Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia / USDA-derived guidance)
Safety reviewed: 09/09/2026
Processing details
Altitude adjustment: Dial gauge: 11 psi at 0–2,000 ft; 12 psi at 2,001–4,000 ft; 13 psi at 4,001–6,000 ft; 14 psi at 6,001–8,000 ft. Weighted gauge: 10 psi at 0–1,000 ft; 15 psi above 1,000 ft.
Source & provenance
Safety classification: Tested recipe from NCHFP.
Home-canned soup safety
| Method | Pressure |
|---|---|
| Pack | Hot pack |
| Jar sizes | Pints or quarts |
| Headspace | 1 inch |
| Critical fill | Jars half full of solids, then hot liquid |
Processing details
Method: Pressure
Tested source
Tested recipe source: National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP)
Home-canned soup timeline
- Prepare: Use only ingredients with their own tested
canning directions; fully rehydrate dried legumes. - Cook: Prepare ingredients as directed, combine with broth, tomatoes, or water, and boil 5 minutes.
- Fill and process: Fill jars only halfway with solids, cover with hot liquid to 1-inch headspace, and pressure-can.
Equipment for home-canned soup
Affiliate disclosure: Equipment links may earn a commission at no added cost; safety guidance is independent.
- Pressure canner with rack and a tested dial or weighted gauge
- Mason jars, two-piece lids, jar lifter,
canning funnel, headspace tool, and bubble remover - Large stainless-steel pot and clean towels
Visual method guide
- Prepare each permitted vegetable, meat, poultry, or seafood by its own
canning directions. - Fully rehydrate dried beans or peas; drain.
- Combine prepared solids with broth, tomatoes, or water and boil 5 minutes.
- Fill each jar halfway with solids, then add hot liquid to 1-inch headspace.
- Pressure-can; use 100 minutes for any soup containing seafood.
The official source and WPRM recipe card remain authoritative.
Safety essentials
Safety boundary: Do not add pasta, rice, flour, cream, milk, or any thickener. Fully rehydrate dried beans or peas. Use only ingredients with separate tested
What is the NCHFP soup process?
This is a flexible pressure-canning method for soups assembled from vegetables, fully rehydrated dried legumes, meat, poultry, or seafood that already have tested
Before you begin
- Confirm that every solid ingredient has its own tested
canning recommendation. - For each cup of dried beans or peas, add 3 cups water, boil 2 minutes, soak 1 hour, return to a boil, and drain.
- Do not thicken the soup before
canning . - Plan on the 100-minute process whenever seafood is included.
Altitude-adjusted pressure schedule
| Jar | Time | 0–2,000 ft | 2,001–4,000 ft | 4,001–6,000 ft | 6,001–8,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pints | 60 min* | 11 psi | 12 psi | 13 psi | 14 psi |
| Quarts | 75 min* | 11 psi | 12 psi | 13 psi | 14 psi |
| Jar | Time | 0–1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pints | 60 min* | 10 psi | 15 psi |
| Quarts | 75 min* | 10 psi | 15 psi |
*Seafood exception: Process pints or quarts for 100 minutes when the soup contains seafood.
Soups — NCHFP
Ingredients
- vegetables with separate tested canning recommendations prepare as directed for hot pack
- meat or poultry with separate tested canning recommendations optional; cook until tender and remove bones
- seafood with separate tested canning recommendations optional; if included, process jars 100 minutes
- fully rehydrated dried beans or peas optional; for each 1 cup dried beans or peas use 3 cups water, boil 2 minutes, soak 1 hour, reheat to boiling, then drain
- meat broth, tomatoes, or water enough to cover prepared solids and fill jars after solids reach halfway
- salt optional, to taste
Equipment
- 1 Pressure canner Use a dial- or weighted-gauge pressure canner appropriate for altitude.
- Canning jars Pints or quarts according to the tested schedule.
- Two-piece canning lids Prepare according to manufacturer directions.
Directions
- Prepare each vegetable, meat, poultry, or seafood ingredient according to its own tested canning directions. Cook meat until tender, cool, and remove bones. Prepare vegetables as for hot pack.
- If using dried beans or peas, fully rehydrate them: for each 1 cup dried beans or peas add 3 cups water, boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour, heat again to boiling, then drain.
- Combine prepared solid ingredients with meat broth, tomatoes, or water to cover. Boil 5 minutes. Do not thicken. Add salt to taste if desired.
- Fill jars only halfway with the solid mixture. Add hot liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids.
- Process pints 60 minutes or quarts 75 minutes. If the soup contains seafood, process 100 minutes.
- For dial gauge use 11 psi at 0–2,000 ft, 12 psi at 2,001–4,000 ft, 13 psi at 4,001–6,000 ft, and 14 psi at 6,001–8,000 ft. For weighted gauge use 10 psi at 0–1,000 ft and 15 psi above 1,000 ft.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.How to serve home-canned soup
Heat thoroughly after opening. Pasta, rice, milk, cream, or a thickener may be added at serving time rather than before
Home-canned soup questions
Can I add noodles or rice?
Not before
Why are jars filled only halfway with solids?
The tested process depends on that solids-to-liquid balance for safe heat movement through the jar.
How long do seafood soups process?
Any soup containing seafood processes for 100 minutes.
Canning soup versus canning broth
Soup jars contain approved solids plus liquid and must follow the half-solids rule. Plain tested stock uses its own preparation and processing schedule.
Home-canned soup troubleshooting
What if I accidentally overfilled the solids?
Correct the fill before processing so solids occupy no more than half the jar.
What if pressure drops?
Restore the required pressure and restart the full processing time.
What if the cooled soup looks thick?
Do not taste a suspect jar. If the tested formula or fill was not followed, discard it safely according to authoritative spoiled-food guidance.
Source & provenance
NCHFP, “Soups”. Adapted from the USDA Complete Guide to Home
Editorial review: Supporting blocks checked against the official source on September 20, 2026. The WPRM recipe card was preserved.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
Typical canning season
Season: All Year
Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
Varies by the recipe’s ingredient mix of Mixed recipe per person per year
This recipe does not have a reliable garden conversion. Plan a purchase or harvest separately, and do not use garden estimates to alter the tested recipe.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.