Three Sisters Soup Recipe

This comes with a little history!

The three crops benefit from each other. The maize provides a structure for the beans to climb, eliminating the need for poles. The beans provide the nitrogen to the soil that the other plants use, and the squash spreads along the ground, blocking the sunlight, helping prevent establishment of weeds. The squash leaves also act as a "living mulch", creating a microclimate to retain moisture in the soil, and the prickly hairs of the vine deter pests. Maize lacks the amino acids lysine and tryptophan, which the human body needs to make proteins and niacin, but beans contain both and therefore maize and beans together provide a balanced diet. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(agriculture))

Three Sisters Soup - original yield: 50 servings (3/4 cups)

2lbs - butternut squash or sweet potatoes, 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup - olive oil
1.5 qt - chopped onion
1 qt - chopped celery
2 cups - chopped carrots
2 Tbl - minced garlic
1 gal - low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbl - salt
1 tsp - ground coriander
1 tsp - ground cumin
1 tsp - dried thyme leaves
1 tsp - ground black pepper
2 qt - corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 qt - chopped trimmed green beans (1-inch pieces)
3 qt - Great Northern beans, canned, rinsed, and drained (or other beans)
2 cups - low-sodium salsa

Family-size - yield 4qt pot (good for leftovers and even for freezing)

1lbs - butternut squash or sweet potatoes, 1/2-inch dice
2 Tbl - olive Oil
3 cups - chopped onion
2 cups - chopped celery
1 cup - chopped carrots
1 Tbl - minced garlic
8 cups - low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbl - salt
1/2 tsp - ground coriander
1/2 tsp - ground cumin
1/2 tsp - dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp - ground black pepper
4 cups - corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 cups - chopped trimmed green beans (1-inch pieces)
3 cans - Great Northern beans, canned, rinsed, and drained (or other beans)
1 cup - low-sodium salsa

• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more
• Add broth, squash (or sweet potatoes), salt, and spices
• Bring to a slow boil, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Add corn, green beans, canned beans, and salsa. 
• Return to simmer and cook until green beans are tender, about 5 minutes more