Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
In indigenous lore (in North America) the “three sisters” refer to three staple crops: beans, corn, and squash. They coplant well, and they provide a nearly complete diet, in terms of proteins and other nutrients. Unfortunately, much information about what dishes they actually made with these ingredients has been lost. Native chefs are thus faced with the prospect of creating new dishes around those ingredients. A search for “three sisters salad” will result in many different styles of salad. However, most of them use summer squash and we thought it might be fun to make one with a winter squash.
Of course, corn isn’t in season in the winter, so I’m calling it “some sisters salad” because if you can’t get corn or don’t want to use corn out of season, there is no need to include it. Also because it’s winter and because we live on the 18th floor, we sear the corn in cast-iron to give it a bit of a grilled flavor; but it will taste much better if you can actually roast the corn.
This salad is delicious when made but possibly even better the next day. We found it interesting and a little unusual, and we found lots of interesting flavors hiding in it. If you make some and at first it seems weird, maybe make it a little spicy and give it a little time, and see if it’s better the next day.
Makes enough for 6-8 people, roughly 6 cups.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• lined sheet pan for roasting squash
• cast-iron skillet (or charcoal grill) to cook corn
• possibly a large saucepan to boil the beans
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked black beans roughly 1/3 cup dry
1 1/2 cup roasted cubes of winter squash butternut or similar
2 cobs sweet corn kernels sliced from the cob
1/4 -1/2 cup red onion diced
1/2 ea lemon juiced
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1-1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Procedure:
1. If boiling the beans, rinse them well and then simmer them for 60-90 min until they are done.
2. Open, clean out, peel and dice the squash, and roast it at 350F for 30-45 min until it is tender and perhaps has a little color.
3. Shuck the corn and slice off the kernels. Or do this after grilling the corn, if grilling.
4. Sear the corn kernels in a hot cast-iron pan.
5. Chop the parsley and dice the onion.
6. Create a dressing from the salt, vinegar and olive oil.
7. Once the beans have cooked, measure a cup of them and rinse them off.
8. Let the corn kernels and squash pieces cool spread out over the bottom of the mixing bowl if need be.
9. Once everything is cool, add the onion, parsley, beans, corn, squash and lemon juice to the bowl.
10.Pour the dressing over and carefully toss the salad, trying not to crush or smash the beans and squash any more than can be helped.
11.Serve atop some lettuce or other raw, leafy salad, and/or atop a piece of frybread.
12.Optionally garnish with: diced tomato, crumbled feta, toasted pepitas or pecan pieces.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
In indigenous lore (in North America) the “three sisters” refer to three staple crops: beans, corn, and squash. They coplant well, and they provide a nearly complete diet, in terms of proteins and other nutrients. Unfortunately, much information about what dishes they actually made with these ingredients has been lost. Native chefs are thus faced with the prospect of creating new dishes around those ingredients. A search for “three sisters salad” will result in many different styles of salad. However, most of them use summer squash and we thought it might be fun to make one with a winter squash.
Of course, corn isn’t in season in the winter, so I’m calling it “some sisters salad” because if you can’t get corn or don’t want to use corn out of season, there is no need to include it. Also because it’s winter and because we live on the 18th floor, we sear the corn in cast-iron to give it a bit of a grilled flavor; but it will taste much better if you can actually roast the corn.
This salad is delicious when made but possibly even better the next day. We found it interesting and a little unusual, and we found lots of interesting flavors hiding in it. If you make some and at first it seems weird, maybe make it a little spicy and give it a little time, and see if it’s better the next day.
Makes enough for 6-8 people, roughly 6 cups.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• lined sheet pan for roasting squash
• cast-iron skillet (or charcoal grill) to cook corn
• possibly a large saucepan to boil the beans
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked black beans roughly 1/3 cup dry
1 1/2 cup roasted cubes of winter squash butternut or similar
2 cobs sweet corn kernels sliced from the cob
1/4 -1/2 cup red onion diced
1/2 ea lemon juiced
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1-1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Procedure:
1. If boiling the beans, rinse them well and then simmer them for 60-90 min until they are done.
2. Open, clean out, peel and dice the squash, and roast it at 350F for 30-45 min until it is tender and perhaps has a little color.
3. Shuck the corn and slice off the kernels. Or do this after grilling the corn, if grilling.
4. Sear the corn kernels in a hot cast-iron pan.
5. Chop the parsley and dice the onion.
6. Create a dressing from the salt, vinegar and olive oil.
7. Once the beans have cooked, measure a cup of them and rinse them off.
8. Let the corn kernels and squash pieces cool spread out over the bottom of the mixing bowl if need be.
9. Once everything is cool, add the onion, parsley, beans, corn, squash and lemon juice to the bowl.
10.Pour the dressing over and carefully toss the salad, trying not to crush or smash the beans and squash any more than can be helped.
11.Serve atop some lettuce or other raw, leafy salad, and/or atop a piece of frybread.
12.Optionally garnish with: diced tomato, crumbled feta, toasted pepitas or pecan pieces.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
