Homemade Vegetable Stock (2024)

This Vegetable Stock recipe is so flavorful and nourishing!Learn how to create the best vegetable broth- nutritious, delicious, full of depth and flavor. The perfect foundation for soups, sauces, risotto, and more. Video.

Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do. ~Byron Katie

Making your ownVegetable Stock will uplevel your homemade soups and other recipes exponentially! Vegetablebroth should be delicious, just as it is, and this vegetable broth recipe is no exception- it truly is the best… you’ll even want to enjoy a mug by itself!

It may feel like an extra step at first, to make your own homemade vegetable stock from scratch, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see how simple it is with very little hands-on time. You will eventually get into the rhythm, and I think you will be so happy with the boost in flavor and nutritional quality of your recipes!

Why You’ll Love VegeTable Broth!

1. Enhanced flavor and depth. Nothing beats homemade stock. When you create the depth of flavor yourself, you will appreciate how this stock improves the flavor of all the other recipes you use it with.
2. Nutrient Rich! Full of nutritional benefits, homemade veggie broth is made with a variety of vegetables, including their leaves and stems, full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
3. Minimal hands-on time. Once the ingredients are added to a pot, you simply simmer for an hour! Let your house be infused with warm, soul-nourishing aromas while you enjoy the enriching experience of making something from scratch.
4. Affordable! It’s a great way to handle all your kitchen scraps- we save them up in the freezer until ready to make the veggie broth!

Vegetable Stock Recipe Ingredients

• Onions, shallots, or leeks: Aromatic alliums add a savory depth and sweetness to stock. They provide a rich umami flavor that forms the base of the broth.
• Garlic: Infuses the stock with a robust and pungent flavor. Adds a hint of spiciness and earthiness, enhancing the overall taste.
• Carrots: Offer a subtle sweetness and delicate earthy flavor. They even impart a vibrant orange color!
• Celery: Brings a refreshing and herbaceous note to the stock. It adds a slight bitterness and a refreshing, crisp taste that complements the other ingredients.
• Herbs: Herbs like fresh parsley, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and basil provide a range of aromatic and fresh flavors. They infuse the broth with their unique herbal profiles, adding complexity and fragrance.
• Peppercorns and sea salt: Black peppercorns provide a subtle spicy kick and add a touch of warmth to the stock. Sea salt enhances the overall taste by bringing out the natural flavors of the vegetables.
• Mushrooms (optional): Add mushrooms to give the stock a deeper, richer flavor.
• Apple or pear (optional): Adding these will bring in a slightly sweet balance of flavor.
• Tomato (optional): Can be added for just a touch of tanginess!

InGREDIENTS TO AVOID

Here are some ingredients that can make vegetable broth bitter. In addition to the ingredients listed below, remember that cooking your vegetable stock too long can result in a bitter broth.

• Brassica’s (kale, brussels, cabbage, chard, bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard greens etc.)
• Zucchini and green beans
• Too many tomato seeds
• Too many onion skins and ends
• Powdered herbs

How to make Vegetable Broth

1. SAUTE: In a 6-8 quart large stock pot, sauté onions, mushrooms and celery in olive oil for 15 minutes or until lightly caramelized. This is going to add a ton of flavor to the broth.

That said, sometimes, when short on time, I skip this step and just go straight to the simmering. You’ll still get good flavor, just not as rich and deep.

2. SIMMER: Add carrots, leeks, garlic, tomato, apple or pear, parsley, bay leaves, basil, peppercorns, salt, anddulse flakes. Add cold water. Cover with a lid slightly vented. Low simmer for one hour.

3. STRAIN: Let cool and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Freeze in cup, pint and quart portions for easy prep. You will be so happy you did! This homemade broth is so far beyond delicious compared to what you buy in the store.

How to store Vegetable stock

Keep sealed in airtight storage containers in the fridge for 5 days. It also freezes beautifully. When freezing I use ball jars with these leak-proof lids. It is important to fill to just a couple of inches from the top of the jar for room to expand as it freezes.

Expert Tips

• Cut your veggies– the more surface area exposed, the more flavor will be imparted into the broth.
• No need to stir– stirring can break down veggies and can cloud the stock.
• Use cold water- veggies have different cooking times and flavor solubility, cold water allows them to release flavor slowly and more fully without breaking down.

Ways to Elevate Vegetable Broth

• Sautéing (esp. mushrooms and onions) adds depth
• Add a handful of soaked beans or bean water left from cooking
• Add a few tablespoons of walnuts or almonds
• A few teaspoons tomato paste or roasted tomatoes
• Roast or grill the veggies beforehand
• Add a few splashes of wine
• Small handful of dried mushrooms
• For Italian / European recipes use rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage.
• For an Asian direction add a little ginger, shiitakes and cilantro.

Nutritional Boosting Ingredeints

Make your veggie broth a “supertonic” by adding one or more of these superfoods. They do impart an herby, earthy and rooty flavor.

• Reishi mushrooms- deeply nourishing, adaptogenic, anti-cancer, immune modulator, anti-inflammatory
• Burdock root–eliminates toxins, increases circulation, blood cleanser
• Dandelion root– antioxidant, supports liver health, balances cholesterol
• Astragalus root- an amazing adaptogen supporting physical and mental stress
• Kelp and dulse– fiber, tons of nutrients, minerals, antioxidants

Saving Scraps for Vegetable Broth

I keep a plastic ziplock bag in the freezer, and every time I am prepping I throw in broth-worthy scraps. I add this to the broth when cooking, adjusting amounts depending on how much I have.

• Carrot ends and peels (some can be bitter!)
• Leek tops
• Onion ends and outer peels (go light on the skins and ends)
• Mushroom stems
• Parsley and cilantro stems
• Tomato tops and ends
• Peas
• Parsnips
• Shiitake stems
• Fennel tops
• Beets and beet tops
• Lettuces; romaine, arugula, spinach.
• Celeriac peels
• Scallions
• Herb stems
• Corn cobs
• Bell peppers
• Turnips
• Butternut or other winter squash

Ways to use Vegetable Stock

I hope you have fun playing around with this Vegetable Broth recipe!

~Tonia

Vegetable Stock Video

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