Swiss Chard and Feta Cheese Quesadilla with Cucumber Kalamata Salsa

Swiss chard and feta cheese quesadilla is the perfect quick and healthy weeknight dinner. Paired with a cucumber and kalamata olive salsa that you may want to consider pouring over your entire life.

This recipe was created with one special person in mind, my Sister-in-law, Danielle. Technically she is not my Sister-in-law because technically Jordan and I aren’t married, but I wonder what Oprah calls Stedmans’ siblings? My boyfriend’s sister? I don’t think so.

I digress. Danielle loves feta cheese and olives, like in an overly exuberant, kid in a candy store kind of way. It’s amazing and it’s one of the many reasons I love her to pieces.

Whenever we are out to dinner together Danielle does what I call the menu scan, she will do a quick scan of the menu and announce any items that contain either cheese, (with an extra enthusiasm if the cheese is in fact, FETA CHEESE), or olives.

It will go something like this:

Oh… asparagus with mushrooms and CHEESE

or

FETA stuffed zucchini! We have to get that

or

Romaine salad with OLIVES and FETA cheese, I want 5 of those!

Basically, if a Swiss Chard and Feta Cheese Quesadilla with cucumber and kalamata olive salsa were on a menu, she would announce it very enthusiastically and we would order it. For sure.

The truth is I have made a version of this recipe for Danielle, but sadly I used a different kind of cheese and hadn’t yet created the cucumber olive salsa. Happily, she will remind me of this next time I see her, and I will absolutely recreate this dish for her, with extra feta cheese and olives – naturally 🙂

If you haven’t made a quesadilla before they are ever so easy. You can fill them with anything your heart desires, but veggies tend to really shine stuffed into a tortilla. I personally think veggies should be added to any and everything.

I first sauteed the swiss chard with onion and a little pinch of smoked paprika.

Then pile the swiss chard and onion onto a tortilla, add feta cheese, top with another tortilla and cook until melty and toasty.

Melty +Toasty = Delicious

I like to choose a whole grain tortilla to amp up the nutrient profile, my ideal choice is a sprouted grain tortilla, they are not always the easiest to find, but if you do find them – YUM.

Serve the swiss chard and feta cheese quesadilla with that perfect cucumber and kalamata salsa, a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt, and some sliced avocado.

You can enjoy this as an appetizer (if so this makes 6-10 servings) a side dish or an entree (3 servings).

And if you have a sister-in-law that is obsessed with olives and feta cheese make sure to invite her over.

The end 🙂

For more tasty dishes, check out my vegetarian recipes, what to cook in June and August recipes roundups!

Swiss Chard and Feta Cheese Quesadilla with Cucumber Kalamata Salsa

Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Swiss chard and feta cheese quesadilla is the perfect quick and healthy weeknight dinner. Paired with a cucumber and kalamata olive salsa that you may want to consider pouring over your entire life.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 3 servings as an entree or 6 servings as an appetizer

Calories 563 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Salsa

• 1 cucumber small dice
• 1 cup kalamata olives chopped
• 2 scallions chopped
• 1/4 cup dill chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Quesadilla

• 6 whole grain tortillas
• 1 large head of swiss chard
• 1 large onion
• 3/4 cup feta cheese
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

 

Salsa

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. Set aside

Quesadilla

• To prepare swiss chard, cut bottom inch off of stems and discard. Chop stems into small dice (think celery) until you reach leaves, then chop into larger dice. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for 10 minutes stirring frequently. Season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
• Add swiss chard stems to the pan with the onion and mix together for 4 more minutes. Add swiss chard leaves and cook until leaves are wilted.

Assemble

• Place a tortilla in a large saute pan over medium heat. Fill tortilla with 1/3 of the swiss chard mixture and 1/4 cup feta cheese. Place second tortilla on top. Press down to flatten quesadilla, you can use something heavy like another pan to keep the tortilla flat. Cook for 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Carefully flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Repeat with remaining tortillas
• Serve with salsa and (optional) sour cream and slices of avocado

Nutrition

Serving: 1quesadillaCalories: 563kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 15gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 1732mgPotassium: 358mgFiber: 9gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2095IUVitamin C: 15.5mgCalcium: 416mgIron: 3.8mg

Snap a photo when you try this recipe!Tag me! @abrapappa or #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!

Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.