Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (2024)

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This vegetable broth recipe takes less than an hour to make, is cheaper than store bought, and is a great way to utilize vegetables you have on hand.

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (1)

Homemade vegetable broth is so easy to make, it is a shame Alex and I ever buy broth at all. We’ve discovered it’s one of those things that requires a little forethought, but it’s worth the extra planning. Not only does homemade vegetable broth taste better than the store-bought stuff, but it’s also better for you. You have more control over the amount of salt that’s added to your own broth, and there’s no risk of hidden thickeners or sweeteners making their way into it. Once the vegetable stock is made, it will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (2)

Why make veggie broth?

You really can’t go wrong with this vegetable broth recipe. It uses veggies that might be on hand in your pantry and fridge: carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, and so forth. You also can throw in any fresh herbs you have around! It’s a great idea for minimizing food waste in your kitchen.

In addition to the vegetables noted in this recipe, using other veggies like mushrooms, peppers, and potatoes works too. This veggie broth is a great alternative for recipes that call for chicken or beef broth. We use vegetable stock all the time in our soup recipes: here are our best easy soup recipes!

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (3)

How to make vegetable broth

Making homemade vegetable broth is as easy as throwing chopped veggies into a pot and boiling them (yes, really!). The basic steps of making vegetable broth at home are as follows:

  1. Chop the vegetables into large chunks. Don’t bother peeling them, as you’ll be straining everything later. Plus, the skins contain a lot of nutrients and flavor!
  2. Toss everything into a tall stockpot or Dutch oven and saute the vegetables for 5 minutes. This will add extra flavor to the broth without any extra effort on your part.
  3. Add in the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes to allow the vegetables to impart as much of their flavor into the broth as possible.
  4. Strain the vegetable broth and use immediately or freeze for later use. If freezing, let the broth come to room temperature before putting it into the freezer.

Making homemade vegetable broth couldn’t be easier. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Related: 12 Easy Dutch Oven Recipes

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (4)

Looking for ways to use vegetable broth?

There are so many ways you can use this homemade vegetable broth: here are a few of our favorites:

  • Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto
  • Parmesan Truffle Risotto
  • Seasoned Brown Lentils
  • Creamy Corn Chowder
  • Easy Vegetarian Ramen
  • Stracciatella Soup
  • Simple Grilled Paella
  • Vibrant Spring Vegetable Chowder
  • Ribollita (Tuscan Vegetable Stew)
  • Easy Korean Ramen
  • Italian Vegetable Gnocchi Soup
  • Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (5)

This vegetable broth recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (6)

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Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (7)

Easy Vegetable Broth

★★★★★5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This homemade vegetable broth takes less than an hour to make, is cheaper than storebought, and is a great way to utilize vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 4 carrots
  • 3 ribs celery
  • 1 onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • 10 cups of water

Instructions

  1. Wash all of the vegetables. Don’t bother peeling them. Cut the carrots, celery, and onion into a large dice. Smash the garlic cloves and peel them. *If you have leftover fresh herbs on hand, you can throw these in too!
  2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the vegetables and saute for 5 minutes. Then add 10 cups of water. Stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt and ½ tablespoon whole peppercorns.
  3. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes; make sure that the simmer is gentle so that not too much liquid boils off.
  4. Strain the vegetable broth into jars with lids. If the broth amount does not total 8 cups, add water to even it out. Use immediately, store refrigerated for 4 to 5 days, or freeze for 6 months. (If freezing, let the vegetable broth come to room temperature before putting it into the freezer. Make sure there is enough room in the container for the broth to expand when frozen.)
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Homemade Vegetable Broth, Vegetable Broth, Soups, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, How to Make Vegetable Broth

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (8)

vegan vegetarian

Published on / Last updated on

Categorized In:

  • Cooking Basics
  • Recipes

Tagged with:

  • Broth
  • Stock
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Veggie

About the authors

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (9)

Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes for memorable kitchen moments! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

About Us

Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to put in vegetable broth? ›

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID IN HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH
  1. “Flavorless” Vegetables – like zucchini or white potatoes; these aren't going to do anything bad to the broth, but they're not going to help it either.
  2. Cruciferous Vegetables – such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
Jan 3, 2023

What is vegetable broth made of? ›

Ingredients for Vegetable Broth

Celery, carrots, leek, and onion form the aromatic base of this vegetable stock, and dried mushrooms are the powerhouse ingredient, providing savoriness, richness, and color.

How to make vegetable broth more flavorful? ›

Add bright, fresh flavor to vegetable broth

Just warm up the broth, toss in some parsley, cilantro, tarragon, sage, thyme, or a combination, and let the broth steep like tea for several minutes before fishing the herbs out. Don't boil fresh herbs in broth, though, or they could make the stock bitter.

What vegetable scraps are good for vegetable broth? ›

The base of a good vegetable stock is carrot, celery and onion, so make sure these three ingredients are well represented, even if you have to add a few whole (chopped) vegetables to your scrap mix.

Why does my vegetable broth taste bad? ›

Some vegetables just don't taste great in a stock! Cruciferous vegetables will get funky tasting, and seemingly mild vegetables like zucchini, green beans, and bell peppers can get bitter if simmered for too long.

What veggies are not good for stock? ›

7 Vegetables to Avoid Adding to Vegetable Stock

1. Leafy green parts of carrots and celery. 2. Brassicas, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, collard greens, kohlrabi, and kale.

Is it cheaper to make your own vegetable broth? ›

Making vegetable stock costs virtually nothing.

No need to let the vegetable scraps thaw, just toss them in a stockpot, add water, and let them home-cooked aromas fill your home.

Is it healthy to drink homemade vegetable broth? ›

Vegetable broth contains iron that helps to stimulate the formation of red blood cells, helping to avoid anemia, increase energy levels, and avoid tiredness. Homemade broth helps to manage body metabolism, optimizing nutrient absorption, and resulting in a lighter feeling.

Which is better vegetable stock or vegetable broth? ›

But if you keep an eye on sodium levels, both broth and stock can be healthy. Taub-Dix notes that stock is often considered healthier than broth since it tends to be slightly higher in protein and other nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, than broth.

How do you take the bitterness out of vegetable broth? ›

If it tastes bitter to you, there are a couple of ways to fix it. Consider adding one to four tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add one at a time, melt it in, cook for two minutes and taste.

Do carrots add flavor to broth? ›

As the carrots cook in the broth, they absorb extra flavor, the broth cooks them through gently, sort of braising in the liquid. The addition of the lemon juice is adds some bright flavors and a hint of sweetness from the honey in the end underlines the sweetness of the carrots and gives them some gloss.

How do you deepen the flavor of broth? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

What should you not put in vegetable broth? ›

Foods in the Brassica family, such as broccoli, are too strong for stock/broth and can impart a bitter taste. Foods in the Brassica family, such as cabbage, are too strong for stock/broth and can impart a bitter taste.

Should I put potato peels in my vegetable stock? ›

Save those vegetables that may have lost their crunchy appeal for a flavorful veggie stock. Even if stored properly, celery and carrots may become floppy after some time, but don't let them go to the compost. Throw in your onion skins, potato peels, and other veggie scraps from cooking to add more flavor to the mix!

How to make stock from scratch? ›

To make homemade chicken stock, place chicken bones, vegetables, herbs and spices into a large pot. Cover with cold water then simmer for about 3 hours. Let it cool, then skim the fat. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

What vegetables can you not put in soup? ›

Avoid bitter greens and members of the brassica family (kale, cabbage, Bok Choy). Other greens can be used in small quantities. Good in small quantities (no more than 1/5 of the stock ingredients). Foods in the Brassica family, such as kohlrabi, are too strong for stock/broth and can impart a bitter taste.

What not to put in soup? ›

The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup
  1. By Sara Butler. If there's one good thing about fall and winter, it's soup. ...
  2. Heavy Cream. Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that's where its positive contributions end. ...
  3. Juice. ...
  4. Turkey Bacon. ...
  5. Cheese. ...
  6. Croutons.

How do you make vegetable broth not bitter? ›

How to Fix Bitterness
  1. Add an additional ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir, and taste.
  2. For every quart of stock you can add one chopped apple and cook the stock for an additional two hours.
  3. Try a teaspoon or two of sugar, stir it in, and taste it after two minutes.
  4. Consider adding one to four tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Is vegetable broth inflammatory? ›

She says vegetable mineral broth is loaded with phytochemicals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and vital minerals found in the vegetables, herbs and spices that work together to help keep the disease switch turned OFF.

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