Canning Potato Soup

Canning potato soup is a simple way to make quick, homemade meals possible. I love having this on my pantry shelf to grab on busy days, and for packed lunches.

This recipe shows you how to process potatoes with seasonings and (my preference) sausage to make a delicious soup to can.

As with any soup that typically incorporates dairy products, we really canning a base – the potatoes, the meat, the seasonings, the chicken broth or water – and then adding the milk or cream when we open it and heat it up.

During the fall as we transition away from canning summer produce, I like to make a big push to finish filling up my pantry shelves by canning some ready-to-eat (or nearly ready) meals like soup. Canning tomato soup is one of my favorites, and canned ham and beans is a whole comfort food vibe.

They make my life during the school year and holidays so much easier!

Ingredients for canning potato soup

• The main ingredient here is potatoes. I like to use russet potatoes, as they are less watery. While I can potatoes using almost any potato available, russet and yukon gold are my favorites.
• Sausage. You can make a vegetarian soup, or use hamburger, ham, or whatever you prefer. My family really likes Zuppa Toscana, so I typically use sausage to make a version of that.
• Kale. Optional, of course, but sticking with the Zuppa Toscana idea, I add about a cup of loosely packed kale to each jar. This is really the only green I recommend using in your canned potato soup, because others don’t seem to hold up well to pressure canning.
• Onions. Essential for flavor in my opinion. I cook these with the sausage before canning.
• Garlic. This is a good, flavorful addition, but can also be omitted if the pungency of canned garlic isn’t for you.
• Chicken broth. You can also substitute vegetable broth or water, but I like the added flavor of chicken broth.
• Salt and pepper. These are for both flavor, and in the case of salt, for preservation. Rather than salting the soup, we will add a specific amount of salt to each jar to be sure we’re eliminating as much potential for bad bacteria as possible.
• Other seasonings. This soup has few seasonings, getting most of its flavor from the sausage and onions, in the way that Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana does. However, you are more than welcome to add dried or fresh herbs, such as thyme, to your own recipe, to make the flavor what you like.
• Other vegetables. My mom used to add celery to potato soup, and I love it, but my family does not, so I don’t. A lot of people also add carrots. You can add either of these to the soup with no problem. Our canning time and protocols will be based on the the meat and potatoes, which covers other vegetables as well.

Equipment needed for canning potato soup

As will all vegetables and low-acid foods, this soup needs to be pressure canned (see this article from the national center for home food preservation). While many people do use water bath canning, especially certain sects of Amish who endeavor to keep all modern inventions out of their homes – including pressure canners, I don’t recommend it.

I have seen so much food spoilage due to improper canning. I do get the appeal, I’ve also longed for a water bath canner that would allow  me to can 50 quarts at a time. But it’s not worth it. I especially remember that summer we canned vegetable soup with several friends in our community. One of our friends had a large water bath canner in their backyard over a fire pit that could can 70 jars at one time. Sadly, those water bath canned jars saw an extraordinarily high spoilage rate, wasting much of our work.

I’ve become strict about using the pressure canner for low acid foods since then.

• All that to say, you’ll need a pressure canner. I like to keep things simple. I don’t think you need a fancy, or expensive pressure canner. A simple Presto pressure canner is perfectly fine.
• You will need canning jars. For canning soup, I find that for the four of us, one quart isn’t quite enough, so I can a combination of quarts and pints. I’m not picky about what type of jars, most brands work equally well.
• Canning lids. I am a little more picky about lids. Some lids, such as Walmart’s brand, have a higher failure rate. I really prefer Denali canning lids, and buy them in bulk since you typically need to replace your lids each time you can.
• Canning funnel. If you don’t have one of these, run, don’t walk, to get one. If will change your life. You’ll be able to fill your jars quickly and easily, without a mess. You might not even need to wipe the rims of your jars before you put the lids on.

How to make potato soup for canning

1. Dice onion, and brown along with sausage.
   
   
2. While sausage is browning, peel and dice potatoes.
3. Remove stems from kale, and chop into small pieces.
4. Prepare jars, lids, rings, and pressure canner with cool water.
5. Drain sausage, and add about 3/4 cup of cooked sausage and onion mixture to each quart jar (halve all amounts if using pint jars).
   
   
6. On top of sausage, add a big handful of chopped kale – about a cup, not packed.
7. Fill remainder of jar with diced potatoes, up to about 3/4 inch off the top.
   
   
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt to each jar.
9. Fill jar with chicken broth or water, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
   
   
10. Wipe jar rims with a soft cloth to remove any debris.
11. Screw down lids and bands.
12. Place jars in canner, and lock lids on.
13. Heat over medium-high heat until a steady stream of steam escapes from the open vent.
14. Let vent for 10 minutes.
15. Close vent, and bring canner to 10 pounds of pressure, or equivalent for your elevation (see this chart for info).
16. Pressure can for 90 minutes (quarts), or 75 minutes (pints).
17. Remove from heat, and let return to zero pressure before opening lid. If you remove jars from the canner while still very hot, be careful to avoid drafts, and cover with a towel until jars are cooled.
18. After 24 hours, check for seals, and store jars in a cool place our to direct light.

To Serve: 

Pour contents of jar into a sauce pan, and heat over medium heat. 

As soup heats, add 1/2 cup of cream or half and half.

Serve with desired toppings such as cheese, chives, and bacon bits. 

Other recipes you’ll enjoy:

• How to can chicken soup
• How to can vegetable soup
• Canning split pea soup
• Canning ham and bean soup
• Canning lentil soup

 

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