Wild Rice, Squash, & Corn Soup

This is usually the time when I get ready for culinary world travel with the Eat the World recipe challenge, but this month’s challenge brings me to my own backyard!

This month’s theme is honoring the Native American Tribes of North America. I live in a Great Plains state where it is rich in Native American history.

I grew up attending PowWows with my dad. From there, the food that stands out the most is Fry Bread., but I wanted to stretch myself a bit more. I headed to the library and found a cookbook called Original Local: Indigenous Foods, Stories, and Recipes from the Upper Midwest. Here is my GoodReads review.

Original Local: Indigenous Foods, Stories, and Recipes from the Upper Midwest by Heid E. Erdrich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting book about the foods that were native to the midwest and which Native American people enjoyed prior to European influence.

I found that I liked the stories and history much better than I liked the recipes, which felt a bit like a community cookbook. Most of the recipes came either from the author herself or he friends and family members. Though there was a focus on indigenous foods, many included ingredients or cooking styles with European influence.

View all my reviews

Though I wasn’t as excited about the recipes in the book, I did love the history as the author dug deep into her personal history to discover the foods that were native to the upper midwest and her ancestors.

Using the knowledge the author presented, I came up with a soup that features indigenous foods. The only ingredients I’m unsure of are the onions, garlic, and thyme, which may have come from Europe. Also to be more authentic, one could use sunflower oil (I used canola, which is currently grown in the midwest, but I don’t know where it originated) and turkey in place of the chicken I used here.

I was also feeling proud of myself because I was able to use several ingredients that I grew in my own garden that I picked fresh, just for this: squash, potatoes, thyme, and chives.

The soup was tasty and I was pleasantly surprised when my kids ate it without complaint (mashing the squash so it became part of the broth was the crucial step for the kids eating this). The soup is thick and hearty. The squash and corn cob work together to make a hearty broth in this healthy soup.

Check out all the wonderful Native American dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Sneha’s Recipe: Three Sisters Soup-Native American

Magical Ingredients: Succotash

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Celebrating the Algonquin Indian Tribe with 3 Sisters Casserole Skillet

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Wild Rice, Squash, & Corn Soup

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Purple Corn and Api Morado

Cultureatz: Indian Navajo Taco with Fry bread

Disclaimer: This post contains a recipe highlighting a different country or culture. While I strive for authenticity, I sometimes need to make adjustments to recipes due to ingredient availability.

Wild Rice, Squash, & Corn Soup

1 tablespoon oil (sunflower or canola preferred)

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups water

1 small buttercup squash, peeled, seeds removed, & diced

1 tablespoon salt

1 ear of corn, kernels separated & cob reserved

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

6-8 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dry sage

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or turkey, if possible)

1 pound new potatoes, diced

½ cup wild rice

Seeds from squash, optional

Chives, optional

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the water, squash, corn cob (reserve kernels for later), salt, thyme, peppercorns, sage, and chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until squash is tender and chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside. Remove corn cob, thyme, and peppercorns and discard. If desired, use a potato masher to mash up the squash.

Cook the wild rice in a separate pot according to package directions.

Add the potatoes to the soup and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Stir in the corn kernels and cook until heated through.

If desired, roughly chop up the squash seeds and lightly fry them in a tablespoon of oil. Use seeds and chives as a soup topping and serve.

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