I Make This No-Prep, 15-Minute Side Dish Every Single Thanksgiving

Growing up in The Tundra (aka Wisconsin), colorful seasonal produce was hard to come by in November, so vegetable side dishes have always been a challenge for my family at Thanksgiving. We’ve never been fans of green bean casserole, so we struggled for a while with what to include to make the Thanksgiving spread a bit less…brown. 

One year, out of desperation, I created a quick succotash out of frozen corn and other stuff I had on hand. This improvised, last-minute vegetable dish has been cemented in our family Thanksgiving canon ever since—my family simply won’t Thanksgiving without it. 

What Is Succotash?

Succotash is inspired by a traditional Native American dish (“msíckquatash” means boiled corn kernels in the Narragansett language), with versions first adopted in the Northeast and then across the United States more widely. It is always made with the aforementioned corn and some kind of bean, but after that, interpretations vary and can include tomatoes, black eyed peas, bacon, potatoes, and even cream. 

Freezer and Jar to Table

 I have shaved fresh corn off the cob for recipes when I was feeling fancy, but honestly, bagged frozen corn is every bit as good and I have better things to do on Thanksgiving (watching football, enjoying dips, and catching up with family) than wrestling with corn husks. I love the sweetness and slight crunch of frozen Birds Eye gold and white corn in this succotash. I just open the bag, and straight into the sauté pan it goes. Lima beans are a common ingredient in most succotash recipes, but we’re not lima bean people, so I throw in frozen shelled edamame instead. 

To add a pop of red, I add some sliced roasted red bell peppers straight from a jar. I prefer Spanish-style jarred, roasted piquillo peppers; they have a vibrant red color and juicy, smoky flavor that’s far superior to the usual jarred bell peppers. I always keep them in the pantry and they always get used up quickly (think antipasti, pasta salad, and veggie salads). 

I season my succotash with Cajun seasoning—I invented this dish in the late 80s, and it was the “it” seasoning back then. The blend of paprika, salt, thyme, cayenne, garlic, onion, black pepper has stood the test of time, and the zesty flavors work well with the corn and peppers. I also love that I only have to reach for one bottle in the spice drawer.   

I like to garnish the dish with a little green, so I clip green onions over the top with clean scissors (the cutting board is always busy at this stage) and off to the crowded table it goes. This recipe is so easy to throw together, I often forget all about it until the very last minute when someone pipes up with “Where’s the sufferin’ succotash?!” 

More Quick Vegetable Side Dishes