Pan-Seared Creole Salmon with Succotash
This Pan-Seared Creole Salmon with Succotash delivers a Southern seafood dinner that is packed with bold spice and wholesome summer garden comfort. Tender, flaky salmon fillets sear in hot butter and olive oil until golden, then serve over a simmering skillet of seasoned sweet corn, tender lima beans, cut okra, and diced tomatoes. It is colorful, flavorful, and simple enough to master on a busy weeknight.
Love salmon? You may want to check out my Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce, Cajun Salmon Orzo, Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon, Smoked Salmon Sushi Burrito with Spicy Mayo, Cajun Salmon Croquettes, and Salmon Poke Bowl with Spicy Mayo.
Seared salmon paired with a Southern staple and vegetable medley of corn, okra, lima beans, and tomatoes (AKA succotash) is the perfect weeknight meal. SautĆ©ing sweet corn, okra, and lima beans in garlic butter draws out a natural sweetness while cooking off any excess moisture. Then we simmer it with juicy diced tomatoes, allspice, and thyme to create a savory stewed vegetable base that’s ideal for salmon.
A quick, high-heat pan sear gives the Creole-seasoned salmon fillets a flavorful spiced crust while keeping the inside buttery and juicy. Every bite delivers a mouthwatering contrast of savory spice, natural sweetness, and melt-in-your-mouth seafood goodness.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients you’ll need to make Creole Salmon with Succotash:
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
For the succotash:
- Butter: Melts to form the rich base that carries aromatics and lightly browns the vegetables.
- Minced Garlic: Introduces sharp, savory aromatics directly into the bubbling butter.
- Frozen Cut Okra, Sweet Corn, Lima Beans: The vegetable medley. A perfect combination of texture: soft okra, naturally sweet and crisp corn, and hearty, creamy lima beans.
- Diced Tomatoes: Brings bright acidity to cut through the rich butter and salmon.
- Garlic Powder, Paprika, Ground Allspice, Ground Thyme, Red Cayenne Pepper: The savory seasonings and herbs for the succotash.
For the Creole salmon:
- Olive Oil: Raises the smoke point to prevent the butter from scorching during the high-heat fish sear. Also used to lightly coat the raw salmon flesh so the dry spices adhere evenly and transfer heat smoothly to the hot skillet.
- Butter: Foams around the fillets during searing, basting the fish in nutty, caramelized richness.
- Creole Seasoning, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper:Ā Seasonings for the salmon. The Creole seasoning is the signature zesty rub that coats the salmon, and the salt and pepper are foundational seasonings that enhance the salmon’s natural flavors.
- Salmon Fillet: The rich, omega-3-packed protein centerpiece that cooks to flaky, buttery tenderness.
How to make Pan-Seared Creole Salmon with Succotash:
Melt the Butter: Heat a large pan or cast iron skillet (paid link) over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant and foaming.
SautƩ the Vegetables: Add the okra and corn to the skillet. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Simmer the Succotash: Stir in the lima beans, drained diced tomatoes, garlic powder, paprika, ground allspice, ground thyme, and red cayenne pepper. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Reduce the burner to low to keep warm.
Season and Prep the Salmon: Season the salmon fillet evenly with the Creole seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the seasoned fish and gently rub it in so the spices adhere.
Heat the Searing Pan: In a separate large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Let the pan and oil heat through.
Portion and Sear: Cut the seasoned salmon fillet into your desired individual portion sizes. Place the salmon fillets skin-side up (flesh side down) in the hot oil and sear undisturbed for 4 minutes, until a deep golden spiced crust develops. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the skin side until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
Plate and Serve: Spoon generous mounds of warm Southern succotash onto serving plates, nestle the seared salmon fillets directly on top, and serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to strain the canned diced tomatoes well before adding them to the succotash. Excess packing juice can turn the dish soupy rather than thick and velvety.
- Before applying the olive oil and spice rub, pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels. Dry fish prevents steaming and guarantees an immediate golden sear when hitting the hot butter-oil blend.
- Chocolate bar marzipan jujubes jelly-o carrot cake caramels. Tootsie roll cookie jujubes powder icing lemon drops. Pastry brownie topping oat cake chocolate cake jelly candy gingerbread tart.
- Want to add a protein to the succotash? Crisp up 3 strips of diced beef bacon or 4 oz of diced beef or chicken sausage in the succotash skillet before adding the butter and garlic for extra smoky depth.
- During peak summer, shave 2 ears of fresh sweet corn straight into the pan instead of frozen corn for extra crunch. Check out my recipe for Vegetarian Succotash made with fresh corn.
- Instead of salmon, you could swap for another fish variety. This Creole spice rub and searing technique works equally well with thick halibut fillets, red snapper, mahi-mahi, or large sea scallops.
Storage & Reheating:
- Fridge: Store leftover salmon and succotash in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Gentle Reheating: Reheat the succotash in a covered skillet or microwave until warm. Reheat the salmon gently in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or in an air fryer at 325Ā°F for 3 to 4 minutes, to warm through without overcooking or drying out.
Pan-Seared Creole Salmon with Succotash
Make Pan-Seared Creole Salmon with Succotash! Salmon fillets served over a buttery skillet of sweet corn, tender okra, and savory lima beans.
- Total Time: 31 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the succotash:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 16 oz frozen cut okra
- 8 oz frozen sweet corn
- 15 oz frozen lima beans
- 14 oz diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper
For the Creole salmon:
- 1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillet
- 1 tsp Creole seasoning
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
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Instructions
- Heat a large pan or cast iron skillet (paid link) over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant and foaming.
- Add the frozen okra and frozen corn to the skillet. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the frozen lima beans, drained diced tomatoes, garlic powder, paprika, ground allspice, ground thyme, and red cayenne pepper. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Reduce the burner to low to keep warm.
- Season the salmon fillet evenly with the Creole seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the seasoned fish and gently rub it in so the spices adhere.
- In a separate large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Heat the pan and oil until hot.
- Cut the seasoned salmon fillet into your desired individual portion sizes. Place the salmon fillets skin-side up (flesh side down) in the hot oil and sear undisturbed for 4 minutes, until a deep golden, spiced crust develops. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the skin side until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Spoon generous mounds of warm Southern succotash onto serving plates, nestle the seared salmon fillets directly on top, and serve immediately.
Notes
Okra Slime: Cooking the succotash for 15 minutes lets the okra cook down and remove the slime. It also allows the lima beans to cook perfectly.
Drain the Tomatoes Thoroughly: Strain the canned diced tomatoes well before adding them to the succotash. Excess packing juice can make the dish soupy instead of thick and velvety.
Dry the Salmon Skin & Flesh: Before applying the olive oil and spice rub, pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels. Dry fish prevents steaming and ensures an immediate golden sear when it hits the hot butter-oil blend.
Fresh Corn Alternative: During peak summer, shave 2 ears of fresh sweet corn straight into the pan instead of frozen corn for extra crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet with 1 hearty cup succotash
- Calories: 585
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
seems like you really need some extra liquid to cook the limas? I would think that one can of drained tomatoes would not be sufficient liquid for them.
The liquid that develops from the other ingredients seems to provide the right amount of liquid for my taste. If you prefer more, just skip draining your tomatoes. Should work out just fine.