I made this tonight with some of the chard from my garden. I also used some peas from the garden and subbed out the hot pepper flakes for one of my hot peppers. I may have also used a scotch more bacon and I doubled the ricotta and the parm. The end result was delicious. I will absolutely make this again. It was perfect for a week night dinner. Thanks for a great recipe :)
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 26, 2012
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it so much!!! You totally have made my day!
 
Dabblings June 26, 2012
*skosh more bacon...not scotch!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 26, 2012
LOL :-) !! I figured. Although scotch sounds good right now too :-)
 
sarcal June 25, 2012
I absolutely can't wait to make this for dinner tomorrow!! Looks amazing! I love how lemon zest brings a brightness to dishes.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 25, 2012
Yes!! I totally agree. Lemon zest is amazing what it can do to a dish! Excited you're trying this; I really hope you like it!!
 
EmilyC June 25, 2012
Congrats on your CP, ChezSuzanne! This pasta looks lovely and I'm looking forward to trying it. Quick question for you: when you call for 2 handfuls of spaghetti, approximately how much is that? 1/2 lb? 1 lb?
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 25, 2012
Thanks Emily! 1/2 lb should do it - that's usually what I use. Hope you like it!!
 
Amy D. June 25, 2012
At the farmers market Saturday, I bought some chard from the stand run by the community garden that recruits inner city kids and teaches them about gardening. I didn't have any ideas about what to do with it. I just wanted to support their worthy cause. This recipe sounds like it will be perfect for dinner tonight!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 25, 2012
I hope you enjoy it!!
 
dianel June 24, 2012
oops, that would be swiss !
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 24, 2012
:-) - I hope you give this a try and like it. It's one of my favorite pastas and frequently have it around in the frig.
 
dianel June 24, 2012
My rainbow swill chard is just coming into harvest so this is timely!
 
creamtea June 22, 2012
Congratulations, ChezSuzanne! Beautiful recipe!
 
savorthis June 21, 2012
Now I know what to make with all my rainbow chard. How springy and delicious.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 22, 2012
Thanks so much savorthis! Enjoy this week of being in the finals circle :-)
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 21, 2012
And big thanks to James Ransom for such a lovely photo of this recipe!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 21, 2012
Thanks cookinginvictoria for such a lovely review! I'm so glad you liked it. One of the things I like about this recipe is I can adjust it so easily for the amount of greens and creaminess I want. Thanks so much!!!
 
gingerroot June 8, 2012
Nearly always have swiss chard on hand thanks to my CSA and I can't wait to add this to the weekday lineup.
 
Thanks so much gingerroot! I'd love to hear what you think if you try it!
 
healthierkitchen June 3, 2012
my kind of dinner!

 
Thanks healthierkitchen! I make it every couple of weeks now - it's so easy :-)