The Easy Summer Recipe I Wait All Year Long to Make

For a long time, lima beans were a punchline in culinary pop culture. Now, with their “butter bean” rebranding firmly entrenched in the zeitgeist, dishes like succotash—itself a long “thufferin” punchline, hat tip to Looney Tunes—are back in the spotlight. That’s definitely true at my house, where my own spin on succotash is currently on heavy rotation.

In this easy succotash recipe—perfect for peak corn season—I love that the brief cooking time leaves the corn kernels crisp and keeps my kitchen from overheating. The recipe’s flexibility means I can add a handful of in-season tomatoes or other crisper drawer leavings into the mix, too.

I make it when I’ve got a lovely loaf of bread and need a hearty dip to make it into a meal, or when I need a prep-ahead, picnic-style side salad to share.

What Is Succotash?

Corn and beans are the anchors for succotash, a dish of Native American origin adopted by New England colonists. Traditionally, it also includes some form of pork, okra, and butter.

My slightly stew-y, vegan version omits all three. Some red bell pepper and the liquid from the can of beans take the okra’s place, while pesto’s oil and herbs replace butter’s silky finish. It’s a bright, flavorful spin on the classic dish.

Tips for Making My Easy Summer Succotash

• A secret ingredient here is the liquid from the can of butter beans—make sure not to discard it. Using it thins out the mixture and keeps it stew-y while also providing body and flavor. If you run out of bean liquid (or forgot to reserve it), use water or your favorite stock or broth instead.
• If you’re using fresh corn, after cutting the kernels from the cob, make sure to scrape out all the flavor-rich corn milk from the cob using the back of your knife (or a butter knife) and add it to the pot along with the kernels. You can also add the stripped cobs to the pot along with the bean liquid, if you like—they’re a real flavor booster!—just discard them before serving.
• If you prefer shallots, you can substitute two medium ones for the onion.

How To Make My Easy Summer Succotash

To make six servings, you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 large ears corn, kernels stripped (about 3 cups of kernels) or 2 (15-ounce) cans sweet corn, drained
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced 
• 2 (15-ounce) cans butter beans, drained with bean liquid reserved 
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
• 1/4 cup basil pesto

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the corn and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pepper has softened and you can see liquid steaming and cooking off in the bottom of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the butter beans, 1/2 cup of the reserved bean liquid, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced significantly and the mixture resembles a stew, 12 to 15 minutes. If the mixture begins to scorch or stick to the bottom of the pan, add more reserved bean liquid (or water) a tablespoon at a time to loosen things up. The vegetables should appear glazed, not broken down or mashed.

Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the pesto and serve warm.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a small pot with 1/4 cup water, stirring regularly until warmed throughout.

More Summery Side Dishes