With gluten-free pasta, hazelnuts, and cherries, this easy dish makes a colorful and flavorful dinner in less than half an hour!
They say we eat with our eyes. It’s odd but true—when food looks appetizing, I tend to enjoy it more. In fact, that’s the whole reason I tried rainbow chard in the first place! It just looked so pretty in the produce section of the grocery store. Like brightly colored, leafy fans!
Then I discovered this pasta with rainbow chard and creamy goat cheese sauce recipe, and I knew that impulse purchase was a good one. The directions made it really easy to bring together what seemed like a fairly complicated sauce. In less than half an hour, my partner and I were slurping down forkfuls of pasta bathed in rich, creamy, slightly tangy goat cheese. The faint bitterness of the rainbow chard perfectly complemented the honey’s touch of sweetness, which was balanced by the deep savoriness of the garlic, the bright acidic splash of balsamic vinegar, and the subtly rich undertones of white wine. Every once in a while, I bit into a cherry or hazelnut and got an extra burst of flavor and texture. From the first glance to the last bite, this dish is profoundly satisfying.
It’s become a regular weeknight meal for us. We feel so fancy eating it, even though it’s super quick to prepare. Plus, it’s helping us stick to our goal of more meatless meals! Next time, I’m going to try it with zoodles.
Is Pasta With Rainbow Chard And Goat Cheese Sauce Healthy?
This gluten-free pasta dish is nutrient-dense, colorful, and filled with a unique blend of flavors and textures. It’s rich in fiber, protein, and micronutrients, with a moderate sodium level. Rainbow chard is packed with fiber, polyphenols, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and K, while also providing potassium and iron. The goat cheese—which is generally easier to digest than cow’s milk cheese for some people—adds protein and calcium while offering a creamy texture and tangy flavor. Hazelnuts supply healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and additional fiber and crunch, while the cherries provide vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants.
To make the dish low-carb, sub in spiralized veggies for the pasta. I like to use zucchini or cucumber for their low carb counts and mild flavors. Other low-carb options include summer squash, daikon radishes—which add a slightly peppery taste— and broccoli stems. Parsnips will work as well, but they’re a tad higher in carbs and bring some sweetness to the dish.
What Is Rainbow Chard?
Whether you’re looking to add color, nutrition, or a new flavor dimension to your cooking, rainbow chard is a delicious and eye-catching choice. It’s actually a mix of different colored Swiss chard varieties—with stems in striking colors of gold, orange, pink, red, purple, and white—bred together to create its signature spectrum.
Rainbow chard offers a complex flavor profile. The leaves are tender and succulent when young, with an earthy, slightly sweet, and mildly bitter taste that mellows and becomes nutty when cooked. The stems are firmer and can be more fibrous and mildly sweet, especially when young, but become softer and sweeter when cooked. The yellow stems are often the sweetest, while red and white stems have a more classic, subtle chard flavor.
Cooks love rainbow chard for its versatility. Both the leaves and stems are edible and can be used raw in salads when young or cooked in a wide variety of dishes—from sautés and soups to pastas, tarts, and grain bowls. Its mild bitterness pairs well with sweet, tangy, or nutty flavors, making it an ideal match for ingredients like the balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, hazelnuts, and cherries in this recipe.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover pasta with rainbow chard and goat cheese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this dish for up to 2 months, though the texture of the pasta will soften from the freeze-thaw process. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pan on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to revive the sauce’s creamy consistency.
Serving Suggestions
This rich and complex pasta with rainbow chard and goat cheese sauce is a satisfying meal all by itself. But it pairs well with lighter sides like this Zucchini Salad, this Beet Greens Recipe, or even a simple Green Salad. For even more flavor, try it with this deeply savory Garlic Sautéed Spinach. End on a light, sweet note with these Chocolate-Covered Raspberries for dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts roughly chopped
- Salt
- 4 ounces gluten-free penne pasta
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey divided
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 4 cups rainbow chard lightly packed
- 1 cup cherries halved
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Place the chopped hazelnuts on a small baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden and toasted, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, following package instructions. This typically takes about 7 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the wine, balsamic vinegar, and 1/2 tablespoon of the honey in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and let it boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Whisk in the goat cheese, breaking it into smaller chunks, and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of honey. Gently whisk until the goat cheese melts and the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
- Place the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Cook the garlic until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rainbow chard. Cook, stirring frequently, until it just begins to wilt.
- Drain the cooked pasta and place it in the pan with the rainbow chard. Pour in the goat cheese sauce. Let the sauce come to a boil just until it begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cherries.
- Divide the pasta between two plates. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Leave a Comment