Fresh chard is the star in these crispy, cheesy fritters served with a garlicky yogurt sauce!
Inspired by the lush and verdant woodlands surrounding Rivendell, our Elvish feast wouldn’t be complete without plenty of fresh greens. Freshly gathered chard leaves are transformed into these delectable fritters that use both the stems and leaves. As the fritters fry the melting cheese forms a delicious crispy, lacey crust. A garlicky yogurt dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment to these cheesy chard fritters. Eating fresh greens never tasted so good!
Ingredient Notes
Fresh Swiss chard: This recipe uses both chard stems and leaves. The leaves are added fresh to the fritter batter while the stems are lightly sautéed before adding to the batter. You can certainly substitute the chard with fresh spinach leaves or kale. If using spinach, you may need to add a bit more to compensate for the lack of stems. If using kale, sauté the leaves as you would the stems to lightly cook them before adding to the fritter batter.
Cheese: I like to add two different kinds of cheese to these fritters. Mozzarella cheese melts beautifully inside the fritters but also creates a crunchy, lacy crust to the fritters after frying. The sharpness of the parmesan adds a hint of saltiness and brightness to the fritters.
Fresh dill: I love the flavour of fresh dill but you can substitute with dried dill instead if you prefer.
How to make Cheesy Chard Fritters
Prep the fresh chard
To prepare the chard, remove the leaves from the stems. Cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Finely chop the chard stems as well as the onion.
Place a skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and olive oil along with the diced onions and chard stems. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the stems are tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and allow the stems to cool down.
Prepare the swiss chard fritter batter
In a mixing bowl combine the milk and eggs. Whisk together. Add the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk until it becomes a smooth batter. Add the chopped chard leaves and the cooled stems along with the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Finely chop the fresh dill and add to the batter. Stir the mixture together until fully combined. The batter can be prepared and then held in the refrigerator for several hours before frying if desired.
Fry the fritters
Place a rack on a baking sheet and have ready to drain the fritters. In a wide skillet, add enough vegetable to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/8 inch deep. Place over medium heat.
Drop a spoonful of the fritter batter into the hot oil. Gently spread the batter out to create a flat fritter, about 2 inches in diameter. Add 3 or 4 more to the pan. Allow the fritters to fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
The melting cheese in the fritters may cause them to stick to the pan initially. As the fritters brown, they should release from the pan with relative ease. Carefully flip the fritters over and cook for another couple of minutes until the browned on the other side.
Transfer the cooked fritters to the rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter until all the fritters are cooked.
Make the yogurt dipping sauce
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, fresh chopped dill, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve the Cheesy Chard Fritters
Arrange the chard fritters on a serving platter. Serve the fritters with the yogurt sauce and enjoy!
Spread the Enchantment
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