Three Sisters Soup with Field Day

Have you heard about the “Three Sisters”?

The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash. For centuries, they’ve been at the center of Native American agriculture and culinary traditions.  

Here’s a silky, satisfying soup featuring butternut squash and her two sisters, cannellini beans and hominy. Field Day basics turn fresh produce into a satisfying meal in no time!

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-large butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds) 
  • 1 small white onion, diced 
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 30-oz can hominy, drained/rinsed 
  • ** 2 cans cannellini beans, drained with liquid reserved 
  • ** 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
  • ** 1 bay leaf 
  • ** ½ tsp dried thyme 
  • ** 1 tsp dried coriander 
  • ** ½ tsp smoked paprika 
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling 
  • Ground black pepper, to taste 
  • Fresh herbs for garnish 

Directions

  1. Cut top and bottom off butternut squash and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. 
  2. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Drizzle the cut side of butternut squash pieces with just enough oil to rub it over entire cut surface, about ½ – 1 tsp each.  
  3. Add a little salt and pepper and put squash cut side down onto prepared sheet pan. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Set squash aside to cool, about 15 minutes. 
  4. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. After 1 minute, add diced onion and 1 tsp salt. Add thyme, coriander and smoked paprika. Cook about 4 minutes, onion should be soft and turning lightly golden. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute more – you should be able to smell it. 
  5. Remove cooked onion/garlic from pot and add to a blender. Scoop butternut squash flesh into blender and discard the skin. Add half the beans and all their liquid, as well as a few grinds of pepper. Add stock, just to the “maximum fill” line.  
  6. Fasten blender lid and blend on high until creamy and warmed. There may be some steam escaping out the lid.  
  7. Put blended soup back into soup pot, along with bay leaf, remaining whole beans, drained hominy and any remaining stock. Stir and taste, adjusting salt/pepper as needed. Cook about 15 minutes for flavors to meld, or until hominy is at desired level of tenderness.  
  8. Garnish each bowl with fresh herbs before serving. 
  9. Note: ** Ingredients are available from Field Day, at BriarPatch. 
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