Cooktop Cove: This Southern shrimp succotash pulls it weight as a side or a main dish
By Audrey Michels
Do you ever go to a restaurant and just want to order all the side dishes? I do. Don’t bother me with an appetizer or a main course — just bring me one of each side, and I’ll be a happy camper.
Well, Southern shrimp succotash can be a side dish, but it pulls its weight as a main course too. It's simple, delicious, and with the added shrimp, has everything you need right in one place. Plus, with all the vegetables and colors — and so few carbs — you can feel good about dishing it up alongside your leftover mac and cheese or garlic bread, or any other decadent sides you like!
Southern Shrimp Succotash
6
20 minutes
10 minutes
30 minutes
2 cups, or 1 16-ounce bag of frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
3 cups, or 1 24-ounce bag of sweet corn, frozen and thawed
14 ounces of shrimp, frozen, thawed and peeled
¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the lima beans to a medium saucepan, cover with water and add a generous pinch of salt.
Place the saucepan over a medium-high heat. Once at a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the beans are tender. Note: Check the package of the beans you're using to be sure, but this can be anywhere from 8 to 30 minutes..
Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.
Place a large pan over a medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add the garlic, onion and bell peppers. Cook about 2 minutes, until just starting to brown but not yet soft.
Add the shrimp, Cajun seasoning, vinegar and reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook about 3 minutes. Add the corn and beans and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir until it has completely melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the herbs, tomatoes and lemon juice. Stir until everything is well-combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.