Three Sisters Soup • Native American recipe! (2024)

Three Sisters Soup is a delicious harvest soup made with the nourishing trio of corn, squash, and beans. This authentic Native American soup is a family favorite!

three sisters soup celebrates the fall harvest

The three sisters refers to the combination of corn, beans, and squash, as well as to a native American companion planting technique that paired the three crops together for better productivity, and sustainable land use. The three foods have been staples in the diets of many tribes (from the Iroquois in the North, the Chickasaw in the South, and the Hopi and Navajo Nations in the Southwest) over the centuries, and this soup is a celebration of that magical trio. The whole family will love this hearty healthy soup, and it provides a great story and learning op as well!

meet the three sisters

These three crops not only support each other as they grow, they have been critically important foods to Native Americans, and are particularly nourishing. In three sisters soup corn, beans and squash are a complete nutritional package with carbohydrates from the corn, protein from the beans (they provide the missing amino acids in the corn) and essential vitamins and minerals from the squash.

1. CORN ~ the tall corn provides support for the beans vines to grow on.
2. BEANS ~ add nitrogen into the soil to fertilize the corn and squash. These can be fresh or dried beans.
3. SQUASH ~ this refers to both winter and summer squash, both of which are low to the ground crops which provide shade to keep the ground moist and prevent weeds.

ingredients for three sisters soup

There is no one authentic recipe for this soup ~ it can be made, and is made, in a variety of ways, with different combinations of ‘sisters’. Recipes have been passed down through generations in tribes, and have become more modernized in the process. My version uses chicken broth and fire roasted tomatoes for a flavorful broth, potatoes for their satisfaction factor, jalapeño and chipotle powder for a little kick of heat, and black eyed peas because I love them. FYI tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers are all indigenous crops, native to the Americas.

• olive oil
• garlic
• onion
• chicken broth ~ or veggie broth
• fire roasted tomatoes, canned
• red potatoes ~ sweet potatoes would also be nice
• zucchini and/or summer squash
• corn ~ while you could use frozen, I would urge you to slice the kernels off fresh ears, it really makes a difference
• black-eyed peas ~ either canned or dried
• jalapeño ~ makes things pop
• chipotle powder adds a nice smokey heat
• bay leaf ~ I never make soup without it
• cumin
• salt and pepper

change things up!

As I’ve made it, three sisters soup is a wonderful late summer harvest meal, but oh my gosh there are so many ways to vary it.

• USE WINTER SQUASH Bring it into fall and winter by subbing out the summer squash for winter squash. There are SO many varieties to choose from, from pumpkin and butternut to to some of the lesser known types like kabocha. You can even blend canned pumpkin into the soup stock.
• EXPLORE DIFFERENT BEANS When you use winter squash, black beans are an obvious choice, but you could also use pinto or kidney beans.
• USE FRESH BEANS If you’re not into dried or canned legumes, use fresh green or waxed beans.
• Try HOMINY instead of sweet corn.
• ADD CHILES Either canned or fresh, chiles will enhance this soup. Go for mild or spicy. Hatch chiles are a great choice in fall.
• THICKEN THE SOUP Consider adding some masa harina toward the end of cooking, it will give your soup body and a lovely corn flavor. You can also take an immersion blender and blend just a portion of the soup to thicken it up.
• ADD ANIMAL PROTEIN It’s not traditional but you could definitely add some shredded chicken or sausage (chorizo would be nice.)
• ADD CHEESE Again, not traditional, but I sometimes add a shower of queso, Parm, or other aged cheese.
• MAKE THREE SISTERS SOUP VEGAN Switch out the chicken stock with water or vegetable stock.

if you love this three sisters soup I bet you’ll also love

• The Best Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Creamy Wild Rice Soup
• Mushroom Barley Soup
• Italian White Bean Soup with Sausage Meatballs
• Broccoli Stilton Soup
• Mushroom and Brie Soup
• German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe) with Bratwurst