Creamy Swiss Chard Orzotto with Golden Almond Crumbles

Name: Creamy Swiss Chard Orzotto with Golden Almond Crumbles
Total time: 2700 s
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups pearl barley (about 300 grams); 1 pound Swiss chard leaves (about 500 grams); 1 small yellow onion; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons milk (30 ml); 3.5 ounces chopped almonds (about 100 grams); 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; Salt, to taste

Daniela Innamorati @danielainnamorati

One of the treasures of the Italian summer that our gardens offer is Swiss chard, with its sweet, delicate flavor and incredible versatility. I decided to use it to make a creamy orzotto, paired with golden crumbles... what could they be?

Daniela Innamorati @danielainnamorati

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Ingredients

45 minutes

Serves 4 servings

1 1/2 cupspearl barley (about 300 grams)
1 poundSwiss chard leaves (about 500 grams)
1small yellow onion
2 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoonsmilk (30 ml)
3.5 ounceschopped almonds (about 100 grams)
1 teaspoonground turmeric
Salt, to taste

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Steps

45 minutes

1

Wash the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly, dry them, and cut them into thin strips. This helps them cook faster and keeps their bright green color.
2

Boil the Swiss chard in lightly salted water for 5-6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon (save the cooking water) and immediately place the chard in ice water to stop the cooking and keep the color vibrant.
3

Drain well, then blend the chard with the milk using an immersion blender until you have a smooth, fluid cream. Set aside.
4

In a large pot, sauté the finely sliced onion in the olive oil. When it starts to turn golden, add the pearl barley, stirring often to toast the grains evenly.
5

After a few minutes, gradually add ladles of the reserved chard cooking water, cooking the barley as you would for risotto.
6

Meanwhile, make the golden crumbles: toast the chopped almonds in a small pan, then mix them while still warm in a bowl with the turmeric until well coated.
7

When the orzotto is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the Swiss chard cream. Add salt to taste if needed.
8

Divide among plates, sprinkle with the golden almond crumbles, and serve hot.
9

NOTE: As you can see, this is a zero-waste recipe since we also use the chard cooking water, which is rich in minerals and vitamins. And what about the chard stems? Of course, make a delicious chard stem parmigiana with just three ingredients—check out my other recipes!

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Daniela Innamorati @danielainnamorati

Published in the US on July 02, 2026 14:01

Sono una mamma, lavoratrice, che ha scelto di costruire un futuro migliore per la propria famiglia anche attraverso l'alimentazione e l'attenzione verso l'ambiente, perché siamo noi l'esempio per le prossime generazioni. Si pensa troppo spesso che seguire un'alimentazione biologica sia difficile, impegnativo e troppo costoso... nulla di più sbagliato! Il mio intento è dimostrare che basta solo volerlo e il cambiamento è a portata di mano. Migliorare le nostre abitudini alimentari è molto più facile di quanto si pensi: viviamo in un territorio ricco di tipicità, varietà e prodotti di qualità elevatissima! Basta iniziare da pochi e piccoli cambiamenti, un passo alla volta e si può arrivare anche molto lontano se si desidera!