Succotash

[Shel_B]

I like it, but rarely see it offered in restaurants, and there doesn't seem to be very many recipes and ideas on line compared to other soups and stews, such as those made with lentils, for example.

I used to have it every now and then for lunch in grade school as part of the regular lunch program - that was my introduction to the dish. I wonder if it's more of an east coast thing than west coast.

In any case, does anyone else like succotash? Any favorite recipes or ingredient ideas? I'd love to explore the topic a little and see what comes up.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[HungryC]

I love succotash, and its cajun cousin, macque choux. Macque choux is fresh corn, cut off the cobs, plus the cob scrapings, diced onion, diced bell pepper, garlic, and chopped fresh tomato. Brown the onions in plenty of butter (or bacon grease, if so inclined), add the peppers, cook until soft, then add the garlic and tomato and corn. Sautee until the tomatoes are reduced a bit and the corn is a tiny bit brown, stirring often. Season with cayenne and a little salt...the corn is so naturally sweet you want to make sure the flavor is balanced (but if you use bacon grease, you might not need any salt).

ETA: add fresh or frozen (unthawed) baby green limas with the corn to make it succotash.

Edited September 12, 2013 by HungryC (log)

[Baselerd]

Succotash is one of my favorite vegetable mixes. I usually just wing it, but here's my general approach:

-Render some bacon (I prefer applewood smoked) fat in a saucepan, remove bacon (should only be a thin film of fat, pour off any excess).

-Add diced red and yellow pepper, cook for about a minute

-Add some corn (cooked), fava beans, confit cherry tomatoes, and previously cooked bacon (chopped)

-Add a little butter, salt (to taste), and vegetable/chicken stock and cook until glazed.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Baselerd (log)

[Katie Meadow]

I adore succotash. Now is a great time to make it, especially if you can deal with the bother of cooking fresh black eyed peas or other fresh shelling beans--the bean people are out in force at the Berkeley farmers' market now. The corn isn't perfect, but I find that late season corn works well in dishes where it gets scraped off the cob, mixed with other things and lightly dressed. Lends itself to loads of variations, bacon or not. When lazy or early in the season I have used 5 minute frozen shelled edamame instead of more traditional beans. They sort of look like fresh green lima beans, right?

I like my succotash as a warm side like the ones above, but I also like it more like a salad at room temp, so I might cut up tomato, or use tiny cherry tomatoes, a little red onion and an olive oil based dressing. In that case I might be inclined to simply blanch the corn briefly (but sauteing in bacon grease is yummy too) and add pre-cooked cooled beans, everything remaining a bit toothy.

[BrentKulman]

I had some great succotash at Salt of the Earth in Pittsburgh earlier this week. Corn only, cooked in butter (I think), but prepared with chives and tarragon which created a very tasty twist on the dish.

[gdenby]

My mother made succotash when I was a kid. Ca. 1955 and on. I'm pretty sure she used just frozen lima beans and frozen corn. There was a little bit of bacon. As a child I found several tastes unpleasant, including cooked onion and uncooked or partially cook tomatoes. I recall I loved the succotash, so I don't think there were any onions or tomatoes.

My wife's experience as a child was that lima beans and later "baby lima beans" were, as she puts it, "sacks of sawdust." She has come to sometimes like butter beans.

Real lima beans are not often cultivated where I live, No. Indiana, but I can usually find them once or twice a year. As is common, the fresh unshelled beans are so much better than frozen. I now sauté lima beans, corn kernels, and a small amount of onions is some bacon fat. Then simmer in water till cooked thru.

The only variant i have found my wife accepts is a south American version that added lime juice and a small amount cream, as I recall. I can't ind the recipe, and think I was told "That was OK, but you don't need to bother again."

[suzilightning]

YES!!YES!!YES!!!

I always asked for this as part of my birthday dinner since that was exactly when lima beans and fresh corn were coming into season where I grew up. Last year I finally got Johnnybird to taste it when we got some fresh limas down in Cape May. He actually ate it and allowed that using fresh product makes the difference. We always cooked the limas in the least amount of water with some sugar and butter until they were just about done then added in the sweet corn. Add more butter and salt and pepper to taste. I would eat this with a lamb patty, tomatoes with blue cheese and catalina dressing and be happy as a pig in...well you know.

[Shel_B]

The idea of adding butter, sugar, or cream to succotash is completely alien to me. I'll have to try a little butter, or more likely, olive oil, which is more my style these days. But cream ... that's no longer in my refrigerator.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

I love succotash, and its cajun cousin, macque choux. Macque choux is fresh corn, cut off the cobs, plus the cob scrapings, diced onion, diced bell pepper, garlic, and chopped fresh tomato. Brown the onions in plenty of butter (or bacon grease, if so inclined), add the peppers, cook until soft, then add the garlic and tomato and corn. Sautee until the tomatoes are reduced a bit and the corn is a tiny bit brown, stirring often. Season with cayenne and a little salt...the corn is so naturally sweet you want to make sure the flavor is balanced (but if you use bacon grease, you might not need any salt).

ETA: add fresh or frozen (unthawed) baby green limas with the corn to make it succotash.

You've given me a couple of ideas for my own succotash. Thanks!

[Shel_B]

I adore succotash. Now is a great time to make it, especially if you can deal with the bother of cooking fresh black eyed peas or other fresh shelling beans--the bean people are out in force at the Berkeley farmers' market now. The corn isn't perfect, but I find that late season corn works well in dishes where it gets scraped off the cob, mixed with other things and lightly dressed. Lends itself to loads of variations, bacon or not. When lazy or early in the season I have used 5 minute frozen shelled edamame instead of more traditional beans. They sort of look like fresh green lima beans, right?

I like my succotash as a warm side like the ones above, but I also like it more like a salad at room temp, so I might cut up tomato, or use tiny cherry tomatoes, a little red onion and an olive oil based dressing. In that case I might be inclined to simply blanch the corn briefly (but sauteing in bacon grease is yummy too) and add pre-cooked cooled beans, everything remaining a bit toothy.

The idea of a salad works for me - bacon grease doesn't. Never thought about adding tomatoes - good suggestion.

[Shel_B]

On 7/28/2025 at 9:37 AM, Katie Meadow said:

Like so many people I have rather negative memories of lima beans. 

 

You're right ... I recall many people who disliked - detested - lima beans. I was not, and am not, in that group.

 

When in grade school, we'd get a school lunch made by Mary Palladino, the "lunchroom lady." She ran the small cafeteria/lunch room, including menu planning and cooking. She frequently served succotash, and I'd always make sure she'd save some so that I could have seconds.

 

Years later, I was a classmate of her daughter in high school, and when I found out that Angela's mother was the "lunchroom lady," and told that to Angela, I soon after found myself with an invitation to Mary and Angela's home where Mary made a big pot of succotash for me, enough for lunch and a batch to take home. Mary remembered me as "the little boy who loved her succotash."

 

To this day, I still enjoy a bowl of succotash every now and then, and I still enjoy calling up my memories of Mary.

[JeanneCake]

Did Mary  your lunch lady give you the recipe she used?  I've never had succotash and now I'd like to try it.  I always gave away the lima beans and sometimes traded the Royal Coronas in my Bean box but now I'll save them to make this...

[blue_dolphin]

I’d also be interested in a stellar succotash recipe!

After reading @Katie Meadow's post, I cooked up some Rancho Gordo baby green limas, tossed them with Trader Joe's lemon pesto and had beans on garlic-rubbed toast.

[Shel_B]

Staff note: This post and responses to it have been moved from the Rancho Gordo: Beans and More discussion, to maintain topic focus.

 

11 hours ago, JeanneCake said:

Did Mary  your lunch lady give you the recipe she used?  I've never had succotash and now I'd like to try it.  I always gave away the lima beans and sometimes traded the Royal Coronas in my Bean box but now I'll save them to make this...

@JeanneCake @blue_dolphin  

I was eght, nine years old. Recipes weren't even in my thoughts.

 

That said, over the years I've compiled a dozen or more succotash recipes. The issue with many contemporary recipes (for me) is that they stray far from what Mary made. They tend to be relatvely complex, with ingredients added to punch up what was essentially a simple Native American recipe, similar in respect to what has happened with Three Sisters Stew.

 

When I want succotash, I cook up some corn kernels, lima beans, red pepper, onions, maybe some tomato, possibly a bit of garlic. If possible, I'll sauté the veggies in animal fat (tallow, goose or duck fat, once Bison Blubber) and use a home made chicken stock.  If I can get ramps, which I've not had in a very long time, I'll use them instead of onion and garlic. Sometimes I'll add a chili pepper or flaked/ground chilies.

 

A lot of people add bacon, which is a nice addition, but I generally stay away from it ... not that I've never used it.  I like my succotash simple.

 

I'll dig through my collection and post one or two that look interesting. That'll have to be tomorrow afternoon, at the earliest.

 

[Katie Meadow]

3 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I’d also be interested in a stellar succotash recipe!

After reading @Katie Meadow's post, I cooked up some Rancho Gordo baby green limas, tossed them with Trader Joe's lemon pesto and had beans on garlic-rubbed toast.

Did they cook quickly? Did you stop them cooking in time for them to keep their shape? I've always winged it when it comes to succotash; it's one of those things I didn't grow up with. I take corn  kernels off the cob and sauté them for a few minutes with a little garlic and basil or other herbs. Mix the corn, lima beans and halved cherry tomatoes and a little red onion and dress as you like. If you are into bacon cook a few strips first, then fry the corn in the bacon fat and add broken bacon pieces to the salad. Would be good with Indio oregano and roasted green chile, you think?

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

Did they cook quickly? Did you stop them cooking in time for them to keep their shape? I've always winged it when it comes to succotash; it's one of those things I didn't grow up with. I take corn  kernels off the cob and sauté them for a few minutes with a little garlic and basil or other herbs. Mix the corn, lima beans and halved cherry tomatoes and a little red onion and dress as you like. If you are into bacon cook a few strips first, then fry the corn in the bacon fat and add broken bacon pieces to the salad. Would be good with Indio oregano and roasted green chile, you think?

I didn’t put the clock on them but after reading your post, I started tasting early on and they seem largely intact. My plan for them was a Nancy Silverton recipe for seared, rare tuna with lima bean purée and harissa but they took long enough that I started getting hangry and tossed this together. Tuna will happen tomorrow. 
 

Thanks for the succotash tips, they sound good. I’ve only had the simplest version with corn, limas, a little onion, a pat of butter, salt & pepper.