Shrimp, Okra, & Corn Succotash is a flavorful and colorful side dish turned into a main course. Make the most of your abundant summer vegetables with a Southern favorite full of Cajun spice.

I love cooking with shrimp and tomatoes in the summer – Shrimp Creole and Seafood Gumbo are some of my favorites, so this past spring, when we moved into a house on an acre, all I could think of was making a huge garden.

The garden started growing okra and tomatoes like CRAZY. We could pick everything and, the next day, have enough to pick for another meal. I cut the “suckers” off the tomatoes and replanted them – it is tomato city over here.

A white casserole dish with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, and okra with a red and white dishcloth on a gray background.

We have been trying to come up with fun and tasty ways to use our okra and tomatoes, and aside from paleo chicken and sausage gumbo, our favorite dish so far has been this Shrimp, Okra, & Corn Succotash.

What is Succotash?

Succotash is a Southern side dish – made from corn, okra, and tomatoes. It is so easy to make, but it is so fresh and flavorful. It is a great way to use the summer vegetables that are in abundance in most Southern gardens and are also cheaper at the grocery store. It’s different than Corn Maque Choux, though both are delicious!

🥘 Ingredients Needed

When I make succotash, I use the vegetables that are in season or things that we need to use up. My favorite combination has been: corn, okra, green beans, red onions, orange bell peppers, jalapeños, and cherry tomatoes. I served this over orzo, though the pasta is not necessary.

Corn, okra, cherry tomatoes, and a red onion with a white cutting board and knife on a gray background.

I added shrimp to this dish to make a main course, but you could just as easily skip the shrimp to make a side dish or add tofu to keep it vegetarian.

A bag of shrimp, a bag of green beans, and a jar of orzo on a gray background.

📖 Options

You can add any fresh veggies that you have but always start with a base of corn, okra, & tomatoes. You can add lima beans, zucchini, bell peppers – whatever sounds good.

🥣 How to Make Okra Succotash

To make okra succotash, begin by cooking the corn. (If you do not have access to fresh corn or if you want to save time, you can use frozen corn. I would not recommend using canned corn here.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Suggestion: Never boil your corn in water with salt! It can make the kernels tough and chewy.

Once the water is boiling, drop in your corn and boil for 4 – 7 minutes. You can also cook the ears of corn in an Instant Pot.

Four ears of corn boiling in a pot of water.

While the corn is boiling, dice up your veggies and season your shrimp. (Toss and coat in half a teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning and let sit.)

Remove your corn. It should be soft but still crunchy – it will still cook more once thrown in the pan. Let cool and cut the corn kernels off the cobs.

Corn kernels and a cob on a white cutting board with a knife.

Next, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet until it melts. Add diced red onions to the butter and begin sauteing.

A saute pan with red onion in butter with a purple spatula.

Once your onions are translucent, add your garlic and shrimp to the pan.

A saute pan with red onion and shrimp in butter with a purple spatula.

Cook the shrimp until they are pink, and then flip them over. Shrimp can overcook really easily, so make sure you watch them.

A saute pan with red onion and cooked shrimp in butter with a purple spatula.

Cook until the second side is pink, and remove the shrimp from the pan.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the veggies, starting with okra and bell peppers.

Leave out the tomatoes until the very end.

A saute pan with cooked okra and a purple spatula.

Once the okra is cooked well, add your corn. Season your vegetables with a teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (or your favorite Cajun Seasoning) and a teaspoon of salt.

Continue cooking for 5 – 10 minutes, and add your shrimp back to the pan with cherry or grape tomatoes.

A white casserole dish with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, and okra.

Add a few more shakes of Creole Seasoning and serve either alone or over orzo or cooked white rice or rice pilaf.

A white dish with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, and okra and a red and white dishtowel with a fork on a gray background.

How yummy does that look?

Can you Make Paleo Succotash with this Recipe?

Yes! You absolutely can make a Paleo or Whole30 friend succotash. Just follow the recipe as instructed, but use ghee in place of the butter and leave out any corn or lima beans. Add extra peppers or tomatoes! Yum.

🥫 How to Store Leftover Succotash

Refrigerate any leftovers for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container – leftover shrimp degrades in quality pretty quickly.

How Do You Reheat Shrimp Succotash?

Reheat on medium power for 1 – 2 minutes. If you overheat leftover shrimp, it will overcook and get tough.

A white dish with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, and okra and a fork on a gray background.

Other Succotash Ideas

Here’s another Succotash we just made. I called it “Leftover Vegetable Succotash.” It is made of zucchini, broccoli, red onion, corn, okra, and garlic; then I added fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden at the end! Yum!

We ate this with some buttermilk fried chicken tenders, but you could also serve it with fried catfish or fried shrimp.

Corn, brocolli, zucchini, and red onions in a skillet.

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A white casserole dish with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, and okra with a red and white dishcloth on a gray background.

Shrimp, Corn, and Okra Succotash

4.75 from 4 votes
A flavorful and colorful side dish turned into a main course. Make the most of your abundant summer vegetables with a Southern favorite full of Cajun spice.
Author: Kari
Servings: 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 – 2 pounds medium/large shrimp Fresh or frozen (but defrosted) is fine!
  • 2 + 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning Use 1/2 teaspoon to preseason the shrimp, then use the rest as you cook.
  • 3 tablespoons butter Ghee works really well also!
  • ½ cup red onion diced
  • 2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 – 4 ears corn If corn is not in season, 2 cups of frozen corn will work as well but will need to be cooked longer.
  • 1 – 2 cups okra, diced Fresh is best, but you can also use frozen okra!
  • 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces You can use fresh or frozen green beans.
  • ½ cup bell pepper , diced. I use whatever color we happen to have on hand.
  • 1 medium jalapeño diced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt salt is to taste – I like 1 teaspoon, you might like more salt!
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes , cut in half

Instructions 

  • Begin by cooking your corn. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (If you do not have access to fresh corn or if you want to save time, you can use frozen corn.)
    3 – 4 ears corn
  • Once the water is boiling, drop in your corn and boil for 4 – 7 minutes.
    3 – 4 ears corn
  • While your corn is boiling, dice up your veggies and season your shrimp by tossing and coating with half a teaspoon of Tony's Chachere's Creole Seasoning. Let the shrimp sit.
    2 + 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
  • Next, remove your corn. It should be soft but still crunchy – it will still cook more once thrown in the pan.
  • Let cool and cut the corn kernels off the cobs.
  • Next, heat 3 tablespoons of butter (or ghee) in a skillet until it melts and add your diced red onions to the pan to saute.
    3 tablespoons butter, ½ cup red onion
  • Once your onions are translucent, add your garlic and shrimp to the pan. Cook your shrimp until they are pink, and then flip them over. Shrimp can overcook really easily so make sure you watch them.
    2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 – 2 pounds medium/large shrimp
  • Cook until the second side is pink and remove them from the pan.
  • Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your pan and add your veggies, starting with okra and bell peppers. Leave out the tomatoes until the very end.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 – 2 cups okra, diced, 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces, ½ cup bell pepper, 1 medium jalapeño
  • Once the okra is cooked well, add your corn. Season your vegetables with 1 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and 1 tsp salt.
    1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 + 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
  • Continue cooking for 5 – 10 minutes and add your shrimp back to the pan with your cherry tomatoes. Add a few more shakes of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and serve either alone or over orzo or rice.
    1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

Notes

To make this recipe Paleo, leave out the corn and do not add any lima beans. Use ghee or olive oil in place of butter. Refrigerate any leftovers and eat within 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 33gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 396mgSodium: 1622mgPotassium: 413mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1475IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 276mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.

Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Cajun
Keyword: okra succotash, succotash recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @southernbytes or tag #southernbytes!

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Hi, I'm Kari!

I am a newlywed, food blogger, health coach, and mama to a hot mess of a border collie. I love to put a new spin on old family recipes and I try to make as many meals as possible with an Instant Pot.

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Comments

  1. This dish was simply amazing!!!! We added some lemon juice at the very end and it made the dish pop with added flavor!!! Thank you for the recipe!!

  2. Looks so good, we love shrimp dishes, they’re so easy, light and delish! Thanks for sharing 🙂