Succotash
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This easy succotash recipe combines sweet corn, edamame, tomatoes, and crispy bacon for a colorful summer side dish.
If you’re of a certain age, the word “succotash” might bring to mind Sylvester the Cat blurting out “sufferin’ succotash!” But in real life, it’s a classic American dish with Native American roots that’s especially popular in the South. At its core, succotash is a summer mix of corn and beans (traditionally lima, though I like to use edamame), often tossed with other summer vegetables like bell peppers, okra, or tomatoes. The best part? It’s endlessly flexible, so you can use whatever looks good at the market or is growing in your garden.
My succotash recipe, inspired by Southern Living, gets a little upgrade with some crispy bacon crumbled on top (because, well, most things taste better with bacon!). Succotash is a natural side for just about anything off the grill. Try it with BBQ chicken, cedar plank salmon, or shrimp burgers.
“So simple and very satisfying. A winner!”
What You’ll Need To Make Succotash
- Bacon: Adds smoky flavor, and the rendered drippings become the base for cooking the vegetables.
- Onion and garlic: Build the aromatic base of the dish.
- Salt, pepper, and sugar: Season the dish and balance the natural sweetness of the corn.
- Corn kernels: The heart of succotash. Fresh, cut straight off the cob, gives the best flavor, though frozen works too.
- Edamame: A modern swap for the lima beans traditionally used in succotash—feel free to use lima beans instead if you prefer the classic version.
- Cherry tomatoes: Add juicy brightness and color.
- Fresh basil: Adds a fragrant finish—stir it in at the end so it stays bright.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Succotash
Step 1: Cook the bacon. Add the bacon strips to a cast iron or nonstick skillet and fry until crisp.
Step 2: Drain the bacon. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Leave the drippings in the pan—they’ll add lots of flavor to the veggies.
Step 3: Cook the aromatics. Add the onion and a bit of salt to the fat and cook until softened. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the veggies and seasoning. Stir in the corn and edamame and cook just until everything is tender but still fresh and vibrant; you don’t want the vegetables to lose their texture.
Step 5: Finish the succotash. Off the heat, add the tomatoes and basil and season to taste. Crumble the bacon over the top just before serving so it stays crisp.
More Side Dishes You’ll Love
Succotash
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
- 1⅛ teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 cups fresh raw corn kernels, from 4 ears
- 2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, flipping once, until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Reserve the drippings in the skillet.
- To the bacon drippings in the skillet, add the onion and ⅛ teaspoon of the salt and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more; do not brown.
- Stir in the corn kernels, edamame, sugar, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the corn is tender but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes and basil. Right before serving, crumble the reserved bacon over the succotash and serve.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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My husband loves the succotash at the Cheesecake Factory so I made a few substitutions on this recipe and it still turned out great! I swapped the edamame for chopped squash and red bell pepper. Also used olive oil as Jenn suggested as a sub for the bacon and used paprika and oregano as seasonings instead of basil. It turned out so good! I am not typically one of those people who uses different ingredients than what the recipe suggests, but I think this could work with so many variations!
Can you skip the bacon if you are a vegetarian And will it still taste good?
Sure! Just use a few tablespoons of olive oil to cook the veggies.
Could you please offer a substitute for the edamame?
Hi Larry, I’d recommend lima beans (which are actually typically what goes into succotash instead of edamame). That said, this recipe is very flexible; you can swap in any fresh vegetable you like.
Will frozen corn work?
I think fresh is best, but frozen will definitely work in a pinch. Enjoy!