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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This is excellent! It’s easy and comes together quickly. A tip for anyone dealing with an alpha-gal eater:
I freeze rotisserie chicken skin and pull it out of the freezer when a recipe calls for bacon. It crisps up in a skillet like pork bacon and is a surprisingly delicious replacement.
I made this over the weekend and it was a big hit!
The only thing I did differently was throw the halved tomatoes into another pan with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and cooked it for 3-5 minutes (until they crinkled). I added them at the end as told. I also took the suggestion to jazz it up and added a diced red pepper after the onions were cooked as well. We all loved this, as it’s healthy and different. I will be making again!
P.S This recipe should come with a warning that many people while eating may quote Sylvester, “Sufferin succotash”
Hahaha!!
This recipe has turned me from highly succotash-skeptical to succotash-liking. Thanks for the summertime staple win!
This was so good! It made a lot- we had it one day with grilled chicken and then the next day mixed the leftovers in with cheese tortellini. Amazing both times! Will make again.
This succotash is absolutely delicious. Fresh summer flavours and a heavenly texture make it perfect for a BBQ. Love the edamame!
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.