Canning Vegetable Soup

Vegetable soup.  I like to think of this one as a fun way to ensure my family is eating enough veggies, however, there is one main reason I like to have this vegetable soup on hand.  In Michigan, typically from October through February we experience the majority of our cold and flu bugs which stem from the changing of the seasons.

Until it gets cold enough and stays cold enough, bacteria and germs run rampant.  Even though I pride myself on eating healthy, we are not impervious to all germs.  I even wound up catching a nasty bug this season – and I am one of those that’ll tell ya, I don’t get sick often, but when I do, I get really sick!

 

Vegetable Soup Canning Recipe

Between kids being in school all day and how much I interact with the public, we are bound to pick up something.  When we do, we head straight for our home-canned soup supplies.  After this season’s battle, we need to restock our vegetable and chicken soup.  It is not only delicious, but healthy. And, if your health is fine but you’d just like to ensure your family is eating enough veggies, this makes a great meal when served with homemade bread right from the oven!

Makes about 7 quarts or 14 pints

Ingredients

• 8 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
• 6 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed (if you stored frozen from your garden you may use those)
• 6 cups chopped carrots
• 4 cups Lima beans, par-cooked or 2 cans store-bought
• 4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups green beans, frozen – be sure they are cut into bite size pieces and not whole
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 Tbsp parsley, dried, or fresh 4 Tbsp finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ½ cups of water
• Add salt and pepper to taste – salt is optional especially if you are on a low sodium diet

Instructions

1. In a large stainless steel stock pot combine all of the ingredients – less the salt and pepper – and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Lower heat and gently boil for 15 minutes – being sure to stir the soup from time to time.  Do not scorch the soup!
2. After 10 minutes have passed, taste your soup and add salt and pepper “to taste”.  If you would rather not add salt and pepper until you are serving your soup as a meal, feel free to hold off adding these two seasonings.  If you are on a low sodium diet, skip the salt altogether.
3. Ladle hot soup into hot jars, filling to 1-inch of headspace.  Wipe jar rims with a wash cloth dipped in vinegar, add lids and rings, and hand tighten your rings until fingertip tight.
4. Process at 10 pounds of pressure, or according to your elevation.  Pints process for 60 minutes, quarts for 75 minutes.

INGREDIENT TIP: To par-cook your dried Lima beans, simply place your dried beans in a sauce ban and cover with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, then cover, remove from heat and allow to rest for 1 hour. When ready to use, drain and rinse the Lima beans and add to the recipe.

Happy Canning~
Diane, The Canning Diva
www.canningdiva.com

Image credit: Marco Mayer

Updated 10-3-2023; Adapted new processing times from The National Center for Home Food Preservation publication on 5/24/2021