Southwestern vegetable soup combines corn, tomatoes, tomatillos and a mix of peppers with bold southwest seasonings to create a shelf-stable, meatless soup that heats up into a quick, satisfying dinner any night of the year.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
This southwestern vegetable soup is a tested pressure-canning recipe taken from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. It is a full-packed soup—jars loaded with vegetables with just enough tomato juice and broth to fill the gaps—and must be processed in a pressure canner as required for low-acid soups.
As written the recipe is entirely plant-based, making it a great option for a vegetarian pantry. At serving time you can easily boost the meal by stirring in home-canned beans or shredded cooked meat, or by topping with tortilla chips and cheese for a fast, family-friendly dinner.
Notes from My Kitchen
I usually make this soup in late summer when the corn and peppers are abundant and the tomatoes and tomatillos are coming in. The recipe is forgiving about pepper varieties, so I use whatever is ripe—some years that included jars made with pickled banana peppers when fresh ones ran short. It always tastes like summer in a jar.
A full batch yields about 8 pints or 4 quarts; I typically can quarts for family meals. On busy nights we warm a jar, add tortilla chips and cheese, or stir in a pint of beans for an even heartier meal. It’s the kind of pantry soup that simplifies weeknights.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Southwestern Vegetable Soup
- Recipe Type: Soup canning recipe (full-packed, vegetarian)
- Canning Method: Pressure canning
- Prep Time: About 45 minutes
- Cook Time: About 15 minutes
- Canning Time: Pints 55 minutes, Quarts 85 minutes
- Yield: About 8 pints or 4 quarts
- Jar Sizes: Pints or quarts
- Headspace: 1 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Corn, tomatoes, tomatillos, carrots, onions, bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, southwest spices, tomato juice, broth or water, hot sauce
- Difficulty: Moderate
Ingredients for Southwestern Vegetable Soup
This recipe makes about 8 pints or 4 quarts. Vegetables are measured by volume after prep—see the recipe card below for exact amounts. Here’s what each ingredient brings to the pot:
- Corn: Fresh corn cut from the cob gives the sweetest flavor; thawed frozen kernels work well too.
- Tomatoes and tomatillos: Tomatoes add body and acidity; tomatillos contribute a bright, tangy note. Peel and seed tomatoes and husk tomatillos before chopping.
- Carrots and onions: These round out the base and add subtle sweetness.
- Peppers: Red and green bell peppers for color and sweetness; banana peppers and jalapeños for mild heat. Pickled banana peppers are acceptable if fresh are unavailable. Aim for about 3 cups total peppers.
- Cilantro and seasonings: Chili powder, cayenne (optional), black pepper and hot sauce give the southwest flavor; finish with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Tomato juice and broth or water: These form the liquid base. Use tomato juice for more tomato-forward flavor or swap with vegetable broth for a lighter soup.
Do not add thickeners, dairy, rice, pasta, or uncooked beans before canning—those ingredients are not safe to pressure can in a soup. Add them when reheating a jar to serve.
Southwestern Vegetable Variations
This is a tested recipe and safety depends on the specified processing time and pressure. Because it is built on low-acid vegetables, it must be pressure canned. The tomatoes, tomatillos and tomato juice provide acidity and most of the liquid; keep those components as written. You may adjust the pepper mix (total ~3 cups) or substitute tomato juice with broth for a milder flavor. Avoid adding thickeners, dairy, pasta, rice, beans or meat before canning; add them when serving.
How to Make Southwestern Vegetable Soup
Most of the work is in the prep: wash, chop and measure the vegetables, then simmer briefly before packing hot into jars. This hot-pack method helps fill jars cleanly and ensures heat penetrates for safe processing.
Prepare the Vegetables
Wash all produce. Cut corn from the cob or use thawed frozen corn. Peel, seed and chop tomatoes; husk and chop tomatillos. Slice carrots, chop onions and chop all peppers. Mince cilantro. Measure each vegetable by volume into separate bowls so everything is ready to go.
Simmer and Pack the Jars
Combine all vegetables, tomato juice, broth or water, and seasonings in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle the hot soup into prepared jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands finger-tight.
Canning Southwestern Vegetable Soup
This batch size fits a standard canner load. Pressure canning requires a minimum fill—plan to fill the canner. The yield is about 8 pints or 4 quarts depending on how the vegetables measure.
Prepare your pressure canner, jars and lids. Place filled jars in the canner with two inches of simmering water. Lock the lid, heat to vent steam for 10 minutes, then bring to pressure. Use the pressure listed below adjusted for altitude. Process pints for 55 minutes or quarts for 85 minutes. When the time is up, turn off the heat and let the canner cool to zero pressure naturally. Remove jars and let cool undisturbed 12–24 hours before checking seals and storing.
Altitude Adjustments
Processing times remain the same at higher altitudes, but required pressures change. Use these adjustments:
For dial gauge pressure canners:
- 0 to 2,000 feet: 11 lb pressure
- 2,001 to 4,000 feet: 12 lb pressure
- 4,001 to 6,000 feet: 13 lb pressure
- 6,001 to 8,000 feet: 14 lb pressure
For weighted gauge pressure canners:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 lb pressure
- Above 1,000 feet: 15 lb pressure
How to Serve Southwestern Vegetable Soup
Heat a jar and serve straight with tortilla chips, shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream. To make it heartier, stir in a pint of cooked beans or shredded cooked chicken, pork or beef while warming on the stove. Mixing this soup with another jarred soup can create a flavorful fusion stew—try adding cooked rice to stretch it into a full meal.
Yield Notes
A full batch yields about 8 pints or 4 quarts. The exact number depends on how generously the vegetables measure and how much the soup reduces during simmering. The recipe scales cleanly to fill a larger pressure canner; if you scale down, remember the canning minimum of 2 quarts or 4 pints and keep proportions steady.
Tips for Success
- Measure vegetables by volume after chopping—the recipe is balanced around prepared amounts, especially the peppers (about 3 cups total).
- Keep the simmer gentle so corn and peppers hold their shape.
- Do not thicken the soup or add beans or meat before canning; add those at serving.
Southwestern Vegetable Soup FAQs
No. Because it contains low-acid vegetables, it must be pressure canned for safe, shelf-stable jars.
Yes. Use any mix of sweet and hot peppers totaling about 3 cups. Pickled banana peppers work if fresh are unavailable. Do not increase the overall volume of peppers beyond the recipe amount.
Add cooked beans or shredded meat at serving time rather than before canning. Changing the jar contents changes density and wasn’t tested for this recipe.
Properly processed and sealed jars keep about 12 to 18 months in a cool, dark place, though they remain safe longer. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 to 4 days.
If you enjoyed this Southwestern Vegetable Soup recipe, consider canning other soups to stock your pantry. This recipe is a reliable, flavorful way to preserve summer vegetables and enjoy quick dinners year-round.
Soup Canning Recipes
Canning Sausage Potato and Kale Soup (Copycat Zuppa Toscana)
Canning Taco Soup
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Southwestern Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- Pressure canner
- Canning funnel
- Canning jars, lids and bands
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 quarts corn kernels, uncooked
- 1 quart tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups tomatillos, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup banana peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, chopped
- 3 Tbsp cilantro, minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 quarts tomato juice
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 4 tsp hot sauce
Instructions
- Wash and chop all vegetables. Peel and seed tomatoes; husk tomatillos.
- Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- Prepare a pressure canner and hot jars.
- Ladle the hot soup into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands finger-tight.
- Process at the pressures listed in the altitude section (see above). Process pints 55 minutes or quarts 85 minutes.
- Turn off heat and allow the canner to return to zero pressure naturally. Cool jars undisturbed 12–24 hours, then check seals before storing.
Notes
This full-packed vegetarian soup comes from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. Because it contains low-acid vegetables it must be pressure canned; do not shorten processing time or lower pressure.
Whole-vegetable starting amounts: A full batch is roughly 12 medium ears corn, 16 medium tomatillos, 2 medium carrots, 2 medium onions (or 1 large), 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper, 3–4 banana peppers and 2–3 jalapeños before prepping. The ingredient list above gives prepared amounts.
Peppers: Use about 3 cups total. Any mix of sweet and hot peppers is fine; do not increase the total amount.
Substitutions: For a lighter, less tomato-forward soup, replace the tomato juice with vegetable broth.
Storage: Properly processed and sealed jars keep about 12–18 months in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3–4 days.
Serving suggestions: Serve with sour cream and tortilla chips, add home-canned beans or meat to make it a stew, or mix with other jarred soups for a creative meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 cups • Calories: 264 kcal • Carbs: 58 g • Protein: 10 g • Fat: 4 g • Sodium: 684 mg • Fiber: 9 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Looking to stock the pantry with full dinners in a jar? Try other meal-in-a-jar canning recipes to expand your preserved meal options.
Meal in a Jar Canning Recipes
Canning Boston Baked Beans
Canning Chili Con Carne
Canning Chicken Pot Pie Filling
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