Nothing quite compares to the satisfaction of making your own homemade vegetable soup, especially when you know it’s going to be preserved for future enjoyment. Ball canning vegetable soup offers the perfect blend of convenience and taste, ensuring you can savor the fruits of your labor all year round. Canning soup is not just about storing food; it’s about preserving the essence of homegrown ingredients and the warmth of homemade meals.
Whether you’re an experienced canner or a novice looking to try something new, this vegetable soup recipe is simple enough to get you started but flavorful enough to impress. Canning also allows you to enjoy the fresh, vibrant flavors of summer vegetables in the cold winter months.
In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about making and canning vegetable soup, from the ingredients you’ll need to expert tips and recipe variations that can suit your tastes.
Ball Canning Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ball Canning is known for its wide array of canning supplies, and they offer a fantastic vegetable soup recipe that’s perfect for beginners and experienced home canners alike. The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility-it allows you to mix and match different vegetables based on what’s in season or what you have on hand. Plus, it’s packed with healthy, hearty ingredients that make for a filling and nutritious meal.
The main focus of this recipe is to achieve a balanced, flavorful broth that enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables, along with a hint of seasoning that doesn’t overpower the natural flavors. It’s a satisfying, wholesome dish that preserves the essence of fresh garden produce.
Ingredients Needed
To create a delicious and safe vegetable soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
-
Fresh Vegetables: The heart of any vegetable soup! Choose a mix of seasonal veggies to ensure the best flavor.
- Carrots (sliced)
- Celery (diced)
- Onion (chopped)
- Potatoes (peeled and diced)
- Green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- Tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
- Peas (frozen or fresh)
- Corn (fresh or frozen)
-
Broth
- Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth (store-bought or homemade)
-
Herbs & Seasonings
- Bay leaves
- Garlic (minced)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried thyme or Italian seasoning
-
Acidifying Agent: This is a critical part of home canning to ensure the soup stays safe and preserved.
- Lemon juice (for acidity)
-
Optional Add-ins: Customize your soup to your preference.
- Green peppers
- Zucchini
- Spinach or kale
- Beans (kidney, black beans, or chickpeas)
Cooking Instructions
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Here’s how you can prepare your vegetable soup for canning:
-
Prepare The Vegetables
- Wash, peel, and chop all your vegetables into uniform pieces. This ensures even cooking and an aesthetically pleasing final product.
-
Saute The Aromatics
- In a large pot, add a little olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant and translucent (about 5 minutes).
-
Cook The Vegetables
- Add your harder vegetables, like carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir for a few minutes. Then, add the remaining vegetables such as green beans, tomatoes, peas, and corn. Continue to sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
-
Add The Broth
- Pour in the broth, making sure the vegetables are fully submerged. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. This step helps the flavors meld together.
-
Season
- Add your seasonings-bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.
-
Add Acid
- For safe canning, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per quart jar (you can also use citric acid if preferred). This helps maintain the right pH for canning safety.
-
Pack Jars And Seal
- While the soup is simmering, prepare your canning jars. Sterilize them in hot water. Carefully ladle the hot soup into jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth.
- Seal the jars with canning lids and rings.
-
Process The Jars
- Place the filled jars into a pressure canner, ensuring they are fully submerged. Follow the pressure canner’s instructions for processing-typically, for vegetable soups, you’ll need to process for 75 minutes at 10-11 pounds of pressure, depending on your altitude.
-
Cool And Store
- Once the processing time is complete, remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check that the lids have sealed properly. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to enjoy.
Ingredient Insights
- Broth: Using homemade broth versus store-bought adds depth to your soup. Homemade broth, especially from leftover roasted vegetables or bones, gives the soup a richer flavor.
- Acidity: Acidifying the soup is essential to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria like botulism. This is why lemon juice or citric acid is a must when canning.
- Seasonings: Keep the seasonings simple. While it’s tempting to add a lot of herbs and spices, you can always adjust the seasoning after opening the jars to preserve the fresh taste of the veggies.
Expert Tips
- Use Fresh, High-Quality Produce: The flavor of your soup will only be as good as the vegetables you use, so opt for fresh, ripe, and in-season produce for the best results.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Jar: You want to pack the veggies into the jar tightly, but not too tight that the liquid doesn’t cover the vegetables. It’s all about balance.
- Jar Sterilization: Always sterilize your jars before canning. This prevents contamination and ensures your soup stays fresh longer.
- Test the Seals: After processing, check the jar seals by pressing down the center of the lid. If it doesn’t pop back, the jar is sealed. If it does, the jar is not sealed properly, and you’ll need to refrigerate it and eat it soon.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Vegetable Soup: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a couple of chopped jalapeños for a spicy kick.
- Italian-Style Soup: Incorporate basil, oregano, and a parmesan rind for a comforting, Italian twist.
- Meat Lovers’ Soup: Include some browned ground beef, sausage, or shredded chicken to give the soup more protein.
- Vegan Version: Use vegetable broth and omit any animal-based ingredients for a fully plant-based soup.
- Chunkier Texture: Instead of blending the soup, simply leave some of the vegetables coarser for more texture.
Final Words
Canning vegetable soup is an art as much as it is a science. Getting the right balance of flavors and textures while ensuring safe preservation can be tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards are immense. The jars you fill with this nutritious, hearty soup won’t just sit on your shelf waiting to be used; they’ll become a part of your home’s rhythm, providing comfort when you need it most. Whether you make a batch to store for winter or give them away as gifts, this vegetable soup is sure to warm both your heart and your kitchen.