Succotash
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A beloved American side dish that celebrates summer’s bounty, succotash pairs exceptionally well with grilled chicken or fish.
If you’re of a certain age, the term “succotash” might instantly take you back to Sylvester the Cat from Looney Tunes humorously blurting out “sufferin’ succotash!” as a light-hearted substitute for a more colorful curse word. However, succotash is a beloved American dish with a rich history. At its core, it’s a summer veggie combo starring corn and some form of beans (lima beans are traditional, but I prefer using edamame), jazzed up with other veggies like bell peppers, okra, or tomatoes for extra flavor and color. The wonderful thing about succotash is its flexibility; feel free to swap ingredients based on what you have on hand in your kitchen or garden.
My version, inspired by Southern Living, gets a flavorful upgrade with some crispy bacon crumbled on top — because, well, most things taste better with bacon! Serve succotash as a side dish to BBQ chicken or grilled salmon, or let it shine center stage as a light main course.
Table of Contents
“So simple and very satisfying. A winner!”
What You’ll Need To Make Succotash
Step-by-Step 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 â…› 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.
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Succotash
A beloved American side dish that celebrates summer’s bounty, succotash pairs exceptionally well with grilled chicken or fish.
Ingredients
- 5 bacon slices
- 1 medium yellow sweet 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 black pepper
- 5 ounces 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
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 262
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Sodium: 529 mg
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
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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It was so yummy!
Delicious! I didn’t have bacon and then added a bit of red onion and red pepper. So simple and very satisfying. A winner! Thanks Jenn
I made this according to the recipe but used olive oil in place of bacon, as Jenn suggested. It was different and delicious! The recipe inspired me to use up the frozen edamame I had on hand. I have some leftovers that will be added to chopped BBQ chicken and made into burritos.
What can be used in place of bacon to make this recipe vegan? I know the bacon could be eliminated, but I assume the bacon gives the dish a great deal of flavor. Thanks!
Hi Danielle, It’s actually delicious made vegetarian as well – just use a few tablespoons of olive oil instead of the rendered bacon fat to cook the veggies.
Hi Jen, this looks like a great summer dish! Is there a way to replace bacon with something else? Thanks!
Hi Natalie, It’s fine to just leave it out. I would use a few tablespoons of olive oil to cook the veggies in instead.