How to Can Homemade Vegetable Soup for Quick Meals
This hearty homemade vegetable soup is perfect for canning and stocking your pantry with quick, ready-to-eat meals. Packed with garden-fresh vegetables and preserved in a pressure canner, each jar delivers cozy comfort food on demand—whether for lunch, dinner, or meal prep. Add salt before canning, then customize with your favorite seasonings when reheating. Simple, wholesome, and pantry-friendly!
Equipment
- Pressure Canner
- Quart or pint mason jars
- New canning lids and rings
- Large stockpot
- Ladle and funnel
- Jar Lifter
- Clean cloths
Ingredients
- 6 cups sliced carrots
- 6 cups potatoes dice potatoes into small pieces - peel potatoes first
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 4 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen (I will sometimes do 2 cups corn and 2 cups peas)
- 4 cups lima beans I personally omit them or substitute green beans cut into 1½ inch pieces
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 8 cups cored and peeled tomatoes
- 6 cups of cold water or vegetable stock
- ½-1 tsp canning salt per quart jar
Instructions
- Prep Your Veggies: Wash, peel, and chop all vegetables into uniform bite-sized pieces.
- Simmer the Base: In a large stockpot, combine tomatoes, water (or stock), and vegetables over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Prepare Jars: Wash the jars and lids in warm, soapy water. Once sterilized, heat the jars and lids.
- Fill Jars: Add ½ – 1 teaspoon of salt to each quart (optional, but recommended). This recipe uses a hot pack method. Ladle hot soup into hot jars, using a bubble remover and headspace tool to release air bubbles, leaving 1-inch headspace. Ensure an even ratio of solid ingredients and hot liquid in each jar.
- Seal: Wipe the jar rim clean, apply lids and rings finger-tight.
- Processing Step: Place jars in canner with 2–3 inches of water. Lock the canner lid and vent steam (this is a steady stream of steam) for 10 minutes before adding weight. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 85 minutes at 10 pounds pressure (adjust for higher altitudes).
- Cool & Store: Let the canner depressurize naturally, remove the filled jars, and let them rest for 12–24 hours before checking the seals. Store in a cool, dark pantry.
Notes
Pro Tip: Use high-quality ingredients for a superb end product.
Note: Do not add pasta, rice, dairy products or thickeners before canning. These can be added later when reheating. See blog post for suggestions
Affiliate Links: | Pressure Canner |Jar Lifter |Funnel| Bubble Remover and Headspace Tool |
