Name: Southern Summer Succotash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. vegetable oil or rendered bacon fat; 2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, finely diced; 1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 4 small beefsteak tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped; ¼ lb. small okra pods, trimmed and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices

Southern Summer Succotash

This approachable side dish makes the most of garden veggies at their seasonal peak

Recipe by Jessica B. Harris

June 24, 2025

The mixture of corn, lima beans, and tomatoes, stewed in their own juices, is a forgiving dish that can even be made from frozen ingredients in the middle of winter. It is at its best, though, at the end of summer when the ingredients are at their fresh-picked peak. In my version, I substitute African okra for the more traditional lima beans. While it’s one of the African American South’s most typical summer side dishes, its name comes from a traditional mix of corn, beans, and pumpkin called sukquttahash or misickquatash in the Narragansett language of what is now southern New England. —Jessica B. Harris, Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine

Read our interview with Harris about her new cookbook here.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. vegetable oil or rendered bacon fat
2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, finely diced
1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 small beefsteak tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
¼ lb. small okra pods, trimmed and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices

Preparation

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and corn kernels and sauté until the onions become translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Add the tomatoes, okra, and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer. Season well with salt and pepper and cook over low heat, about 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary for a light, creamy consistency. Serve hot.

Reprinted with permission from Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine by Jessica B. Harris, copyright © 2025. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography copyright: Kelly Marshall © 2025