Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage Succotash Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you begin, slice the smoked sausage into 1/2-inch coins. If the sausage is very thick, you can cut the coins in half. Measure the frozen corn and lima beans, and have the paprika, garlic powder, diced tomatoes, and butter ready.

Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop. There is no need to preheat the slow cooker or brown the sausage; just place all the ingredients in the crock and turn it on.

Instructions

Assemble the layers

1. 1Layer the sausage
   Place the sliced smoked sausage in an even layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter the sausage pieces so they cover the bottom as evenly as possible, but it is fine if they overlap slightly.
   Look for The sausage coins cover the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer.
   Tip If the sausage slices are very thick, cut them into half-moons for easier eating.
2. 2Add the vegetables
   Scatter the frozen corn and baby lima beans over the sausage. There is no need to stir; the layers will meld as they cook.
   Look for The corn and lima beans are evenly distributed over the sausage.
   Tip Frozen vegetables work perfectly here and need no thawing.
3. 3Season the succotash
   Sprinkle the paprika and garlic powder evenly over the vegetables and sausage. Use your fingers or a small spoon to distribute the spices as evenly as possible.
   Look for The spices dust the top of the vegetables with a reddish tint.
   Tip Smoked paprika adds a deeper flavor if you have it on hand.
4. 4Pour over the tomatoes and butter
   Pour the undrained diced tomatoes over the top, then drizzle the melted butter over everything. Do not stir; the butter will melt and mingle with the tomato juices as the slow cooker heats.
   Look for The tomatoes and butter cover the seasoned vegetables.
   Tip Use a glass measuring cup to melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.

At the end of this phase, the slow cooker insert holds an even layer of sausage coins, topped with a scattering of corn and lima beans.

The paprika and garlic powder dust the vegetables with a warm, reddish hue, and the diced tomatoes and melted butter sit on top, ready to melt together as the cooker heats. The ingredients look bright and colorful, with the sausage peeking through in places.

Slow-cook to tenderness

5. 5Cover and cook
   Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the lima beans are tender and the flavors have melded.
   Look for The succotash is bubbling gently around the edges and smells fragrant.
   Tip Resist lifting the lid during cooking to keep the heat steady.
6. 6Stir gently
   After the cooking time, stir the succotash gently to combine the sausage, vegetables, and tomato-butter sauce. The sausage should be warmed through and the vegetables tender.
   Look for The sauce is glossy and coats the sausage and vegetables.
   Tip Use a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the sausage pieces.

After several hours on low, the slow cooker is filled with a fragrant, savory aroma. The tomatoes have broken down into a rich, buttery sauce that coats the sausage and vegetables. The corn is tender, the lima beans are soft but not falling apart, and the sausage has plumped slightly. The sauce is glossy and a deep, appetizing red-orange.

Stir and serve

7. 7Serve warm
   Spoon the succotash into bowls or onto a platter. Serve warm, with extra paprika or a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired, though the video shows it simply as is.
   Look for The succotash is steaming and the sausage is glistening with buttery tomato sauce.
   Tip This dish is even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.

Once stirred, the succotash is uniformly coated in the tomato-butter sauce. The sausage coins are glistening, the corn and lima beans are evenly distributed, and the dish is steaming hot. It looks hearty and comforting, with a rustic, homey appeal that invites you to spoon it straight into bowls.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is lifting the lid too often to check on the dish, which lets out heat and extends cooking time. Another is stirring too vigorously, which can break the sausage and make the vegetables mushy.

Also, do not add extra liquid; the tomatoes and butter provide enough moisture, and the vegetables release their own juices as they cook.

How to tell it’s done

The succotash is done when the lima beans are tender and easily pierced with a fork, and the corn is heated through. The sausage should be hot and slightly plumped, and the sauce should be bubbling gently around the edges.

Since the sausage is already cooked, there is no minimum internal temperature to check, but everything should be steaming hot before serving.