Simple Corn Succotash

This spectacular sweet Corn Succotash is a bright, savoury, and slightly sweet celebration of the summer garden harvest. In this vegetable medley, fresh corn kernels are caramelized with onions, garlic, lima beans, and red bell pepper in plenty of butter and salt with a fresh basil and a squeeze of lime to finish. This low-stress 15-minute side dish simple but looks incredible on any dinner plate.

Succotash is the side dish recipe of the season! It goes well with everything from Cast Iron Skillet Steak to a whole Smoked BBQ Chicken. This vegetarian dish can be made fully vegan by substituting dairy free butter or olive oil for the butter.

Corn Succotash

If summer had an official side dish, it would be Corn Succotash. Sunshine yellow sweet corn cut straight off the cob, buttery lima beans, red bell pepper, and a bright splash of lime juice and cherry tomatoes to wake everything up.

This dish is vibrant, incredibly easy to pull together, and it has this magical ability to make any weeknight dinner feel like a backyard party… like confetti in a bowl.

Whether you’re looking to use up a surplus of sweet summer corn or just need a colourful, crowd-pleasing dish for your next cookout, this modern spin on classic succotash is about to be your new go-to. Grab your favorite skillet, and let’s get cooking!

What is Succotash?

Succotash was created by Indigenous peoples in the New England area (the name comes from the Narragansett word msíckquatash, meaning “broken corn kernels”). Original ingredients were centered around two core ingredients: corn and lima beans (or other shell beans) combined with aromatics and fat.

The classic pairing of corn and beans isn’t just delicious—it’s a tradition built on the “Three Sisters” agricultural method, where corn, beans, and squash are grown together to help each other thrive.

Today, other vegetables like onions, potatoes, turnips, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini (and other squashes), or okra are common additions.

Ingredients for Corn Succotash

For this succotash recipe, you’ll need a sharp knife, a cutting board, and a skillet. The ingredients can vary depending on your preferences.

• Butter
• Corn
• Baby Lima Beans
• Red Bell Pepper
• Yellow Onion
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Garlic
• Lime
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil

There isn’t a lot of seasoning in this recipe other than Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped fresh basil. I recommend using salted butter for extra flavour. This added fat goes well with the sweetness of the corn and the acidity provided by fresh lime juice and cherry tomatoes.

Aromatics like onions and minced garlic round out the flavour profile.

Feel free to use fresh or frozen corn, fresh or frozen (not canned) lima beans, fresh basil, and real onion and garlic. You can use seeded and diced field or heirloom tomatoes in place of the cherry tomatoes.

How to Make Corn Succotash

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add the corn, lima beans, red bell pepper, and onion. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Sauté until the onions are softened and the corn and lima beans are warm, about 8 minutes then add the garlic and lime juice and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and toss in the tomatoes and fresh basil.  Serve immediately as a warm side dish or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• If you use normal table or sea salt, use half the amount. 
• To use fresh corn, you’ll need about 5-6 ears of corn. Remove kernels removed from the cob before cooking.
• This is an easy recipe to add or swap fresh in-season veggies. Some examples- zucchini, different colored bell peppers, edamame, red onion, parsley, etc.

Storing the Leftovers

Store leftover Corn Succotash in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.  Reheat in the microwave, covered, if desired.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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