Southern Succotash Recipe (2024)

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This Southern Succotash is a bright and fresh combination of corn and lima beans with sweet cherry tomatoes, okra, and jalapenos for a little spicy kick. Add some salty, savory bacon and some fresh herbs, and you have a crowd-pleasing favorite.

Southern Succotash

This Southern Succotash recipe has it all, with fresh, sweet corn, traditional lima beans, and bright cherry tomatoes. Plus some extras including jalapenos for a little spice, bacon for a little extra salty and savory, lime juice, and fresh basil.

Many succotash recipes call for cream for richness, but will turn the vegetables dull or gray as a result.. In this recipe cream is replaced with butter, which adds the same richness while keeping the vegetables bright and colorful.

It is a beautiful summer side dish that can (and should!) be made all year round (with the help of some frozen veggies, of course!).

What IS Succotash?

Succotash is an American dish that was originally introduced to us by the indigenous people of northeast America in the 17th century. It has since been anglicized, into different popular versions known today.

What's In Southern Succotash?

The two main ingredients found in succotash are corn and lima beans. Other vegetables such as bell pepper and tomtaoes, as well as meats such as corned beef or salted pork are often added depending on region.

In the southern succotash recipe I'm sharing today, there are the traditional corn and lima beans as well as jalapeno, cherry tomatoes, and okra. You can also add in your own fresh or frozen vegetables to this recipe that you'd like to use up such as bell peppers or zucchini.

Fresh vs. Frozen Okra

In all honesty, this recipe is better with fresh okra. However, here in the Midwest, I have a very difficult time finding fresh okra for most of the year. If you can find fresh okra, absolutely use it! I'll include directions in the recipe notes as well, but you'll want to use 1-2 young okra, sliced. Then add it with the onion and garlic, which will allow for a longer cook time. When the succotash is done, the okra should be soft, but not mushy.

Otherwise, you can use frozen okra (which, fair warning, can often have a slimy texture), or omit it. For frozen okra, add with the corn and lima beans for a shorter cook time.

What to Serve with Southern Succotash

Serve this southern succotash as a side dish to your favorite protein such as grilled or baked chicken or pork. Some of our favorites are this oven fried chicken or some smoked sausage or kielbasa.

You can also serve this succotash as the focal point of your meal over buttered southern cornbread.

More Southern Favorite Recipes You'll Love

  • Creamy Southern Coleslaw - creamy simple southern classic made with fresh cabbage and carrots and creamy, sweet and zesty dressing.
  • Best Southern Potato Salad - the best potato salad ever with all of the fixings.
  • Southern Buttermilk Biscuits - soft, buttery, flaky, and mile high.
  • Southern Deviled Eggs - classic deviled egg with just a hint of sweet tanginess
  • Southern Oven Fried Chicken - a great main dish to go with this delicious side!

Southern Succotash Video

Southern Succotash Recipe (3)

Southern Succotash

This Southern Succotash is a bright and fresh combination of corn and lima beans with sweet cherry tomatoes, okra, and jalapenos for a little spicy kick. Add some salty, savory bacon and some fresh herbs, and you have a crowd-pleasing favorite.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: Southern Succotash, Succotash

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 201kcal

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • ¼ pound sliced bacon
  • 1 small sweet onion diced
  • 1-2 okra sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 ears corn kernels cut off and cobs discarded (about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 large fresh jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 package frozen lima beans (10 ounces)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Juice from 1 lime about 2 tablespoons
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon in hot skillet until crisp, turning once. Transfer bacon to paper towels, leaving drippings in the pan. When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon and set aside.

  • To the large skillet with drippings, add onion, okra, and garlic. Cook until onions are tender, about 4 minutes.

  • Stir in corn, lima beans, jalapeno, and cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring often until heated through, and corn is tender and bright yellow.

  • Add butter and lime juice. Stir until butter is melted. Remove from heat.

  • Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste.

  • Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and chives. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • This recipe is naturally gluten free. To make dairy free, use olive oil instead of butter.
  • Corn: This recipe calls for fresh corn (my preference when it’s in season). You can also use frozen or canned corn.
  • Lima Beans: If you can get fresh lima beans from the farmer’s market, that’s great, but I’ve used frozen before and they work well too. Just be sure they’re already cooked for use in this succotash recipe. You can also substitute butter beans instead of lima beans.
  • Okra: You can use fresh or frozen okra (although fresh is preferred. See notes in article). You can also omit if you have difficulty finding it.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerators for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave.
  • Freezer Directions: To freeze, allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a skillet. The texture may be slightly softer upon thawing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 647IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

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Southern Succotash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What was the original succotash? ›

The word showed up in 1751 from the Narragansett Indian term “misckquatash” which meant “boiled whole kernels of corn” and referred to a simmering pot of corn to which other ingredients were added. Pots of early succotash could contain pieces of meat or fish.

What all do you put in succotash? ›

Ingredients
  1. 1 package (10 ounces) frozen lima beans.
  2. 2 tablespoons butter.
  3. 1/2 cup chopped onion.
  4. 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper.
  5. 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed.
  6. 1 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika.
  7. 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt.
  8. 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Whole Thyme Leaves.

What is corn succotash made of? ›

Succotash is a North American vegetable dish consisting primarily of sweet corn with lima beans or other shell beans. The name succotash is derived from the Narragansett word sahquttahhash, which means "broken corn kernels".

What's the difference between hash and succotash? ›

The difference between Hash and Succotash is that Succotash must contain edamame type beans to be called such. Well, my own succotash not only contains edamame bean but also okra, sweet corn as well as walnuts parsley and chilli peppers.

Why is it called suffering succotash? ›

To yell “Suffering Succotash!” is no different then when folks yell “Cheese and Bread!” instead of “Jesus Christ!” At first glance, it would seem that succotash is being cast as interchangeable with Our Lord and Savior, but perhaps it means that eating succotash is interchangeable with the suffering of Jesus.

Why do they call it succotash? ›

Succotash is a corn and lima bean dish that often includes tomatoes, peppers, and okra. Its name comes from the Narragansett (a Native American language that was once spoken in the area that is now Rhode Island) word “sohquttahhash,” which roughly translates to "broken corn kernels."

What's in triple succotash? ›

Our Triple Succotash is a flavor-packed combination of corn, butter beans and tomatoes prepared with the perfect blend of seasoning. An excellent side dish or as an ingredient to soups and salads, Margaret Holmes Triple Succotash is a Southern favorite.

Do people still eat succotash? ›

This succotash recipe is perfect from summer through fall. You'll often see succotash at the Thanksgiving table, and this dish would certainly liven up the meal.

Are butter beans and lima beans the same? ›

Other than what they're called and sometimes their color, butter beans and lima beans are exactly the same. Their species is called Phaseolus lunatus and the difference in their name is only a matter of geography. In the American South and the United Kingdom, they're butter beans.

What country is succotash from? ›

Succotash has an interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to 17th century Native Americans living in what is now Rhode Island. The recipe trickled down and became a common stew cooked in the southern part of The United States. Then the dish eventually found its way to Africa.

Who first made succotash? ›

Succotash, that savory mélange of corn and beans, is a noble dish with a long history. We have 17th-century Native Americans to thank for it; they introduced the stew to the struggling colonial immigrants.

Is hash a southern thing? ›

Like yellow mustard-based sauce, hash is a distinctive feature of the South Carolina barbecue style. A sort of cross between a thick gravy and a stew, it's made from pork and (often) various pig organs and is usually served over white rice, though sometimes grits or bread are used instead.

How do you can succotash? ›

directions
  1. Boil corn on the cob 5 minutes. Cut corn from cob. Boil green beans or lima beans 3 minutes. ...
  2. Pack hot vegetables into hot jars, leaving 1" headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoons salt to each pint, 1 teaspoons salt to each quart, if desired. Ladle boiling water over vegetables, leaving 1" headspace.

What is succotash in English? ›

noun. a cooked dish of kernels of corn mixed with shell beans, especially lima beans, and, often, with green and sweet red peppers.

What was used in the Plymouth version of the Indian's succotash? ›

Chef notes. Originally a nutritional powerhouse of Indigenous North America, succotash was a brothy, long-simmered dish, defined by two critical ingredients: dry corn, hulled by steeping in wood-ash lye (known as whole hominy or pozole today), and dry beans.

What does Msickquatash mean in Native American? ›

The "Three Sisters," Succotash, and Native Americans

The name is a somewhat Anglicized spelling of the Narragansett Indian word “msickquatash,” which referred to a simmering pot of corn to which other ingredients were added. Tanis, D. (2015, August 19).

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