Three Sisters Pumpkin Soup: A Cozy Fall Favorite

This cozy, hearty soup celebrates the “Three Sisters” — corn, beans, and squash — which were traditionally grown together by many indigenous peoples of North America, including the Lakota Sioux.

It’s versatile in that it can be made as a quick preparation soup on the stovetop (30 minutes) or in a slow cooker when you need it made ahead of time (2-6 hours). My variation also makes it versatile for vegans or meat lovers alike.

Discovering “Three Sisters Soup”

We first discovered Three Sisters Soup while eating at the Dakotah Steakhouse in Rapid City, South Dakota, during a trip to see the Badlands and Mount Rushmore.

Delighted by both the flavor and the story behind the dish, I immediately went searching online for a similar recipe. I stumbled upon a version on Recipe Lion that inspired my own take which has been a staple in our house for the last several years.

(And by “staple” I mean it makes an appearance two or three times each fall. That’s saying a lot for me as I rarely repeat recipes that often! LOL.)

My husband likes his meat, so I quickly adapted the recipe by adding diced smoked sausage. At it’s core, though, Three Sisters Soup is a hearty vegetable soup.

In this variation, the “Three Sisters” are represented through:

1. SQUASH: Pumpkin purée
2. BEANS: Cannellini and lima beans
3. CORN: Corn and hominy

A Versatile Soup

The first recipe I tried included a red pepper along with the “Three Sisters.” If the red pepper pieces are too large, though, it starts to feel like a main ingredient instead of background flavor. So, I like to finely chop the onion, carrot, and red pepper so they melt into the soup and act as more a flavor base rather than a featured vegetable.

Since I enjoy the flavor that red pepper adds, I thought Mexican Corn was a nice option. With hominy (another corn product) included in the mix though, a full size can of corn felt like overkill which is why I opt. for a smaller can of corn. We like the bitey texture of hominy, but if that’s not your thing, I would replace the Mexican corn and hominy with just one full size 15 oz can of corn (or Mexican Corn). Two cans would make the soup feel a little unbalanced.

Many versions online are brothier and use roasted squash instead of pumpkin puree. Personally, I prefer the creamy richness that canned pumpkin adds to the base.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, simply skip the sausage and the splash of heavy cream at the end. Use vegetable broth or bouillon, and you’ll still get plenty of flavor.

I often make this soup on the stovetop in a large saucepan, but it also works beautifully in a slow cooker. As teachers, we all know the value of a good “set it and forget it” meal, so I’ve included instructions for both methods in the recipe below.

That’s one of the things I love about soup in general: it’s flexible, forgiving, and always comforting!

Let’s get cooking!

How to Make Three Sisters Pumpkin Soup

Start by gathering all your ingredients. I often like to set out as many items as I can first thing in the morning so when it’s time to prep (or make the meal) it’s all out and ready to go. (Read more about that here.)

Dice up the sausage (if using) and veggies before you start cooking. You could get the sausage in the pan and then dice the veggies but I never seem to get my vegetables chopped fast enough before the pan is ready for them so I try to just have everything prepped first.

In this particular soup, it’s nice having the size of all items similar so I recommend dicing the sausage into smaller bites rather than just slicing.

Slice each link in half down the middle then horizontally.

Then, lay those pieces flat and slice horizontally again (you’re basically cutting the link into 4 pieces then dice from there. So instead of getting half moons, you get more of a dice.

I usually try to use a different cutting board for meats, but since this sausage is pre-cooked, I don’t worry as much about it.

Next up, cut up the veggies.

I like to cut the carrot into 3″ lengths, then either down the middle horizontally for the skinnier parts or into 3 pieces for the fatter part. Then I cut that into 3 pieces length-wise and then into a small dice.

After dicing the veggies, take your knife and run it through them even more to get it to more of a “fine” dice.

Any size red pepper will do just as long as you chop it up well.

Next, over medium-high heat, heat 1 T. Olive oil. Add the sausage and cook about 3 minutes until it starts to brown.

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon so the oil stays in the pan for the veggies and place in the slow cooker.

If you’re doing the saucepan method, I leave the sausage in the saucepan and just add in the veggies. Don’t wait until the sausage is totally brown to add the veggies. It will continue to brown with the veggies.

Cook the veggies over medium to medium high heat until they start to soften and lightly brown.

Add all ingredients into the pot or slow cooker.

I like to use the water from rinsing the pumpkin and corn cans because you get some extra bits!

If using a slow cooker, cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.

If using a saucepan, bring ingredients to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15-30 minutes.

Serve It Up!

When finished cooking, add in the touch of heavy cream which will mostly change the color and give it a tiny bit of richness.

The thickness the pumpkin puree adds to the base along with the chili powder make it feel like variation on chili. I love it so much – even more than chili personally!

It’s good by itself or with some cornbread, Crescent Rolls, or crusty bread on the side.

Serve it as a main dish or skip the sausage and serve as a side to steak or pork chops. Yum!

Have you ever had a Three Sisters soup before?

I would love to hear any variations you enjoy in the comments!