Wow... I've grown chard for years, year round, but never thought of using the roots as food. Gotta try it now. I agree with you about the beet leaves.

Chard and Beets are the same thing... one bred for root and one bred for leaves.

If expect the roots to be edible, probably good in a soup. They're just a variety of beets bred for their leaves!

The voles really love those roots too.

I cooked up some of the largest ones this fall and found them to be so fibrous that I ended up throwing them out....and I'll cook and eat most anything. Mine were started indoors in early spring, were well watered and fertilized throughout the growing season, and grew into some gigantic specimens. Maybe a later planting that hadn't grown so long would have been better. Perhaps I could have put mine through a food mill and had an applesauce like consistency chard root sauce...but that didn't even appeal to my "use everything" thinking. But it is definitely worth experimenting from year to year to see what the variety and growing season have done to the roots.

just juice them in lieu of beets, and use the beets for food.

I just tried some chard root raw (after washing and scraping off the skin) and it was sweet and very strong tasting much like beets. It was from the redchard and looked like s red carrot. Glad I found your post and know now that it’s ok to eat. Cooking might help, but it was pleasantly sweet.

I grated it and used it like you would beets in borscht. Tastes just like beet borscht but it didn't turn purple.

i like to make greens with older or overgrown rainbow chard that‘s a bit tough. I peel and dice the roots as well, and simmer them all together with a meaty ham bone and enough water to cover the bone The roots come out more tender and enjoyable than the greens. Top with a touch of butter and a drizzle of seasoned vinegar bbq slop (not bbq sauce - they’re completely different) to serve. Make sure to drink up the delicious pot liquor when your bowl is done. My kids love it, too. This goes wonderful with fried chicken.

InrereInteresting! I have some chard plants that had been over run with some kind of pest, so I trimed yhem way back to see if they would improve. After a few days and little sign of improvement I decided to pull them and found some large, carrot like, red root and thought I’d see what folks are doing with them. Thanks for the tips!

🤠🙏🏽

My chard root joined its friends, the carrot, rutabaga, parsnip and leek in a nice olive oil/garlic/rosemary roast the other night. Chard leaves went into a salad with the tomato.