This Sweet Sweet Corn Succotash is a plant-based homage to a classic Southern side dish. The basics are simple: corn, beans, and seasonal vegetables. Use up your summer garden with zucchini, green beans, and okra. A delicious vegan summer side dish!
What is Succotash?
The name succotash comes from the Native American Narragansett word sahquttahhash, which means “broken corn kernels”. Original recipes would combine the Three Sisters of indigenous farming: corn, beans, and squash. When Europeans arrived in the United States, they began making their own versions of the dish, using the word succotash to describe it.
How to Make Vegan, Plant-Based Succotash
Traditional recipes of succotash will often incorporate animal fat, usually in the form of bacon, to help with cooking the vegetables. For this healthy, plant-based, oil-free vegan recipe, I skip that and saute the vegetables in a dry pan, adding a bit of water when it’s time to simmer. For smoky flavor, though, it’s nice to add a bit smoked paprika. This helps add depth and balance the sweetness of the vegetables.
Are There Variations of Succotash?
Succotash has endless variations and lots of room to add your spin. The basics are simple: corn beans, and seasonal local vegetables. Early spring offers a chance to add asparagus, ramps, and garlic scapes. In the summer, feel free to add zucchini, summer squash, green beans, and okra. In the fall, diced butternut squash, red potatoes, and Brussels sprouts make colorful additions.
Besides just the vegetables, you can also use different varieties of beans. I love adding a can of black-eyed beans for a Southern nod. Cannellini beans and butter beans also add a creamy, soft texture.
And finally, use up those fresh herbs and spices for your plant-based succotash. This recipe uses fresh chives and thyme. However, feel free to add fresh parsley, chopped dill, or basil. Dried spices like smoked paprika and sweet paprika work best here. However, you can add more heat with dried chipotle flake or Aleppo pepper.
My version of Shiitake Mushroom Asian Succotash:
How do I Choose the Best Corn?
When choosing fresh corn on the cob, you want to look, feel, smell for optimal selection:
- Smell:Â Nosedive into the silks at the tip of ear of corn. It should smell fresh, grassy, slightly sweet, and, well, a bit corny. Avoid anything that smells moldy or funky.
- Look: Look for dark green, moist husks that wrap tightly around the ear of corn. Avoid slimy or black silks — look for silks that golden or light tan.
- Feel:Â Gently feel the kernels through the husk and try to find ears that have big, firm kernels all the way to the tip. This is a sign the corn was picked at its peak ripeness
Watch this Video to Learn More:
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Too Much Spice? If you’re not a fan of spicy flavor, omit the cayenne. You can substitute with sweet paprika or omit completely.
Smoky Flavor:Â To bump up the flavor even more, add roasted bell peppers or grill the corn. Â This adds another layer of flavor, with a smoky note.
Not Corn Season? This recipe celebrates the sweet, delicious flavor of fresh summer corn, during the height of the season. However, you can make it year-round, using frozen corn kernels or canned corn.
Sweet Corn Succotash
You’ll love this recipe for Sweet Corn Succotash! It’s:
- Oil-Free, Plant-Based, Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Full of fresh flavor
- Great way to use summer produce
- Kid-friendly
- Healthy and Delicious
Sweet Corn Succotash
Ingredients
- 2 medium shallots
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or paprika*
- 1.5 cups corn kernels from 3 large ears or from frozen
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup lima beans frozen
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme destemmed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
Instructions
- To make the Succotash: Preheat a medium saute pan (cast-iron, if you have it), over medium heat. Add the shallots and bell pepper. Saute, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown around the edges, 7-8 minutes. If you notice any browning, reduce your heat and add a couple tablespoons of water.
- Add the corn, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne (if using),, corn kernels and garlic to the pan. Cook until the spices and garlic are aromatic, about 30 seconds.
- Add the lima beans and 1 cup of water or vegetable stock. Stir well, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the lima beans and corn are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 12-15 minutes.
- Add the fresh chives, thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (about 3/4 cup)
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 89 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 0 g | 1 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 6 mg | 0 % |
| Potassium 173 mg | 5 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 19 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 3 g | 11 % |
| Sugars 6 g | |
| Protein 3 g | 7 % |
| Vitamin A | 4 % |
| Vitamin C | 57 % |
| Calcium | 2 % |
| Iron | 5 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
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