Warm, buttery, and delicious, corn succotash with its brightly colored red and yellow peppers, purple onions, yellow corn, and a medley of tomatoes is as comforting as it is beautiful.
Easily made on the stove in just about 10 minutes prep and 5-6 minutes cooking, this is an under 20 minutes to eating succotash recipe that is also super easy to edit with new herbs, spices, or the additive of other seasonal vegetables.
This roasted corn succotash is the perfect summer side dish with an incredibly colorful combination of zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Because corn succotash recipes can be made with fresh, frozen, canned, or grilled corn, it’s perfectly easy and is summer eating at its finest!
Incredibly bold flavors, there really are so many vegetables that go well with corn and it’s easy to mix up for the perfect potluck, party, or BBQ side dish.
Succotash Ingredient List
Traditionally succotash is a combination of beans (like lima beans) and corn but over the years have developed into a wide variety of recipes that contain all sorts of fresh ingredients and flavor variations.
Inspired by the Cheesecake Factory Corn Succotash, this recipe plays a bit more with flavors, leaving the bright and bold vegetables as the star.
If you notice below, I have also included the various ingredients so whether you want a copycat cheesecake factory version, a traditional version, or our fresh and new take, this side dish will be easy to make and eat in minutes.
- Corn – Corn can be frozen, drained from a can, or fresh off the grill. If using blackened charred corn from the grill, check out how we did our Grilled Mexican Street Corn for timing. You can also pressure cook corn on the cob and shave off the kernels if you want a super fresh homemade taste. The only real rule here is that the corn has to already be cooked (softened).
- Zucchini – slice zucchini down and then slice again into bite sized pieces. This makes it easy to cook. Leave skin on so zucchini isn’t mushy.
- Bell Peppers – I like to use a yellow and a red, but its fine to use an orange or simple two of the same color.
- Butter – Real Butter
- Tomatoes – 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes or cherry tomato Wild Tomatoes Medley (those have a variety of beautiful colors that look great in corn succotash as a side dish).
- Red Onion – Diced down into bite sized pieces. A half a medium sized onion is fine.
- Garnish – fresh herb garnish, either parsley or cilantro leaves
- Seasoning – paprika, salt, pepper
- Soft Cheese– half a block of Feta Cheese. Fine to substitute for Goat Cheese if preferred.
- Fresh Lime
- Additional ingredients not included that are common succotash ingredients: Frozen lima beans, diced down yellow squash
Corn Succotash Cheesecake Factory
If looking to make the very well-known corn succotash recipe from the cheesecake factory, a side dish copycat recipe would include adding yellow squash in place of zucchini, yellow onion over the red, cumin instead of paprika, and a dash of hot sauce before serving.
What does “succotash” mean?
Succotash is a term that generally means a combination of lima beans and corn. Not all corn succotash recipes use lima beans, however.
While I simply adore the taste and texture of lima beans, the mere fact of a lima bean being green can turn some kids (and adults) running away. Lima beans can be added to a variety of salad recipes but also taste great as their own side dish with just salt and butter.
What vegetables go with corn?
Corn is one of the earth’s most beautiful and bright-colored veggies. While many people do not eat corn that is on specific diets like Keto, corn contains a nutritional value with lots of fiber and varying vitamins and minerals.
That being said, many people like to combine corn with other large salads or sides to create new combinations and ensure they are enhancing the meal.
There are SO MANY different flavor choices that go well with corn. Avocado, sautéed vegetables like carrots and zucchini, seasonings like cilantro, kicking up the spice with jalapeno, or making it sweet by trying corn with pumpkin.
In simple corn succotash, combine onions, zucchini, corn, bright vegetables like peppers, and even bacon.
Is Succotash Keto friendly?
Sorry to say that while corn is often considered low carb, it is NOT keto-friendly.
How to make Corn Succotash
This side dish is so popular because of the variety of flavors and colors in combination with the ease of making! The full instructions, including measurements, are below in the recipe card.
- Sauté Fresh Vegetables – add a bit of butter to the pan on medium high heat and sauté up all the diced and sliced vegetables (minus tomatoes) into the pan. Because there really are so many ingredients in this dish, choose a very large skillet or cast iron pan. It is important to be generous with salt and pepper to really bring out the true flavors of each vegetable.
- Season and Spice – Once vegetables are hot and sautéed, turn off eat and fold in halved tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese (cheese is totally optional but makes this dish ultra creamy and rich.)
- Garnish – For a bit of color, add parsley and for a bit of flavor, try cilantro! Squeeze with a fresh lemon right before serving.
Other Simple Corn Side Dish Recipes
Corn is surely one of the best vegetables out there and so incredibly versatile. If you need some more corn side dish recipes, look no further!
Super creamy corn and bacon recipe (also in a skillet) make a great rich and creamy side for chicken dinners.
Love the corn and tomatoes together? While not succotash, corn and tomato salad share quite a few ingredients in the recipe (although served cold!).
Everyone likes the ease of doing nothing in the kitchen and slow cooker cheesy corn lets you do just that.
Of course, corn is not just for side dishes – it makes dips and appetizers light up the room too! This fiesta corn dip and easy corn dip recipe are pretty much the only dips you will need at any party this year.
Last but certainly not least, this traditional corn casserole is THE best side dish for the major holiday season.
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Corn Succotash
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn canned (drained super well), or corn off the cob that has already been grilled and removed from cob, frozen is fine too
- 1 zucchini – sliced down to bite sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper – bite sized pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper – bite sized pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes wild tomatoes for color, – cut in half
- 1/2 red onion medium sized, diced
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- salt
- pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 block of crumbled feta cheese around 3 oz.
Instructions
- Before getting started, prep all vegetables.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half length wise.
- Cut red pepper, yellow pepper, and zucchini into small bite sized pieces that cook fast.
- Dice red onion into small pieces.
- Melt down 2 tablespoons butter into a large skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add in cut up bell peppers, red onion, 3 cups of cooked corn, and zucchini.
- Season well with salt and pepper (its best to be generous). Give pan a stir.
- Take 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into 3 pieces, and place on top of vegetables to melt in pan.
- Sauté for approximately 5-6 minutes, letting vegetables sizzle in the butter.
- Once warm and crisp tender, turn off heat.
- Fold in sliced tomatoes, 1/2 tsp paprika and combine well.
- Top with fresh cilantro (chopped) and a squeeze of lime. Stir again.
- Sprinkle 3 oz. of Feta Cheese around pan and serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Feta cheese is optional but great for a creamier taste. It is not a traditionally succotash additive but is great. That being said, its also fine to leave out. Because the dish is served hot off the stove, feta will begin to melt into corn quite quickly once stirred.
- Other variations include adding crunchy bacon, diced yellow squash or frozen lima beans.
- chopped cilantro is very controversial as some people react to the taste. It is fine to substitute garnish for softer herbs like parsley for color.
- Canned corn will not be as fresh as either grilled corn on the cob that has been removed or frozen corn. If using frozen corn for succotash, there is no need to thaw first.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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