Vegetarian Succotash
This vegetarian succotash recipe is fresh, vibrant and bacon-free. It features seared corn, plump lima beans, fresh peppers and butter!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Sufferin’ succotash! I promise, that’s my last Loony Tunes reference. This vegetarian succotash recipe is fresh, vibrant and bacon-free. It features pan-seared corn, plump lima beans and fresh peppers.
Make this recipe now with fresh early fall produce, or bookmark it for your Thanksgiving table. You can easily use thawed frozen corn if fresh sweet corn is hard to come by.
As you’ll read below, succotash has Native American roots and many variations. Here in Kansas City, succotash is the namesake dish at a local restaurant called Succotash.
This recipe is my own interpretation of this uniquely American dish. I seared the corn in a skillet to develop more complex flavor. I added a variety of peppers (poblano, bell pepper and optional jalapeño) for some spice to help balance the sweetness of the corn. I’ve written the recipe to give you as much control as possible over the spice level, since individual preferences and corn’s sweetness can vary so much.
I omitted tomatoes because they made this dish more stew-like, and it’s more of a warm salad without. Creamy butter (no cream) and fresh herbs make this produce-driven, vegetarian side dish completely irresistible.
Watch How to Make Vegetarian Succotash
Succotash Origins
Succotash originated from Narragansett Native Americans living in the area now known as Rhode Island. The name is derived from the Narragansett word sohquttahhash, meaning “broken corn kernels.”
Native Americans introduced succotash to struggling colonists in the 1600s. Succotash featured New World ingredients including corn and beans, which, when combined, offer a vegetarian source of all essential amino acids. Succotash was a New England staple before it became popular across the South, and it experienced a resurgence of popularity during the Great Depression because it’s pretty darn affordable.
Succotash recipes range considerably in ingredients and texture. The two essential ingredients are corn and lima beans. Many recipes include bacon or corned beef, okra, squash, tomatoes or heavy cream.
How to Serve Succotash
This succotash recipe is perfect from summer through fall. You’ll often see succotash at the Thanksgiving table, and this dish would certainly liven up the meal. Here are a few serving suggestions:
- Arugula and Wild Rice Salad with Zippy Lemon Dressing
- Favorite Veggie Burgers
- Honey Butter Cornbread or Roasted Garlic Bread
- Lucille’s Mashed Potatoes
- Perfect Roasted Green Beans
Fresh Sweet Corn Tips
Buy fresh corn and use it promptly. Freshly harvested corn has the sweetest, most delicious flavor, and it loses that flavor as time goes on.
How to cut corn off the cob: I find it easiest to just lay the corn down on the cutting board. Slice off a strip of kernels lengthwise with a sharp knife, rotate so the flat side is against the cutting board, and repeat as necessary.
If you can’t find fresh corn or want to save a few minutes: Use defrosted frozen corn, which tastes much nicer than canned corn. We’ll be adding the corn to warm oil in the skillet, so watch out for splatters.
More Fresh Corn Recipes to Enjoy
- The Best Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
- Fresh Corn Salsa
- Garden-Fresh Corn Salad
- Southwestern Corn Chowder
Vegetarian Succotash
Succotash is a side dish with Native American roots. This lively succotash recipe features corn and lima beans (fresh or frozen), peppers, basil and butter. It’s best enjoyed soon after cooking. Recipe yields 6 side servings.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ears fresh corn, shucked (or about 3 cups frozen corn, thawed)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- Optional: 1 medium jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans*, thawed under cool running water
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: Pinch of cayenne (for even more spice)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- Flaky sea salt or kosher salt, for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it’s starting to shimmer. Add the corn and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until the corn is turning golden on the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes (be careful, sometimes it hops out of the pan when it’s hot).
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion, poblano, bell pepper, jalapeño (if using) and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan as best you can. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and turning translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lima beans and cook until they’re warmed through, about 2 minutes.
- Add the butter to the skillet and stir until it’s mostly melted. Remove the skillet from the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes. Taste, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper if you’d like it to have more of a spicy kick. Stir in about half of the basil, reserving the rest for garnish.
- Transfer the succotash to a serving plate, if desired. Top with the remaining basil and all of the green onion. Add a few more pats of butter and sprinkle it lightly with some flaky salt or kosher salt. Serve soon. This dish is best enjoyed within a couple of hours after making, but it will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Use dairy-free butter, such as Miyoko’s Creamery. Or, omit the butter and enjoy individual servings with dollops of vegan sour cream.
*Lima bean note: I’ve found lima beans in the freezer section at Whole Foods lately. I have not tried canned lima beans—you would want to rinse and drain them well before using. Though unconventional, you could use shelled edamame instead of lima beans (they are fairly similar in color and texture).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Hi…want to change the lima beans for edemame…my family isn’t thrilled about limas (I love them)…..gonna give it a try!
Oh man, what a great idea Charmaine! This sounds so good, but I thought, “Dang, I don’t have lima beans”. But I do have edamame and didn’t think of the switch until reading your comment. Thank you!
That would be a great substitute! Let me know what you think, Charmaine.
Hi kate,
That sounds like something I would like to make – indeed like all your recipes! I can find dried poblanos, but not fresh. What would you recommend instead?
Hi! You can use another bell pepper instead and add more jalapeño and/or more cayenne to taste to make for any heat you feel is missing. I hope this helps and I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Thanks, Kate. I’ll let you know, but I bet you’ll get five stars. Every time I look for the best recipe for anything, I look at your blog. Every one of your recipes is easy to follow and delicious.
You’re kind, Régine! I do spend a lot of time getting it just right, so I’m delighted you have such confidence in my recipes.
I can tell. I am the same :-). Your blog is fantastic. Thank you!
I’ll try this for Thanksgiving. I always throw some chopped zucchini into my succotash and will use jarred queen beans (UK) not keen on Lima beans.
Hi Kate. Would love to try this recipe! Just curious if canned lima beans would work – I’ve seen frozen, but never fresh around here.
Hi Hayley, you could try it, but I can’t guarantee the results since canned has a different texture and flavor. You should be able to find frozen lima beans in your frozen vegetable section at your grocery store.
I have made a recipe nearly identical to this and it’s really great! I happen to like lima beans a lot (especially baby lima beans), but there are quite a few people who don’t – my girlfriend, for one. Instead of frozen lima beans, I swap in frozen shelled edamame.
That’s a great substitution and sounds like several people agree! Thank you for sharing, Mario.
Thanks Kate, oddly I never really knew what succotash was! Now I’d like to make it.
I hope you love it when you do!
Hi Angela! I’m sorry, I’m not a dietitian so I’m not able to offer personalized nutrition advice. However, I offer full nutrition breakdowns underneath each recipe. You’ll just click on the “nutrition information” label to see them. Hope that helps you make informed decisions!
Oh my goodness! CSA had fresh corn so made this tonight. Delicious!!
I’m excited you made it already and loved it, Jeanine! Thank you for your review.
Oh my goodness! CSA had fresh corn so made this tonight. Delicious!!
This recipe is a keeper.
so it turned out great and I see several other people had the same idea!!
Thanks again for a great recipe!
I never heard of this before, but it was delicious!! I didn’t have Lima beans, so I threw in pinto beans instead. I’m sure it’s even better with the original beans.
I love that your recipes are so unique but still easy to make.
Your blog is keeping me alive, thank you! Last month my doctor asked me to cut out gluten and dairy for a while (I am NOT excited about it), so every weekend now, when it’s time to figure out my grocery list and meal prepping recipes, I just go straight to your site and can easily find enough options to get me through the week ahead. Looking forward to trying this one next.
I’m sorry to hear it’s not a fun decision, but glad to know you are excited about my blog. I know you will find a lot of delicious food you should be able to enjoy!
Great recipe, thank you for posting this! Delicious and easy. I used frozen corn and lima beans. I was worried it wouldn’t have enough flavor, but all the natural veggie flavors were on display – plus, butter makes everything better. Good work!
Just made the veganised version of this alongside a Beyond Meat burger. Have never ever tried Succotash before but this is a taste sensation. Will definitely be making this again.
What else would you serve this along side?
Hi Alan! If you are doing a vegetarian burger, I would recommend a simple side salad or a fruit salad potentially. I find this filling and adding a vegetarian burger would make it a complete meal.
Oh. My. Gosh. I was literally searching for a healthier version of our Thanksgiving “creamy corn with jalapeno” recipe and THIS IS IT. I love trying your recipes because they are always so well thought out and delicious. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it, Dani.
Great recipe! Balanced and flavorful. I paired it with jalepeno corn bread, and it was a wonderful combination. My wife is native american and loved it. Thank you for posting this!
I grew up eating succotash as part of our usually rotation of meals, probably once every 2 weeks or so. My brother and I were excited by the Native American connection. Pretty sure it was canned or frozen corn and lima beans boiled in a saucepan, drained, probably with butter, salt and pepper.
I started eating it more often when I became a vegetarian in my mid-teens, inspired by the amino acid combining breakthrough book: Diet for a Small Planet – great book for theory, but get your recipes from Kate. My version was just steamed corn and lima with some olive oil, salt and pepper.
This recipe is MUCH MORE DELICIOUS. Having made it once, my only issue is the limas – I used frozen. I thawed them as directed and tasted one. It seemed clear that just the two minute heat up would leave them too tough and starchy. I steamed them for 10 minutes and they were still a little starchy. I’ll try 15 minutes next time.
While researching Cooking Lima Beans, every source said they must be cooked for 10-15 minutes to break down the cyanide they contain. Aside from potential toxity, has anyone prepared the lima beans as described in the recipe and been happy with them?
I’m a vegetarian, my girlfriend has Celiac. Half of our meals come from this site!
Hi Don! Thank you for your detailed review and comment. I’m excited you loved it and both you and your girlfriend can enjoy it!
Hi! I’ve been visiting the site for awhile but never left a comment before, even though I am always pleased with your recipes! This vegetarian succotash is no exception- in fact, its flavor is exceptional! My Mom and I picked up several of these items fresh from the market today (I love summer time veggie hauls!) and had some other items already frozen. We made this for dinner and spooned it out over cornbread. SO GOOD! My Mom says she will make her succotash following this recipe from now on (and she’s been making the basic traditional version all her life). Thank you!
I’m glad you finally left a comment, Erin! Thank you for sharing how you and your mom made it.
Please add the caveat at start of the recipe that fresh lima beans need to be cooked ahead of time and do not have the same properties as frozen or canned. I understand most people don’t come across fresh, but they came in our CSA box. Uncooked they are totally inedible. Otherwise the dish seemed like it would be delicious.
Hi Casey, I’m sorry that you found that frustrating. I do call for frozen lima beans in the ingredients list. I make this with dried, so I can’t speak to using those. I have a note on canned, as well as a substitution.
Greetings from Australia, this has been my all time favourite recipe for awhile. I use edemame as they are easier to get and local capsicum (bell peppers). Use a 1/2 teaspoon of paprika instead of the cayenne, that was an accident which worked. While is is beautiful freshly cooked it does warm up perfectly … I make the full recipe and there is only 2 of us so get to enjoy it for a few days as a snack. Keep your wonderful recipes coming Kate and give Cookie a pat from me.
Thank you for sharing, Wayne! I’m happy you enjoy it.
this was a highlight at thanksgiving. I followed other then no oil and no butter–used broth to saute onion, and I added small chopped zucchini too. We loved it and guests wanted recipe. Thank you.
I love the idea of this for Thanksgiving! Thank you for sharing, Frances.
It was the favorite this Thanksgiving. Thank You
Thank you for your review, Frances!
Hello Kate, this is a simple terrific recipe and I love the indigenous history. I have made it twice, once with large butter beans and once with fava beans. Both were terrific.
Thanks
Rocky
Thank you, Brian! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Made this for the first time last night, and it is crazy delicious. My local store was out of lima beans, so I substituted edamame as some others had suggested, and it worked perfectly. Kate is a wiz with flavors.
That’s great to hear, Laura! Thank you for taking the time to review.
This succotash is delightful! I was looking for a side to go with baked BBQ tofu and this really hit the spot! Will definitely be making again! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome, Krystal!
I made this tonight and my 8 yr old daughter loved it; which surprised me since she sometimes is picky. Def will be making this
I don’t believe edamame is a good substitute for lima beans for two reasons:
1. Unfermented soy products are a source of phytoestrogens (endocrine disruptors) and protease inhibitors (anti-nutrients). So, no, edamame is not “health food” despite marketing claims.
2. Succotash is a Native American food, and it would honor them to keep all of the ingredients native, so maybe other beans like black beans or pinto beans would be a better substitute.
Succotash was always a Thanksgiving side dish when I was growing up–a simple version of corn and baby limas. Mother cooked it in a bit of salted water, but my aunt and grandmother cooked it in milk with a touch of sugar–they always cooked corn in milk. It was vegetarian, but given the butter added at the end in both family versions, not vegan. This recipe is perfect as written and I love the colorful veggies. For the person who couldn’t find poblanos, they are pretty widely available in my small town now–Walmart always has them–but years ago, I subbed Anaheims or canned green chilis in recipes that called for poblanos. I’ve also used edemame in succotash, and even kidney or pinto beans–I think pretty much any bean goes! When I made this over the weekend, I used cilantro instead of basil.
Sounds like a great side dish to have! Delicious!
I grew up in a French-Canadian family in New England in the late fifties and early sixties. We ate succotash regularly and I loved it – but, we always used red kidney beans, not lima beans. I will continue to make it my way as I am not a fan of lima beans.
Thank you for this recipe Kate! It was so delicious! I did make some small changes; I decreased the salt by 1/4 tsp and it was plenty salty! I also used edamame beans as you suggested for those who don’t like lima beans and I added them early with the corn, onion and bell pepper. I didn’t have a poblano or jalapeño so I used chili crunch (1 Tbsp) for heat and it was so good! I served with fresh cut tomatoes and fresh basil as garnish and the combination of sweet, hot, cool and fresh was wonderful!
Your recipes are the best! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Mary!
Made it with – 1 extra ear of corn, using a handful of shishitos from the garden instead of a bell pepper, the optional jalapeno and added a small dice zucchini.
Didn’t have fresh basil so I used dried, and it was fine. Would have been better with fresh but still so good!
Made it vegan with Miyoko’s butter and was generous with it, and it was exactly what I was looking for in a succotash. And so easy! This is going to be a permanent part of my summer rotation!
I made this as a nice way to use up some cheap in-season corn and the leftover onion and bell pepper in my fridge. The fresh basil was the perfect finishing touch!
Hi Dee,
I’m so glad that you were able to use up what you had on hand with this recipe.
Thanks for this! I made it less spicy and with vegan butter – it is delicious. I remember my grandmother and mother making succatash and it was nice to have a recipe to bring back those memories .
I grew up in MI where it was a staple side dish. Of course, I had to pick the bacon out..lol. Now that I’m grown and still vegetarian, this recipe has become a staple around our house. If I want to serve it with Mexican, I add a little cumin and chili powder; WALA! Mexican Succotash! If I want to serve it as a side with Italian, a little hot oregano, or other Italian herb and; WALA! You get the idea. This recipe goes with any main dish. I have even added plant based meat and passed it off as THE main dish. Try it, you’ll like it!
So tasty! I used fresh corn and frozen endame. The texture and flavor are amazing!
So…. it’s a succotash, without bacon. And some other twists but I mean, it’s just leaving the (already optional) bacon out. I don’t feel like that’s really worth calling a vegetarian version of something, any more than specifying a recipe for a vegetarian ratatouille which is already vegetarian at its core. Specifying a vegetarian recipe as something special would make more sense when it’s a dish where the meat is originally a core ingredient, not an optional one. Maybe that’s just me though.
Hello, specifying it is vegetarian helps those who are looking for that specifically.
Is there a way to incorporate okra into the recipe? I love it and your recipes!
Hi Betsy, yes, okra is traditional in succotash, but I have opted not to include it because it is only seasonally available and can be a challenge to cook. I suggest roasting it separately and then incorporating at the end.
Hi, do the poblano peppers need to be charred to remov the skins first?
Hi Diana, I don’t think that step is necessary. I just cook all the pepper varieties chopped together.