Succotash
Ingredients
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- 4 cups water
- 12 ounces frozen baby lima beans
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion – finely chopped (~1 medium onion)
- 1 cup red bell pepper – diced (~1.5 medium red bell peppers)
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 4 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 cup tomato – chopped (~1.5 medium tomatos)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- fresh parsley – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the frozen baby lima beans, return to a simmer, and cook until just tender but not mushy, 8–12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the unsalted butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams, about 1 minute.
3. Add the onion and red bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5–7 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
5. Add the fresh corn kernels and the cooked lima beans; season with the kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is bright and tender-crisp and the flavors meld, 5–7 minutes.
6. Fold in the tomato and fresh thyme leaves; cook until the tomatoes just begin to soften and release some juices, 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let stand 2 minutes to settle. Sprinkle with fresh parsley (for serving) and serve warm.
Succotash is a brightly flavored, vegetable-forward medley built on sweet corn and tender lima beans, often accented with onion, bell pepper, and a touch of butter. The result is a balance of sweetness from the corn, gentle earthiness from the beans, and savory aromatics, with juicy pops of tomato when included. It’s a versatile side that feels at home alongside roasted meats or grilled fish, yet it stands on its own as a satisfying, colorful platter of summer produce.
Rooted in Indigenous North American cookery, succotash derives from the Narragansett word msíckquatash, referring to broken corn kernels simmered with beans. The dish spread from New England through the Mid-Atlantic and the American South, evolving with local gardens and larders: some regions add tomatoes or okra, others enrich with cream or salt pork. Despite variations, its enduring identity remains the pairing of corn and beans—a nourishing union that has fed households for centuries and often appears on seasonal and holiday tables.