Over 30 Tasty Ways to Can Potatoes at Home

Potato canning recipes provide a pantry full of ready-to-heat comfort food, from simple jars of potatoes for quick mashed or fried sides to hearty soups and stews you can warm in minutes.

Potatoes form the backbone of many cold-weather meals, and having them already canned means dinner is half done before you begin.

Potatoes are a classic root-cellar crop, but small batches often spoil before you finish them, and even a good cellar has limited space. Pressure canning lets you preserve extras as cubes for quick sides or as the base for complete meals in a jar. All potato canning must be done with a pressure canner because potatoes are low-acid and are not safe to process with a water bath.

This category leans heavily on soups and stews. Plain canned potatoes are useful, but chowders, potato-leek soups, and beef stews that rely on potatoes for body are the real workhorses. They pair well with other root vegetable canning recipes and are handy additions to a stocked pantry.

Important note: avoid mashed potatoes, creamy purees, or mixtures thickened with flour. Dense, starchy preparations slow heat penetration and are unsafe to can. Instead, can soups chunky and brothy, then add cream, milk, or thickeners when reheating.

Canning Plain Potatoes

Plain canned potatoes are the foundation for many recipes. Peel and cut potatoes into half-inch cubes or leave small potatoes whole, give them a brief boil, and pack them in fresh hot water before processing. Do not slice or shred potatoes for canning—only cubes and small whole potatoes have been tested for safe heat penetration. Always use fresh boiling water in the jar rather than the starchy cooking water.

Once canned, potatoes are already peeled and mostly cooked, so they go straight into hash, stews, or quick mashed potatoes. Store them with other canned vegetables.

• Canning Potatoes
• Canning French Fries (raw-pack fry-cut potatoes)

These instructions apply to white potatoes. Sweet potatoes require different processing times and methods.

Potato Soups & Chowders

Potatoes add body and creamy texture to soups and chowders, and their soft texture after canning is ideal for a bowl of soup. These recipes are all pressure-canned and should be prepared chunky and brothy; add any dairy when reheating.

Potato-leek soup is a classic staple, and versions like sausage, potato, and kale (a Zuppa Toscana–style) are favorites. Potatoes also stabilize a wide range of chowders—from corn to salmon—making them versatile pantry items.

Vegetarian Potato Soups

These vegetable-forward pressure-canning recipes let potatoes shine, contributing rich body without meat. They’re great for stocking meatless meals; add a splash of cream at serving if desired.

• Canning Potato Leek Soup
• Canning Asparagus, Potato & Leek Soup
• Classic Vegetable Soup
• Canning Butternut Squash Soup Base
• Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder
• Build-Your-Own Soup Base (potatoes optional)

Meat & Seafood Potato Chowders

Adding meat or seafood to potato-based canning recipes lets potatoes absorb savory flavors and stretch protein further. Each of these jars reheats into a complete meal.

Beef and Pork Soups with Potatoes

Beef and pork provide a deep savory backbone, while potatoes make the soups hearty. Some recipes include sausage to add richness so the jar tastes slow-cooked when reheated.

• Potato & Ham Soup
• Hamburger Vegetable Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup
• Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

Chicken & Turkey Soups with Potatoes

Poultry yields a lighter soup while potatoes provide staying power. These recipes are an excellent way to preserve leftover chicken or holiday turkey as ready-to-heat meals.

• Chicken Mexican Soup
• Turkey and Vegetable Soup
• Chicken and Corn Chowder

Fish and Shellfish Soups with Potatoes

Seafood chowders pair naturally with potatoes, which lend body to the broth. These jars are processed as a base so you can finish them with milk or cream when reheating.

• Canning Nordic Salmon Soup
• Canning Fish Chowder Base
• Canning Salmon Chowder Base
• Clam Chowder Base

Stews & Meals with Potatoes

Potatoes appear in many hearty meals in a jar, stretching stews and soaking up surrounding flavors. Beef stews are a natural home for them, but potatoes also bulk up pot pie fillings and pot roast. Like the soups, these meals are pressure-canned with potatoes cut into chunks that hold their shape.

Beef stews often lean heavily on potatoes, with variations depending on available cuts and ingredients. For a full lineup of pantry meals that use potatoes, look to beef stews and meal-in-a-jar-style recipes.

Beef and Potato Canning Recipes

Beef stew is a classic pairing—beef and potatoes complement each other in the jar. There are several versions depending on meat cut and added ingredients, along with trusted recipes from other canners.

• Canning Beef Stew
• Canning Vegetable Beef Stew
• Canning Beef Stew with Mushrooms
• Canning Pot Roast in a Jar
• Canning Beef Pot Pie Filling
• Meatballs with Potatoes & Carrots
• Pennsylvania Pot Roast
• Savory Beef and Vegetables

Chicken and Potato Canning Recipes

Potatoes work equally well with chicken-based meals in a jar and pot pie fillings. They soak up gravy and keep meals hearty, so a single jar can be a convenient weeknight dinner.

• Canning Chicken Pot Pie Filling
• Canning Chicken and Gravy Meal in a Jar

Potatoes are among the most practical ingredients to keep on the pantry shelf. A jar of plain cubes saves time on weeknight dinners, and a few quarts of soup or stew mean a hot, satisfying meal is always within reach. Choose recipes that match your harvest, and you’ll appreciate the convenience when the weather turns cold.

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