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. ~
Making your own Vegetable Stock will uplevel your homemade soups and other recipes exponentially! Vegetable broth 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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, and dulse 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
FAQs
Vegetable stock is made from simmering aromatic vegetable scraps in water. It typically starts with a base of onions, carrots, and celery, but you can get creative with so many wonderful ingredients that add rich flavor.
Mushrooms add deep, rich flavor. Apples or pears add a bit of sweetness. Tomatoes can add tanginess. Taking the time to sauté the onions, mushrooms, and celery will help enhance the flavor too.
SO healthy! Vegetable stock is a highly nutritional recipe that is great to have on hand when you’re feeling under the weather or need a boost. It’s full of vitamins and minerals. Plus, you can see our list above of ingredients that can add even more of a nutritional boost!
Yes! Give it a try and you’ll taste the difference. The flavors are richer and fresher. And you can customize it to your taste preferences. Make a large batch to freeze for easy use.
Ways to use Vegetable Stock
I hope you have fun playing around with this Vegetable Broth recipe!
Vegetable Stock Video
Vegetable Stock Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 quarts 1x
- Category: broth, soup,
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Homemade vegetable stock is easy to make at home! Deeply nourishing, this vegetable broth recipe adds flavor and depth to soups & stews.
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lb mushrooms
- 2 large carrots, cut in chunks
- 2 celery stems, some inner leaves are fine, chopped
- 1 leek or 1 bunch scallions or a handful of chives, chopped in rounds
- 1 head of garlic, cut tips off the head
- 1 tomato, quartered
- 1/2 apple or pear, sliced
- 1 hand full of parsley with stems
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dulse flakes (optional)
- 5 quarts of cold water
- See post body for other additions to elevate this.
Instructions
- In an 8 quart pot, sauté onions, mushrooms, and celery in a little olive oil for 15 minutes or until lightly carmelized.
- Add carrots, leeks, garlic, tomato, apple, parsley, bay leaves, basil, peppercorns, salt, dulse flakes and water.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Turn down to a simmer cover with a with a lid slightly vented for an hour.
- Let cool. Strain.
Notes
If you prefer not to sauté, just skip that step and throw everything in the pot to simmer.
Keeps in fridge 5 days.
Freeze in pint and quart portions for easy prep. If freezing in jars, leave 1-inch headroom.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 24
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 279.1 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Made this today. I am never going back to store bought!
Awesome Jennifer!
when I make meat stocks, I simmer them down (2+ gallons after straining out solids) down to about 2-3cm in the pot) cool, then pour into ice cube trays & freeze. (about 4cups, concentrated volume)
– will this work to make concentrated veg stock?
– can the concentrates be hot water bath canned?
I have been wanting to play around with this Alan. Seems like it would work to concentrate it, after the initial cooking and straining. It should also can just fine!
I have made this recipe multiple times as it is written, and it is wonderful. On a move away from animal based foods, I don’t miss chicken stock at all. The tips are so helpful in understanding how to build the flavors you want. Thank you!
So glad you found this helpful Colleen.
I like the idea of using scraps, like ends of celery. But many vegetables don’t really have scraps, like onions. So I feel like I would be actually wasting food. Can I do anything with the vegetables when I’m done?
I throw in the ends of the onions, peels of carrots, potatoes and garlic skins etc. The veggies are pretty spent once cooked but you could certainly eat them with the stock. I usually throw them in the compost bin, another way of reusing them!
Just made this vegetable broth recipe. I used 2 onions and fresh basil w/dried. It tastes great! I did use less water than called for.
Glad you gave it a go!
So glad I saw this post & decided to try. Wow- had no idea it was so easy to make a delicious broth! Have been saving veggie scraps in my freezer & only salted along with adding extra garlic and flavor is amazing! I let simmer for several hours & will definitely be repeating this to help save on cooking waste & cost.
That is so awesome! So glad you enjoyed!
This is a truly delicious recipe. What a relief to be able to use all the food in our fridge! Several weeks ago, I froze a bunch of wonderfully fresh and green celery tops with some stems (to use in our turkey) and they work so well in this broth.
Today, I’m making a 2nd batch and adding a bit of potato, some ginger and turmeric.
I agree Linda! It feels so good to be resourceful. Ginger and turmeric sound so good!
Quick question: am thinking of using a pressure cooker…will this work…and would 15m be sufficient?
Hi Dianne, I haven’t tried this in a pressure cooker, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work? You can always add more water after or just have a more concentrated broth.
This is so easy and turns out so good! Invited 2 vegetarians to Thanksgiving this year and wanted to substitute vegetable stock where I use chicken, and wanted a nice hearty veggie stock that could make the gravy turn out rich. This is it! Surprised at some of the ingredients (pears!? tomato!?) but highly recommend you don’t leave out any – perfect base for many dishes. Thank you for sharing!
So happy you enjoyed this Scott! Thanks so much for circling back and leaving a review, very appreciated!
WOW. Thank you so very much for this recipe. I’ve been really sick for awhile, not really into food but like just ‘sipping’ on hot drinks. Soup was too chunky & I’m not really a herbal tea person! I stumbled across this & it’s been a game changer!! I have popped 5 serves into 300ml mason jars, popped in fridge, & grab one out each day, when I need a little something. Heat & sip! Pure bliss ❤️
So glad to hear this is helping you heal Alexandra!
Made this tonight, it was phenomenal! So easy. I loved all of the options for variations, too. I cook with broth a lot and will be using this moving forward in place of the jarred concentrate stuff.
Wonderful Ashley!
Wonderful recipe. Absolutely delicious.
So glad you enjoyed it Victoria!