This quick and easy succotash with bacon and butter beans is the hearty vegetable side dish that you need in your life! It’s a crowd-pleasing Southern staple that’s perfect for pairing with a wide variety of meaty mains for amazing family dinners!
Succotash with butter beans and bacon is hearty, colorful, and full of amazing flavor!
Succotash is an easy and delicious way to fill up on veggies! This recipe is filled with sweet corn, tender butter beans, and aromatic onions, red bell pepper, and garlic.
My recipe includes crispy bacon too, so you know it’s good. It couldn’t be easier to make succotash! It’s ready in just 17 minutes and only has 4 steps! It’s an easy, delicious recipe that you can make any day of the week! Pair with your favorite main and you have a perfect meal in no time.
Succotash is a dish native to North America that has been eaten by Indigenous Americans for centuries! It derives from the Narragansett word “msickquatash” which referred to a dish of boiled corn and vegetables. It was a staple dish introduced to settlers during the colonial era and grew in popularity, especially in the American South. There are many different adaptations, but the succotash always includes corn and beans!
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❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Super Easy! I use canned butter beans and corn so it’s easy to make any time of year!
A Nutritious Side! Succotash is full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber! It’s a side dish that’s as nourishing as it is delicious!
Packed with Flavor! The bacon, onions, red bell pepper, and seasoning make this vegetable dish so full of flavor!
🥘 Ingredients
This succotash recipe uses canned butter beans and corn to make it the easiest side dish ever!
- 2-3 strips Bacon (chopped) - A good quality thick-cut bacon is best!
- 2 tablespoons Butter – I prefer to use salted butter for this recipe. You can also use reserved bacon fat to sauté the veggies if desired.
- ½ cup Yellow Onion – Or use white onion! Chop or dice the onion for this recipe.
- ½ cup Red Bell Pepper – The red bell pepper should also be diced for this recipe. ½ cup of diced red bell pepper is about ½ a large bell pepper.
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic – You can also use a garlic press to crush the garlic for this recipe. A teaspoon of minced garlic is usually 1 to 2 cloves depending on the size of the cloves.
- Seasoning – To season this easy succotash, we’ll use ½ teaspoon of dried oregano and paprika, then ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper (or to taste).
- 15 ounces Butter Beans – This is one standard can of butter beans or lima beans. The beans should be drained and rinsed before adding.
- 15 ounces Sweet Corn – Equal to one standard can of sweet corn. I prefer to use yellow sweet corn, drained, for this recipe.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🧂 Substitutions & Additions
Across the South, there are so many variations on succotash! Here are some great additions you might want to try in your recipe:
Tomatoes – Try mixing in fresh or canned diced tomatoes for a tangy and sweet addition to the succotash!
Potatoes – Make this dish even more filling by adding diced potatoes! I like tender-skinned potatoes like red or Yukon gold.
Black-Eyed Peas – Using black-eyed peas or other shelled beans is also a common variation for succotash.
Okra – Sliced okra is a great addition to the succotash! You can even use frozen sliced okra to keep this recipe easy.
Seasonings & Herbs – Most Southern households have their own spin on seasoning this dish! In addition to the seasonings listed, you can try adding Cajun seasoning, hot pepper sauce, apple cider vinegar, or fresh herbs like thyme, tarragon, chives, or parsley.
🔪 Instructions
A skillet or frying pan is all you need to cook this simple succotash! It’s such an easy recipe!
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- Fry the bacon. Start the succotash by placing 2 to 3 slices of chopped bacon in a cold large skillet or frying pan. Then turn the pan to medium-high heat and cook the bacon slices until starting to crisp, about 5-6 minutes. When done, remove the excess bacon fat from the pan (reserve about a tablespoon or two if you wish to substitute for some or all of the butter).
- Sauté onion & peppers. To the frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt until the butter begins to bubble. Then add ½ cup of diced yellow onion and ½ cup of diced red bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the remaining veggies. Once the onion and red bell peppers are tender and fragrant, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. Stir the seasoning into the succotash (½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper). Then, add 15 ounces of drained and rinsed butter beans and 15 ounces of drained sweet corn.
- Finish cooking. Next, stir to combine all the ingredients, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated through. While the succotash simmers, chop the crisped bacon into even pieces.
- Serve. Once the succotash reaches your desired level of doneness, remove from the heat, stir in the bacon, and serve immediately.
Succotash with bacon and butter beans is a perfect quick side dish! I love to garnish with fresh chopped parsley, then serve with a juicy steak or bbq chicken breast! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If desired, use fresh corn! If you happen to make this recipe in the summer, try making it with fresh corn cut from the cob. Fresh corn makes this dish even more delicious!
- Hate frying bacon? Bake your bacon on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisped and golden! I recommend lining the baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Use a food processor for easy chopping. You can pulse the onion, red bell pepper, and/or garlic in the food processor until chopped for a speedy veggie prep!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Store leftover, cooled succotash in a shallow airtight container or storage bag in your fridge for 3 to 5 days!
You can freeze succotash for an easy side dish ready in a flash! Store the cooled succotash in a heavy-duty freezer storage bag or freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in your fridge before reheating.
Reheating Succotash With Bacon
I prefer to reheat the succotash on the stove top! Place leftovers in a skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until reheated thoroughly.
You can also reheat in the microwave by scooping portions of succotash into bowls. Heat in 30 second intervals on high heat, stirring in between, until completely warmed through.
🌽 More Great Side Dishes
- Instant Pot Collard Greens
- Cucumber Vinegar Salad
- Cream Cheese Pasta
- Southern Fried Corn
- Southern Coleslaw
❓ Recipe FAQs
The difference is all in the name, depending on where you live! Butter beans and lima beans are also sometimes sold in different stages of maturity. You’ll often see baby lima beans, which are green-hued and less tender. Butter beans are usually sold fully mature and are usually creamy in color and texture.
I love using canned beans and corn for this recipe because it makes it so easy! However, you can also use frozen butter beans and corn. You can even substitute fresh butter beans and corn if you have access to them!
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📖 Recipe Card
Succotash (with Butter Beans & Bacon)
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon butter (optional)
- ½ cup yellow onion (chopped, or use white onion)
- ½ cup red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 15 oz butter beans (1 15 ounce can of lima beans, drained)
- 15 oz sweet corn (1 15 ounce can of yellow corn, drained)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon slices to a large skillet or non-stick frying pan and then set your stove to medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until just starting to crisp. *Drain off excess bacon grease before adding butter and vegetables.
- Melt the butter until it begins to bubble then add the onion and bell pepper and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Once the onion and peppers are tender and fragrant, add the minced garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the seasoning (salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano) then add the butter beans and corn.
- Stir to combine, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 3-5 minutes until fully heated then remove from heat and serve immediately.
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