Succotash is a classic dish and I am one of it’s most loyal fans, for sure. I usually like to serve it as it’s supposed to be, in all it’s simple glory, with just corn, Lima beans and a little salt and pepper. But, lately I’ve been taking a few little liberties with this old-fashioned dish by adding in some onion and crispy bacon bits. My small adaptations to this old standby were on the list for an upcoming fall post, until it seems life intervened and made the changes a bit more dramatic… and better.
As are so many of the recipes I post here, this sweet and spicy version of succotash was born out of a grocery list-based mistake. My family of very distracted shoppers continues to keep me on my toes in the kitchen. I love it, really. This homebody has to get fresh inspiration from somewhere, right?!
Keep up the good work, crazy little family.
Last weekend, I was frying bacon meant to be included in a batch of succotash and everything was completely normal and hunky dory, until the entire kitchen (and house for that matter) started smelling of maple syrup! It was SO weird! I quickly realized that Evan had brought home maple-flavored bacon instead of the regular, smoky bacon (Have I mentioned that we are all horrible at reading labels sometimes?). Pfffft. Ugh. Bleh. I’m pretty sure I said all things things out loud at that moment.
After a brief freezer inspection, it was clear that the maple-y bacon was all we had on hand, so I just decided to roll with it and I polished off the dish with a very small dash of cayenne and a small splash of pure maple syrup (seriously, you would have thought Evan was a desperately shocked contestant on Fear Factor when he saw me reach for that bottle of syrup!). The rich flavors of the maple syrup and smoky bacon pair up perfectly with the hearty vegetables and it was surprisingly good.
Maple syrup has definitely become a thing for me with succotash.
This veggie recipe is so tasty and it can work for so many folks with special diets too as it’s gluten-free and dairy-free.
Just yesterday, I decided to make a vegetarian version of this sweet and spicy succotash. I used some smoked paprika, cayenne and, of course, maple syrup to try and recreate the wonderful smoky-sweet-spicy flavor combination in the dish. My vegetarian readers are definitely gonna want to get in on this dish too.
It was just as delicious without the bacon!
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the blog post and recipe for Sweet and Spicy Succotash with Maple and Bacon were orginally published on September 21, 2016. The post and recipe card were significantly updated on December 22, 2025.
Sweet and Spicy Succotash with Maple and Bacon
The classic flavors of colorful, earthy Southern Succotash are complimented by a splash of rich maple syrup and the smoky flavor of crumbled bacon in this version of the dish. My Sweet and Spicy Succotash with Maple and Bacon is a tried and true family favorite!
6
servings20
minutes15
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
5 slices uncooked bacon (or sub cooked turkey bacon)
2-3 tablespoons bacon drippings or another neutral cooking fat (such as extra-virgin olive oil or butter )
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 cups cooked baby Lima beans (I used frozen beans, cooked according to package directions.)
3 cups canned corn kernels drained (or use frozen, thawed corn or fresh corn)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon dash ground cayenne pepper (or to taste
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (or to taste)
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Directions
- In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, reserving 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Allow the cooked bacon to drain on paper towels and drain any excess grease from the pan. Crumble the crispy bacon into bits and set it aside.
- Return the reserved bacon drippings or other oil to the skillet and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, Lima beans, and corn to the hot skillet and saute, stirring often. After about 4 minutes, add the bacon bits to the pan.
- Saute for another 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are warm through.
- Reduce the heat to low and add all of the spices to the skillet. Stir well. Remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in the maple syrup.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe from A Little Fish in the Kitchen blog at www.alittlefishinthekitchen.com. All content is owned by Marcelle G. Bolton. Please contact the author for permission to republish.
I love the liberties you took, Marcella 😉 Your succotash sounds delicious!
I've never heard about this dish, but it looks so good, I would love to try it:)
do you know that i have NEVER used maple syrup to sweeten succotash?! what a great idea! i would love either version. 🙂
I have always loved succotash but was completely spoiled by my mother who always used fresh Lima beans. I was a little shocked the first time I had it at a school cafeteria and the Lima beans had no "bite!." That didn't stop me, though, from eating everyone's at the table – apparently I was the only one who liked it! Love the additions, even if accidental. Isn't that the way the best recipes are devised, Marcelle?
Hi Linda, thank you! I haven't had the time I hope to sit down and work with it. But, I will. I usually run a week or two behind in my big plans 🙂
Hi John, thanks. Happens here alot!! 🙂
Hi Angie, thanks! I hope you like it if you try it!
Marcelle, your recipe sounds so good. The maple syrup sounds delightful. Thanks you for your sweet visit. You are not using the Recipes Generator?
The maple flavor sounds really good in this. Such a happy accident! Some of my best dishes start as as mistakes. 🙂 Good stuff — thanks.
I am a loyal fan of anything with legumes and sweet corn..this looks totally right up my alley.