Canning Dry Packed Potatoes with peppers and onion

Dry-packed potatoes with bell peppers and onions are pressure canned without added canning liquid, creating firm, flavorful potatoes that work especially well for frying, roasting, and quick skillet meals. Unlike potatoes canned in water or broth, the dry-pack method allows the potatoes to retain their natural flavor and texture while the bell peppers and onions add savory flavor throughout the jar. Once canned, these ready-to-use potatoes make it easy to prepare home fries, breakfast potatoes, side dishes, and hearty meals straight from the pantry.

(I sometimes use affiliate links in my content. This will not cost you anything but it helps me offset my costs to keep creating new canning recipes. Thank you for your support.)

By Diane Devereaux | The Canning Diva® 
Last updated: October 1, 2026

Key Takeaways

• No added canning liquid: The dry-pack method pressure cans the potatoes without adding water or broth to the jars.
• Built-in flavor: Bell peppers and onions add savory flavor, making the potatoes ready for quick meals and side dishes.
• Versatile pantry staple: Use them for breakfast potatoes, skillet meals, casseroles, soups, or as an easy side dish.
• Less prep at mealtime: The potatoes are peeled, cut, and preserved ahead of time, reducing the work needed when preparing a meal.
• Pressure canning is required: Potatoes, bell peppers, and onions are low-acid foods and require pressure canning for shelf-stable preservation.

Jump to Recipe

Canning Dry-Packed Potatoes with Bell Peppers and Onions

Thousands of people have learned how to dry pack potatoes using my canning method, and it continues to be one of my favorite ways to preserve potatoes for quick meals. Dry packing simply means filling the jars with prepared potatoes without adding water, broth, or another canning liquid before pressure canning.

Traditional potato canning methods typically call for packing prepared potatoes into jars and covering them with boiling water. While that method works well when you want potatoes for soups, stews, mashed potatoes, or other recipes where a softer texture is useful, dry-packed potatoes give you another option.

Without the added canning liquid, the potatoes maintain a texture that works especially well for frying and skillet cooking after you open the jar. Adding bell peppers and onions takes the concept one step further by creating a flavorful pantry staple that already contains the foundation for home fries, breakfast potatoes, and easy side dishes.

When you are ready to use them, simply open a jar, drain any natural liquid that may have accumulated during processing, and add the potatoes, peppers, and onions to a hot skillet with your preferred cooking fat. Season them to complement the meal and cook until heated through and beautifully browned.

You can also use these dry-packed potatoes in casseroles, soups, stews, breakfast hashes, and other recipes calling for cooked potatoes. Having the potatoes already peeled, cut, preserved, and seasoned with peppers and onions eliminates much of the prep work when you need to put a meal together quickly.

If you prefer a basic version without the additional vegetables, try my original Dry-Packed Potatoes Canning Recipe. Keeping both versions in your pantry gives you greater flexibility when planning meals from your home-canned food.

Dry Packed Potatoes with Bell Peppers and Onions Canning Recipe

Makes about 12 quarts or 24 pints

This recipe makes the BEST fried potatoes on the planet! Say goodbye to soggy potatoes and 3 inches of starch at the bottom of your jar after long-term storage, leaving you with a distant memory of the potato prior to covering them with water. The addition of peppers and onions makes for an excellent accompaniment to any breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Get this recipe and more in my cookbook, Canning Full Circle 2nd Edition.

Ingredients

• 30 pounds potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into 1-inch cubes (peeling optional)
• 5 large bell peppers (any color), diced (7 1/2 cups)
• 2 large sweet onions, diced (4 cups)
• 5 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup melted butter or ghee (see Ingredient Tip for alternatives)

Instructions

1. Thoroughly scrub your potatoes with a vegetable brush under running water. It is okay if some of the skin scrubs off. Be sure to remove any dry rot from the potato, including eye sprouts from its exterior. After scrubbing the entire potato well, rinse again under fresh, running water. You may also peel your potatoes if you do not desire the skins be left on. Be sure to rinse your potatoes under fresh, running water after peeling. Cube the potatoes.
2. In a large stockpot, combine cubed potatoes, peppers, onions, and minced garlic. Cover the mixture with the melted ghee or butter. Mix well to thoroughly coat. If using olive oil, refer to the Ingredient Tip.
3. Using a funnel, fill jars and pack tight, tapping everything down as you add more vegetables. The goal is to pack each jar as tightly as possible. Fill to a 1-inch headspace.
4. Wipe the jar rim of each jar with a clean washcloth dipped in vinegar. Place a lid and ring on each jar and hand tighten.
5. Place the jars in the pressure canner filled with 3 quarts of cool water. Allow the canner to heat slowly on medium heat for the first 10 minutes before increasing the heat to high.
6. Process at 10 PSI or according to your elevation and canner type. Process quarts for 40 minutes and pints for 35 minutes.

Ingredient Tip: Instead of using ghee, or butter, in this recipe, you may safely use a 1/4 cup of oil. I recommend olive avocado oil. Also, instead of cubing your potatoes, you may cut the potatoes into uniform shaped wedges or into larger 2-inch chunks.

---

People Often Ask

---

About the Author:
Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, is an internationally recognized food preservation expert, author, and educator with over 30 years of home canning experience. She’s the author of multiple top-selling canning books and teaches workshops across the U.S. Learn more at TheCanningDiva.com.