RecipesCourgette › Courgette and Sweet Corn Succotash with Smoked Butter

Courgette and Sweet Corn Succotash with Smoked Butter

A summery American-inspired succotash that makes the most of courgettes and fresh corn at their seasonal peak. The courgettes are diced small and cooked until just tender, and the whole thing is finished with a knob of smoked butter that gives the dish a depth that belies how quickly it comes together. Eat it as a vivid, colourful side dish or spoon it over griddled chicken or fish.

25 min (10 min prep, 15 min cook)Serves 4easySidesvegetarian · gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 600 courgettes, cut into 1cm dice
  • 3 fresh corn on the cob, kernels cut from the cobor use 350g drained tinned sweetcorn
  • 40 g smoked butteror use regular unsalted butter and add 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely diced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Contains: milk, sulphites.

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the red onion and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and beginning to colour at the edges.About 5 min
  2. Add the garlic and smoked paprika, stir through, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.About 1 min
  3. Increase the heat to high. Add the diced courgettes and cook, tossing regularly, for 4 to 5 minutes until they are golden in places but still holding their shape.About 5 min
  4. Add the corn kernels and cook for a further 3 minutes, tossing everything together, until the corn is heated through and starting to caramelise.About 3 min
  5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the smoked butter and the apple cider vinegar and toss until the butter has melted and the vinegar has been absorbed. Season generously with salt and black pepper.About 1 min
  6. Stir through the chopped parsley and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • Cut the corn cobs standing upright in a large bowl to catch the kernels as they fly — it saves a lot of clearing up.
  • The apple cider vinegar at the end is important — it lifts the whole dish and stops it tasting heavy. Do not skip it.
  • This is a recipe where a wide pan wins over a deep one. More surface area means more caramelisation on the courgette.

Ring the changes

  • Add 400g of drained and rinsed tinned black beans in with the corn for a more substantial dish that works as a light main.
  • For a vegan version, replace the smoked butter with a tablespoon of olive oil and half a teaspoon of smoked paprika added with the vinegar.

Keeping it

Keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a

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Tony C Smith
Tony C Smith

Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.