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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Niçoise Swiss chard tart with green salad

Niçoise Swiss chard tart is a savory pie filled with chard, rice, eggs, and parmesan, sandwiched between two layers of pastry. For 4 people, it takes 80 minutes and a medium skill level, at about €2.40 per person. The key to success is pressing the cooked chard well so the bottom crust stays crisp.

Tonight, the famous Niçoise Swiss chard tart, with rice, eggs, and parmesan, served warm with a salad.

Niçoise Swiss chard tart with green salad
Total time
1 h 20
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
470 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Under its golden crust, this tart hides a soft filling where chard meets rice, eggs, and parmesan. The flavor is mild and lightly salty from the cheese, with a texture that's part firm, part tender, and holds together nicely once it's cooled a bit. It's a dish from the south of France that makes a nice change from the usual quiche while staying easy to pull off.

This is a great recipe for a Sunday when you have a bit of time ahead of you, or for a vegetarian meal that wins kids over without them noticing. Served warm with a green salad, it works just as well for a family lunch as it does for surprising guests with something less familiar.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Swiss chard 800 g
  • Onion 1
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Pie crust 2
  • Eggs 3
  • Grated parmesan 60 g

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Chop the chard and cook it down in a pan with the onion and olive oil. 15 min

    Then press it in a strainer.

  2. Half cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 8 min

    It will finish cooking in the oven.

  3. Mix the chard, rice, beaten eggs, and parmesan together.

    Taste the filling, it should be well seasoned.

  4. Line a tart pan with one pastry sheet, add the filling, cover with the second sheet, then bake at 190 degrees. 40 min

    Brush with egg yolk for a shiny crust.

  5. Let it cool slightly, dress the salad, and serve.

    The tart slices more neatly when warm.

Our tips to get it right

  • Chop the chard fairly fine so the filling holds together neatly when you slice it.
  • If your pastry sheets are thin, use a slightly thicker one for the base, it will hold up better against the moisture in the filling.
  • Let the tart rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before unmolding, so the filling has time to firm up a bit.

The variations

  • Swap the parmesan for grated Gruyère for a milder, meltier flavor.
  • Add toasted pine nuts and a few raisins to the filling for a version closer to the traditional sweet and savory Niçoise style.
  • For a quicker version, use leftover cooked rice and skip the step of boiling fresh rice.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A vegetable soup starter
  • A glass of chilled rosé

Storage

The tart keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once baked and cooled, in individual portions. Reheat it in the oven rather than the microwave so the crust stays crisp.

Questions about this dish

Can you use spinach instead of Swiss chard?

Yes, spinach works well, but press it even more thoroughly since it releases a lot more water. Use about 600g of fresh spinach to replace the 800g of chard.

Can you make this tart ahead of time?

You can prepare the filling the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Assemble and bake the tart the same day you plan to serve it, for a crisp crust.

Why do you need to press the cooked chard?

Chard releases a lot of water as it cooks, and that water would make the bottom crust soggy if it stayed in the filling. Pressing the chard in a strainer keeps the base nice and crisp.

Does the rice need to be fully cooked before baking?

No, the rice is only half cooked in salted water before being mixed into the filling. It finishes cooking during the 40 minutes in the oven, soaking up the juices from the chard and eggs.

How long does it take to make a Niçoise Swiss chard tart with a green salad?

Count 1 h 20 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Niçoise Swiss chard tart with a green salad?

About 470 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Niçoise Swiss chard tart with a green salad cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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