Celebrate the fresh produce of summer with this Summer Succotash recipe! The addition of bacon adds extra flavor but can be left out for a vegetarian dish!

One of my favorite childhood memories was visiting the farmer’s market.

Our summer trips to the farmer’s market was to stock up on bountiful summer produce. This small country town (were the farmer’s market was located) was known for its watermelon, both red and yellow varieties, and other popular produce that we could never get at our regular grocery store. Things like purple hull peas, heirloom tomatoes, green tomatoes and sweet Texas corn.

Recently I stopped by that same farmer’s market to grab some of the bountiful summer produce, including fresh corn and purple hull peas.

Purple hull peas, like black-eyed peas, are often prepared by boiling them with a ham hock; however, I started making this Summer Succotash recipe, packed with fresh summer vegetables, several years ago! Over the years, I’ve heavily adapted that recipe, based on our personal preference, and the version below, with equal parts lima beans and purple hull peas, caramelized onions and a dash of this and a dash of that, is our favorite way to make this rustic country recipe.

In fact, I used to say I hated lima beans, but when they are mixed in with sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, caramelized onions and salty bacon, how can you not like them!

Helpful Tips and Information:
Cooking Tip: Most grocery stores sell frozen purple hull peas with the other frozen vegetables (near frozen lima beans). You can also freeze freshly shelled purple hull peas. Simply place shelled peas in a freezer safe zip top baggie (excess air removed) and freeze for 8-12 months. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to blanch the peas before freezing.

Serving Suggestion: This Summer Succotash recipe could be served as a main dish (for a vegetarian or vegan dinner, omit the bacon) or can be served as a dinner side dish and would pair nicely with these Spicy Bar-B-Q Bacon Wrapped Chicken Kabobs or Cilantro Chimichurri Burgers.

If you like this Summer Succotash recipe, then you’ll love these other summer dinner recipes:
Corn, Prosciutto and Caramelized Onion Pizza 
Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Vinaigrette 
Corn and Leek Hash 
Spicy Grilled Hot Dogs with Bacon Corn Relish 
Penne With Grilled Summer Squash and Corn 

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Summer Succotash

Yield: Serves: 6 as side dish or 4 as a main dish

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Celebrate the farm fresh flavors of the season with this Summer Succotash recipe! The addition of bacon adds extra flavor but can be left out for a vegetarian side dish.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups baby lima beans
• 1 ½ cups shelled purple hull peas
• 5 slices bacon,, diced*
• 1 large yellow onion,, diced
• 2 cloves garlic,, minced
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes,, halved
• 4 ears of corn,, kernels cut from the cob
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves,, torn or chiffonade
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper,, divided

Instructions

1. Place the purple hull peas into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil peas, stirring occasionally, just until tender, for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-8 minutes, stir in the lima beans and cook just until tender.
2. Using a colander, drain peas and beans and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, leaving about 1 a tablespoon in the skillet.
4. Add chopped onions and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper to bacon grease in skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, about 15-18 minutes. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the cooked bacon, purple hull peas, lima beans, garlic, tomatoes, white wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, cooking just until the tomatoes begin to burst.
6. Stir in chopped basil and remaining salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes

*For vegetarian/vegan omit bacon and use 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil to sauté vegetables. 

Recipe heavily adapted from/inspired by Smitten Kitchen 

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g