Three Sisters Soup (Three Sisters soup)

Overview

Three Sisters soup is a hearty vegetable soup based on corn, beans and squash, the three crops that many Native American nations grew together. Diced squash such as butternut or pumpkin, kidney or white beans and sweet corn kernels are simmered in a vegetable or turkey broth with onion and garlic until the squash is soft and starts to thicken the soup. It is seasoned with herbs such as sage or thyme, and sometimes with wild rice or greens. The soup is naturally sweet, filling and meat-free, and it is often made in autumn after the harvest.

History

Corn, beans and squash were planted in the same mounds by the Haudenosaunee and many other Indigenous peoples: the corn gave the beans a pole to climb, the beans fed the soil, and the squash leaves kept weeds away. The crops are called the Three Sisters in Haudenosaunee stories. Soups made from them have long been part of Native cooking, and the modern recipe is now popular across North America at Thanksgiving.

Main ingredients

Corn, beans, squash, onion, garlic, vegetable broth. The soup is built on vegetable broth and is usually served hot. Diet: vegan; usually gluten-free.

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Recipe

4Serves

1 h15 prep · 45 cook

~290kcal / serving

EasyDifficulty

Method

1. 1

   Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until soft.

2. 2
   20 min

   Add the squash, broth and herbs and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. 3
   10 min

   Add the beans and corn and cook for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Season and serve.

5. ✓

   Serve. About 1 h from start to bowl.

Sources

• Three Sisters (agriculture) (Wikipedia)

Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.