Lima beans are my least favorite vegetable. If they are in front of me, I will eat them, because they are food. And in my opinion, food should never be taken for granted or wasted. But, for the most part, I avoid lima beans. So when I decided to put together a summer vegan succotash recipe, I knew it was going to be kidney bean succotash!
Succotash is a dish of Native American origin. Most often, it includes corn, squash and beans, but these days, there are many regional, seasonal and personal variations in how it is prepared across the United States. Many people also serve it for Thanksgiving, especially in New England.
In many ways, this vegan succotash recipe is perfect for summer, because it incorporates much of the season’s bounty—fresh herbs, sweet corn, green peppers and cherry tomatoes. It also cooks up fast, so it’s perfect for days when it’s super hot outside.
While you can use dried herbs (½-1 tsp dried basil, instead of the fresh), fresh basil bring a pleasing freshness to the flavor and an exquisite aroma.
For a variation, add some summer squash or zucchini, or use fresh thyme instead of fresh basil.
This vegan kidney bean succotash works well as a side dish or an entire meal. To make it a meal, serve it over a hearty grain, like barley, or with thick crusty bread.
Check out more UVK recipes, like Creamy Coconut Kidney Bean Soup, Slow Cooker Cajun Kidney Beans and Rice, or Vegan Wild Rice Stuffing with Cranberries, Apples and Walnuts. And thanks for stopping by 💚
Vegan Kidney Bean Succotash
1½ cups finely diced sweet onion (OR 1 medium sweet onion, finely diced)
3 Tbsp vegan butter
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup finely diced green pepper (OR 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced)
½ tsp salt
15 ounce can of no salt kidney beans, drained and rinsed (OR ~1½ cups cooked kidney beans)
2 cups sweet corn kernels
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Black pepper, a good amount
½ cup chopped fresh basil
A few drops of liquid smoke – optional (I used Wright’s Hickory Liquid Smoke)
1. First, you need to sauté the aromatics for the vegan kidney bean succotash. In a large skillet, add onions, 2 Tbsp vegan butter and a dash of salt over medium-high heat. Sauté for 6 minutes or until the onion is soft and a little golden.
2. Next, add the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and some black pepper (to taste). Stir around for 1 minute.
3. Add the garlic and green peppers. Stir around for another 5 minutes or until the green pepper are soft.
4. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of vegan butter, ½ tsp salt, kidney beans, sweet corn, and cherry tomatoes. Sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until everything is cooked through and the tomatoes soften.
5. Remove the vegan succotash from heat. Stir in the fresh basil and liquid smoke (if using). Taste, and adjust seasonings, if needed (more salt? more vegan butter? more liquid smoke?). Serve immediately, as a side dish or meal. To make this kidney bean succotash a meal, serve over your favorite grain (barley, quinoa, etc) or with some hearty bread on the side.
