Pressure-Canning Soup Recipes That Are Better Than Store-Bought

Preserve your garden bounty or farmers market haul in a flavorful, fresh DIY version of canned soup. Our Test Kitchen tested and perfected soup recipes for pressure canning to help you make the most of your produce and cut down on unnecessary additives and excess sodium.

A few pro tips to remember as you prepare to make these soup recipes for pressure canning:

• Always use recipes designed for canning (rather than a stove-top soup recipe).
• Follow the instructions carefully to ensure safe canning and proper cooking.
• Cut all ingredients into uniform sizes, as directed in the recipe, so each piece processes at a similar rate.
• When you're ready to enjoy these pressure-canned soup recipes, simply open a jar, pour the soup into a saucepan, and boil for 10 minutes before eating

Check out our complete guide to pressure-canning basics, then gather this must-have canning equipment. These soup recipes made in the pressure canner will help you enjoy garden-fresh ingredients in a comfort food package any day of the year.

Canned Vegetable Soup

Pressure canning vegetable soup recipes can be as hearty and satisfying as their meaty counterparts. Hearty ingredients such as potatoes, carrots, and corn make this low-calorie lunch taste much more filling than its 63 calories per cup might suggest. Pair it with a gooey grilled cheese for a nostalgic and nourishing midday meal.

Mexican Beef Garden Soup

Where's the beef? We found it right here in this canned vegetable-beef soup. Chuck roast combines with carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chile peppers, and more for a South-of-the-Border soup with a whopping 32 grams of protein per serving. Translation: You'll want—but may not have room for—seconds!

Test Kitchen Tip: Canning carrots? Choose those that are 1 inch in diameter or thinner so they're not quite as fibrous and woody as their sizable counterparts.

Pozole Verde

Speaking of Mexican meals, this vibrantly green pressure canning chicken soup recipe has earned rave reviews from BH&G fans for its chicken noodle soup-like nature (hominy stands in for the noodles in this canned soup) and its fresh flavors (via cilantro, jalapeños, poblanos, and cumin).

Test Kitchen Tip: The USDA doesn't recommend including pasta in your soup recipes for pressure canning for food safety reasons, as it can slow the speed of heat penetration during processing. If you like noodles in your soups and stews, add them at serving time.

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

It's tough to top this canned soup featuring a colorful crop of root vegetables: red and/or golden beets, turnips, parsnips, and carrots. We perked up the flavor with a triple dose of citrus from orange zest, orange juice, and lemon juice. When you're ready to serve this pressure-canned vegetable soup recipe, sprinkle each bowl with salty, crunchy pepitas (or Seasoned Pepitas and Peanuts) to contrast the lusciously creamy soup.

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Tomatoes

Canning butternut squash soup is a savvy way to savor this versatile squash when it's in season—not just fall and winter. With just onions, garlic, broth, beans, tomatoes, and herbs, this is one of the easiest soup recipes for canning developed by our Test Kitchen.

Test Kitchen Tip: Stick to dried beans, soaked and partially cooked, in soup recipes for pressure canning. Fully cooked commercial canned beans get ubermushy once recanned in soup. (We're speaking from experience here!)

If any of these recipes entice you, stock up on some canning jars and get to it. The recipes work any time of year. Can the corn and chicken chowder during summer months when you can get the best fresh corn. Try the butternut squash soup in the fall when the produce section is bursting with squash. The roasted root vegetable soup is ideal in winter months when those ingredients are in season. And try the posole in the spring for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. No matter when you make these pressure-canned soup recipes, they can sit in your pantry for a year so they're ready to heat up any night you need a quick meal.