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This classic succotash recipe is a great way to infuse vegetables into any meal! It’s a veggie-packed side dish with a long history.
Here’s a delicious veggie-packed dish with a long history: succotash! Did you know this traditional pairing of corn and beans is a food of the native people in New England? (We didn’t.) You might associate it with Southern American cooking, but it’s much older than that.
This succotash recipe is a great way to infuse a colorful dose of veggies into any meal. When Alex and I created this recipe, we fell in love with the savory, smoky flavor. We’ve been eating it ever since—it’s such a colorful and filling side dish!
What is succotash?
Succotash is a dish of corn, lima beans and other vegetables that was introduced to American colonists by native Americans in the 1600’s. The Narragansett people in New England ate this dish featuring the “three sisters” or three crops that thrive and grow together: corn, beans, and squash. The colonists put their own spin on this dish, and Americans have been riffing on it ever since.
Succotash is most often associated with American Southern cooking, but it’s served all over the country. Every cook has their own spin, like any great recipe from mac and cheese to potato salad! Often you’ll see tomatoes, peppers, onion, okra, or bacon in the dish.
Ingredients in this succotash recipe
To be considered succotash, corn and lima beans must be present in the recipe. But then you can can get creative: you’ll see all sorts of other ingredients like tomatoes, onion, peppers, zucchini, okra, and often bacon or pork. Our spin is a vegetarian succotash, and we’ve used a custom seasoning blend to make sure deliciously savory flavorings are distributed throughout. Here’s what you’ll need for this succotash recipe:
- Onion
- Corn
- Lima beans
- Red pepper
- Cherry tomatoes
- Seasonings: garlic powder, smoked paprika, sage, parsley, salt and pepper
- Butter and olive oil, for cooking
Use fresh or frozen veggies
This succotash recipe is quick and easy using frozen corn and lima beans! Despite what you might think, frozen veggies are just as nutritious as fresh. So stock up on some frozen corn and lima beans, for any time you need a delicious veggie-packed side dish!
If it’s corn season, succotash is incredibly flavorful with fresh corn! You can cut it off the cob and then use it fresh right in this recipe with the same cook time.
Ways to serve succotash
This succotash recipe goes with virtually any dish, from vegetarian mains to seafood. Here are some favorite ways to pair it:
- Salmon: Pair it with baked salmon, pecan crusted salmon, grilled salmon in foil or pesto salmon. It’s nice to serve the fillet right over the succotash, like you’d see at a restaurant.
- Fish: Add to grilled tilapia, baked halibut, baked trout, pan fried cod, or baked cod.
- Scallops: Serve alongside pan seared scallops.
- Vegetarian and vegan mains: Add to vegan meatballs, BBQ Tofu, garlic butter noodles, mushroom risotto or stuffed portobello mushrooms.
Dietary notes
This succotash recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Easy Succotash
This classic Succotash recipe is a great way to infuse vegetables into any meal! It’s a healthy side dish with a long history.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, minced
- 4 cups frozen corn (or fresh corn cut off the cob)
- 2 cups frozen lima beans
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter (or olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, until translucent.
- Add the corn, beans, red pepper, tomatoes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried sage, salt, and the fresh ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until all vegetables are tender and nearly cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in the salted butter and parsley (if using) and cook 1 minute more, until the butter is melted. Taste and add the additional salt if desired. Serve warm. Store leftovers up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
This is the cast iron pan we use.
Saccotash..
A must try …hearing about this colourful dish..Saccotash..first time ever, ..though the ingredients are almost staple in my part of the world ..readily ..available year round…👌 ..
Thank you for heads-up..
Jim.
Nairobi, Kenya.