Spring vegetables are a different kind of canning. After months of putting up pantry staples like soups and broths, there’s something exciting about working with produce that’s crisp, green, and fresh from the ground. These are the first real harvests of the year, and they deserve a spot on your canning shelves.
Right now, ramps are popping up in shady woodlands, asparagus spears are pushing through warming soil, and fiddleheads are unfurling along riverbanks. These are fleeting ingredients with short seasons, which makes them perfect for preserving. If you blink, you’ll miss them.
Most spring vegetable canning falls into two categories: pickling (which uses a water bath canner) and pressure canning for soups and plain vegetables. Both methods are straightforward, and the results are worth the effort. There’s nothing quite like opening a jar of pickled ramps in December and tasting spring all over again after a long winter without fresh produce.
Spring is a great time to stock up on vegetarian soups. These are all pressure canned and ready to heat and eat on busy weeknights. I have a big list with more than 20 Vegetarian Soup Canning Recipes, but here are some of my favorites:
Classic Vegetable Soup – A simple, hearty soup packed with garden vegetables. A pantry staple.
Canning Mushroom Soup Base – Rich and earthy, perfect as a base for casseroles or creamy mushroom soup.
Canning White Bean and Kale Soup – Hearty greens and creamy beans in a savory broth.
Asparagus is one of the first garden vegetables ready to harvest, and it takes beautifully to both pickling and pressure canning.
Canning Asparagus – Pressure canned spears, ready to add to pasta, stir-fries, or eat straight from the jar.
Canning Asparagus Soup Base – A creamy, versatile base you can turn into soup anytime. Pressure canned for safety.
Canning Asparagus Potato & Leek Soup – A complete, hearty soup with tender asparagus, potatoes, and leeks. Ready to heat and eat.
These classic spring vegetables are perfect for pressure canning, whether on their own or in soups.
Canning Carrots – Tender, sweet carrots ready to add to soups, stews, or serve as a simple side dish. Pressure canned.
Classic Pickled Carrots – Crunchy and tangy with a hint of sweetness. Great for snacking or adding to relish trays.
Canning Carrot Soup – Smooth, slightly sweet, and warming. A lovely light soup for spring evenings.
Canning Peas – Simple pressure canned peas, perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Canning Split Pea Soup – Hearty and satisfying, made with dried split peas. A pantry classic.
Garlic scapes arrive in late spring when hardneck garlic sends up curly green shoots. They have a mild garlic flavor that’s perfect for preserving. Fiddleheads, the tightly coiled fronds of certain ferns, appear for just a few weeks and are best preserved by pickling.
Pickled Garlic Scapes – Crunchy and mildly garlicky, these make a great snack or addition to a relish tray.
Garlic Scape Jam – Savory-sweet jam with a gentle garlic flavor. Delicious with cream cheese on crackers or alongside roasted pork.
Pickled Fiddleheads – Crunchy, tangy, and distinctly springlike. A true seasonal treat for foragers.
These alliums are some of the first flavors of spring. Ramps have a short, intense season in early spring, while leeks and onions bridge the gap into summer.
Pickled Ramps (Wild Leeks) – Tangy and pungent, with that distinctive ramp bite. Perfect alongside grilled meats or on a sandwich.
Canning Potato Leek Soup – Creamy, comforting, and ready for a quick weeknight dinner. Pressure canned.
Caramelized Onion Jam – Rich, sweet, and deeply savory. Perfect on burgers, with cheese, or stirred into sauces.
Bread and Butter Pickled Onions – Sweet and tangy pickled onion slices, great on sandwiches and salads.
If you’re looking to pickle other spring vegetables, this comprehensive guide covers the basics and beyond.
50+ Pickle Recipes (from Asparagus to Zucchini) – A complete roundup of pickling recipes for nearly every vegetable you can grow or forage.
If there’s a spring vegetable you’re hoping to preserve or something you’d like help with, just leave me a note in the comments.
Happy Canning!
-Ashley at Creative Canning
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