When you think of comfort food, potatoes and greens might not be the first duo that comes to mind – but in this Swiss chard and potatoes recipe with the creamiest dressing, they absolutely shine. It brings together crispy smashed potatoes, garlicky sautéed Swiss chard with lemon and sumac, and a rich yet probiotic-friendly miso tahini yogurt dressing.
This summer I had planted seeds of rainbow Swiss chard in one of my planters and it has been abundantly giving me bunches and bunches of earthy chard with cream, yellow and red stems and a range of vibrant green leaves. They went into pastas, salads or pesto and suddenly I had no reason to buy spinach from the supermarket because I had my greens sorted. I felt so righteous 😂!
What you’ll love about this recipe
It’s easy to make, deeply flavorful, and supports better gut health through ingredients rich in prebiotics, fiber, and fermented foods.
- Nourishing and gut-friendly: Garlic, Greek yogurt, and miso support a healthy microbiome.
- Crispy and comforting: I love roasting the smashed potatoes for that satisfying texture.
- Zesty and flavorful: Lemon zest, sumac, and a touch of harissa add brightness and depth.
- Easy to customize: You can serve as a vegetarian main or pair with fish (like this pan fried salmon with pea mash), grilled chicken supreme, or add a bowl of curried butter beans for extra protein.
- Plant points! Potatoes, chard, lemon, garlic, tahini, miso, parsley, sumac give you 8 plants toward your weekly 30.
Whether you decide to serve it warm, as main or side or even cold as a salad with a twist for your work lunch, this dish is equal parts comforting and nutrient-rich.
Watch how to make smashed potatoes & swiss chard
Ingredients notes (& swaps)
- Baby/new potatoes, skin on (extra fiber; waxy types crisp beautifully)
- Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated (stems bring crunch; leaves go silky)
- Yellow onion, thinly sliced (soft sweetness)
- Garlic, minced (aroma and bite)
- Lemon zest and juice(fresh lift)
- Sumac (more citrusy vibes)
- Harissa paste or seasoning, optional (gentle heat)
For the dressing:
- Greek yogurt, full-fat
- Tahini, stirred smooth (nutty depth); but if you’re not a fan, any nut butter works
- Garlic, finely grated (just a touch, not too overpowering)
- White miso paste (mellow, fermented umami)
- Lemon juice (sharpens everything)
- Cold water, for thinning to a drizzle
To finish:
- Fresh parsley or coriander, chopped
How to make swiss chard & potatoes (step-by-step)
Time needed: 50 minutes
Make crispy smashed potatoes with lemony Swiss chard and a silky miso–tahini yogurt. Boil, smash and roast the potatoes, sauté the chard, whisk the dressing, then assemble for a bright, gut-friendly main or side.
- Boil & steam-dry
Pop potatoes into well-salted cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until fork-tender. Drain, then let them sit in the hot pan for a few minutes to steam-dry (key to crisp). If you make these ahead, take them out of the fridge half an hour before roasting.
- Smash & roast
Heat oven to 230°C / 450°F. Line a tray with parchment and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange potatoes, then gently smash each with the base of a glass to ~1.5cm thick. Drizzle again, brushing the potatoes thoroughly, season, and roast 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and craggy. You can use an air fryer too.
- Prep the veg
Wash and strip the Swiss chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems finely, cut the leaves in ribbons. Peel and dice an onion finely.
- Sauté the chard
Warm a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Soften onion 5 minutes until pale gold. Add the chard stems; cook 2–3 minutes. Fold in chard leaves, a pinch of salt and the garlic; sauté until just wilted 3-4 minutes. Off the heat, stir in lemon zest, sumac, and harissa if using.
- Make the dressing
In a bowl, mix yogurt, tahini, grated garlic, miso, and lemon juice. Whisk in cold water, a spoon at a time, to a silky drizzle.
- Assemble & serve
Tumble potatoes onto a platter. Spoon the chard between and over them. Generously drizzle dressing or dip the potatoes in. Scatter chopped herbs. Eat immediately while the edges still crackle.
Pro Tips
- Salt your water well. Seasoning the potatoes from the inside out makes every bite taste better. If you cool the potatoes first, they crisp faster.
- Top tip: use leftover boiled potatoes to get this dinner on the table fast.
- Space on the tray: give those spuds room and crisp them at high heat, use your air fryer if you have one! My oven has an airfrying function and they get lovely and golden.
- Strip the leaves from the stems and sauté the chopped stems first, adding the leaves towards the end. That way you get some crunch but everything is cooked through and not mushy.
Nutritional benefits
Of course the abundance of vegetables makes this dish a wholesome, nourishing option. But for me, the hero here is the trio of fibre-rich veg, and the fermented miso–yogurt drizzle – supporting a diverse, happy microbiome. Not to mention that Swiss chard brings vitamins K, A and C plus magnesium and iron; and did you know lemon and sumac help you absorb iron from the greens (because of their vitamin C content).
Bonus: chill any leftover potatoes before reheating to get that resistant starch. Feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields 3-4 portions, enough for a small family or a few well thought out lunches.
variations and substitutions
- VEGETARIAN: This recipe is vegetarian.
- Dairy-free/VEGAN: Use thick unsweetened plant yogurt or swap the yogurt for more tahini and water (or aquafaba/ liquid from canned chickpeas or beans) for a creamy vegan dressing.
- Protein toppings: Toast some chickpeas or dry fry drained canned beans, or top with a jammy egg or grilled halloumi (much like in this chickpea and halloumi salad).
- Different greens: Kale or Cavolo Nero (de-rib and slice like in my Cavolo Nero Risotto), beet greens, or spinach (add at the end) all work.
- Spices: Swap harissa for Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, or chili flakes.
That’s my kind of weeknight plate: crackly-edged potatoes, lemony chard, and a cool, umami miso-tahini drizzle. It’s cozy but so bright, fiber-rich, and easy to riff on with whatever greens you’ve got. If you make it, tell me your twist – I’ll be over here swiping the last puddle of that creamy dressing with a hunk of sourdough.
- If you make my recipe, take a snapshot for your Instagram
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recipe FAQ
Yes. Strip tough ribs, slice thinly, and sauté a minute or two longer before adding the lemony finish.
Refrigerate components separately up to 3 days. Re-crisp potatoes on a hot tray (220°C / 425°F, 8–10 min). Warm chard gently in a pan. Keep dressing chilled and drizzle just before serving.
Absolutely. Air-fry smashed potatoes at 200°C / 400°F for 12–16 minutes (or follow your appliance’s instructions), shaking once, until deeply golden.
Swiss Chard and Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot (boiling potatoes)
- Baking tray + parchment
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Mixing bowl + whisk
- Citrus zester (or microplane)
Ingredients
Smashed Potatoes
- 750 g baby potatoes skin on
- Fine sea salt for boiling water
- 4 tbsp olive oil for roasting
Sauteed Chard
- 200 g Swiss chard (a bunch) stems & leaves separated
- 1 medium onion finely diced or thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
- ½ tsp sumac
- ½ tsp harissa paste or seasoning optional
- 2 tbsp olive oil (add more if the pan gets dry)
- ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
Dressing
- 3 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt or thick plant yogurt
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated
- 1 heaped tsp white miso paste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 –4 tbsp cold water
To finish
- Handful parsley or coriander chopped
Instructions
Make the smashed roast potatoes
- Add potatoes to salted cold water. Boil until just tender (20-25 min). Drain and steam-dry 2–3 min.
- Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F. Oil a parchment-lined tray. Use the bottom of a thick glass to smash the potatoes to approximately 1.5cm, drizzle generously with olive oil and brush so the potatoes catch and get nice and crispy at the edges. Season with a few good pinches of sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
Make the sauteed chard
- Wash and strip the Swiss chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems finely, cut the leaves in ribbons. Peel and dice an onion finely.
- Sauté the diced onion in a little olive oil for 5 min at medium heat (only to pale golden not brown) . Add the chard stems; cook for 2–3 minutes to keep their crunch. Add the chard leaves, salt; wilt 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic. Finish with lemon zest, sumac, and harissa (optional).
Make the miso-tahini dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk yogurt, tahini, minced garlic, miso paste and lemon juice. Thin with cold water or aquafaba to a pourable sauce.
Assemble & serve
- Plate potatoes, tuck in the sauteed chard, drizzle generously with the dressing or just dip in the smashed crispy potatoes. Scatter freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!
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