Easy Succotash

This easy succotash recipe combines corn, beans, and veggies for a colorful side dish full of fresh flavor that everyone will love.

I didn’t grow up eating succotash, but once I tried making it at home, its savory, smoky flavor hooked me. There’s something about this combo of simple, well-spiced ingredients that just works!

I love the history of this humble side dish, too. You might associate it with Southern American cooking, but it’s much older than that! Today, this succotash recipe is one of my go-to sides — colorful, hearty, and the perfect way to pack more veggies onto the plate.

What Is Succotash?

Succotash is a classic dish of corn and lima beans introduced to New England colonists by Native Americans in the 17th century. This dish was inspired by what was known as the “three sisters” crops: corn, beans, and squash.

The dish has become essential to Southern cooking, but it’s served all over the country with regional twists. Often, you’ll see tomatoes, peppers, onions, okra, or bacon in the dish, but my favorite prep style is vegetarian (as you might guess if you’ve been a reader for a while!).

Key Ingredients

To be considered succotash, a recipe must have corn and lima beans as the traditional main ingredients. From there, you can get creative. My spin is a vegetarian succotash, using a custom seasoning blend to achieve a deliciously savory flavoring.

Here are a few more tips for nailing this recipe:

• Lima beans are a must. 
• If you can use fresh corn, you’ll notice the extra flavor punch. If it’s sweet corn season, succotash is incredibly flavorful with fresh corn. You can cut it off the cob and then use it fresh with the same cook time.
• Add some color. Red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and onion add brightness to your base of corn and beans. Grape tomatoes work, too.
• Make your own seasoning for succotash. I mix up garlic powder, smoked paprika, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper for a deliciously savory spice blend.

Variations & Substitutions

I like keeping this one vegetarian, but you can get creative with your ingredients when you make succotash. Here are some variation ideas and possible substitutions:

• Vary your veggies with okra for a Southern flair or zucchini and squash for a little more bulk.
• Lima beans are a must for me, but I’ve seen recipes that swap them out with edamame or black-eyed peas.
• Add some kick with a little cayenne pepper or diced jalapeno. 
• Southern recipes often make this dish with bacon slices (or pancetta), extra butter, and veggies cooked in the bacon fat. 
• Some recipes add a bit of heavy cream for a creamier succotash or a French-style version. A little lemon zest at the end can add brightness.

Tips for Success

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but I do have some tips to make sure your succotash is a hit every time:

• Cook times on your beans can vary. Baby lima beans are a smaller type of lima bean that cook a little faster. Frozen beans can go straight in with your corn and veggies. 
• Don’t overcook your veggies! Succotash is best when the vegetables keep their color and a little bite. Overcook them, and your side gets mushy and way less appealing.
• Finish fresh. I like fresh parsley as a garnish at the end, but you can try other fresh herbs, like fresh basil or chives, especially if you’re cultivating an herb garden.

Ways to Serve This Tasty Side

This succotash recipe goes with virtually any dish, from vegetarian mains to seafood. Here are some of my favorite ideas for what to serve with succotash: 

• Salmon: Serve it with baked salmon, pecan-crusted salmon, grilled salmon in foil, or pesto salmon. I like to serve fish fillets right over the succotash, like you’d see at a restaurant.
• Other Fish: Pair succotash with grilled tilapia, baked halibut, baked trout, pan-fried cod, or baked cod.
• Scallops: Serve alongside pan-seared scallops or grilled scallops.
• Vegetarian and vegan mains: Add protein to a plant-based meal by serving it alongside vegan meatballs, BBQ tofu, garlic butter noodles, mushroom risotto, or stuffed portobello mushrooms.
• Grain bowls: Top your farro bowls, Mediterranean rice bowls, or quinoa bowls.

Storage Tips

You can keep cooled succotash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. This should only take a few minutes. 

You can freeze your succotash for up to 3 months, but it may lose some punch. From frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop. Reseason to your preference with some salt and pepper to taste before serving. 

Dietary Notes

This succotash recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

FAQs

Why is it called succotash?

The name “succotash” likely comes from the Narragansett Native American word “sahquttahhash,” which means “broken corn kernels.” Some sources also point to the word “msickquatash,” which means “boiled whole kernels of corn.”

Initially, it was a simple dish made with corn and beans, two staple foods of Native American diets. Over time, it’s evolved to include other vegetables, but the name stuck.

Is succotash healthy?

This succotash recipe is a naturally healthy, vegetarian dish packed with fiber, vitamins, and plant-based protein. The nutritional profile can vary depending on how you prepare the dish. Adding extra fats or animal proteins ups the calories, cholesterol, and fat. Following this recipe as-is keeps things light and nutrient-rich.

What is Southern succotash?

Southern succotash is a version of succotash that’s especially popular in the American South. It still features corn and lima beans, but Southern cooks often add okra, bacon, sweet onion, and spicy seasonings like cayenne pepper. For this version, you usually sauté the veggies in the bacon fat.

Is succotash served hot or cold?

Succotash is traditionally served warm, and that’s how I prefer it as a side. It can also be served room temperature as a salad or a make-ahead side dish, especially for summertime picnics.

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Easy Succotash

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This succotash recipe is a simple, veggie-packed side that brings flavor, history, and a pop of color to any meal!

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 to 8
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ 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
• ½teaspoon 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

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Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, until translucent.
3. Add the corn, beans, red pepper, tomatoes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried sage, salt, and the fresh ground black pepper. 
4. Cook, stirring occasionally until all vegetables are tender and nearly cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Stir in the salted butter and parsley (if using) and cook 1 minute more, until the butter is melted. 
6. Taste and add the additional salt if desired. 
7. Serve warm. Store leftovers up to 3 days refrigerated.

Notes

Cook times for beans and veggies can vary depending on whether they’re fresh or frozen. It’s important not to overcook your veggies to avoid a mushy consistency!

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