Stuffed & Battered Swiss Chard Rolls

🌿🧀 Stuffed & Battered Swiss Chard Rolls

Served with a Delicious Tomato Sauce 🍅✨

Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour

📝 Ingredients

For the Swiss Chard

  • 8 large Swiss chard leaves
  • Enough water for cooking
  • Salt, to taste

For the Filling

  • 300 g (10½ oz) Oaxaca cheese or Manchego cheese, cut into strips
  • 150 g (5 oz) sliced turkey ham (optional)

Note: You can also use panela cheese, although it won’t melt as much.

For the Batter

  • 4 eggs, separated
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Tomato Sauce

  • 5 ripe tomatoes
  • ¼ white onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cup chicken broth or water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the Swiss Chard

Wash the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly and carefully trim away the thickest part of each stem without tearing the leaves.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes, just until they become tender and flexible.

Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and gently pat dry with paper towels.

2. Make the Rolls

Lay one Swiss chard leaf flat on a clean work surface. Place a strip of cheese in the center and add a slice of turkey ham if using.

Fold the sides inward, then roll the leaf tightly into a neat bundle. Repeat with the remaining leaves.

3. Coat with Flour

Place the flour on a plate and lightly coat each roll on all sides. Shake off any excess flour.

4. Prepare the Batter

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Add the egg yolks one at a time along with a pinch of salt. Fold them in gently, being careful not to deflate the egg whites.

5. Batter and Fry

Heat enough vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Dip each floured roll into the egg batter until completely coated, then carefully place it into the hot oil.

Fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

6. Make the Tomato Sauce

Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken broth (or water) until smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Carefully pour in the tomato mixture and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and deepens in color.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

7. Serve

Arrange the stuffed, battered Swiss chard rolls on a serving platter and generously spoon the hot tomato sauce over them.

Serve immediately while the cheese is warm, soft, and perfectly melted.

🍽️ Suggested Side Dishes

  • Mexican red rice
  • Refried beans
  • Fresh lettuce, cucumber, and radish salad
  • Warm corn tortillas

💡 Tips

  • Dry the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly before filling them to help keep the rolls tightly sealed.
  • Avoid overcooking the leaves, as they can become too soft and tear when rolled.
  • Make sure the oil is hot but not smoking to achieve a light, crispy golden coating without the rolls absorbing too much oil.
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