How to Can Soup at Home
Most soups are low-acid and must be pressure canned using a tested recipe. Do not thicken soups (with flour, cream or pasta) before canning, and follow the recipe exactly for ingredients, jar size, pressure, time and altitude. Add thickeners and dairy when you serve.
Home-canned soup is convenient, but soup is where canning rules bite: most soups are low-acid, and their ingredients affect how safely heat penetrates the jar.
How to do it safely
- Use a tested recipe for your soup type; do not improvise ingredients or ratios.
- Keep it thin, leave out flour, cream, milk, pasta and rice.
- Pressure can at the exact pressure and time for your altitude, in the specified jar size.
- Finish when serving, add thickeners, dairy or pasta as you reheat.
See how to pressure can, altitude adjustments, and the best pressure canners.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) — tested home-preservation methods and the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) — Food
- FoodSafety.gov
Frequently asked questions
Can you can homemade soup?
Yes, but most soups are low-acid and must be pressure canned to a tested recipe. Avoid thickeners, dairy and pasta in the jar, add those when reheating to serve.
Why can't I thicken soup before canning?
Thick ingredients (flour, cream, pasta, rice) can prevent heat penetrating the jar evenly, which compromises safety. Tested recipes keep canned soups thin.