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Creating your own veggie broth is a simple and gratifying experience! My homemade vegetable broth is perfect for enhancing soups, drinking on its own, or by canning in case of hard times. By saving all of your vegetable scraps, you can have a delicious broth (or stock) in no time.
It's time to reconsider throwing away your vegetable scraps like potato and carrot peels! By doing so you're wasting both valuable money and nutrients. I used to be guilty of this too, as I followed along with what we did growing up.
Not anymore my friends, not. any. more. You can use fresh scraps or frozen scraps for this recipe.
This hearty broth is used in many of my recipes, including but not limited to my super popular crockpot red lentil chili, and the liquid for my delicious and classic vegan tator tot casserole!
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🥘Ingredients
The seaweed is totally optional here. I like the added nutrients and umami flavor that seaweed gives to my broths and stocks.
You can use just about any veggie scraps, my scraps are frozen and usually consists of potato peels, carrot peels, celery leaves and ends, carrot ends and greens (if there are any), and mushroom stems. Note: make sure your veggie scraps are clean and free of dirt. Typically before freezing.
Other vegetables you could use are: Onion peel scraps, garlic scraps, bell pepper stems/ends (you can add some of the seeds if you want a bit of spice, that's perfectly fine), any other veggies that need peeled, really. You can also use fresh vegetable scraps.
Other things you could add: Salt and pepper, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, and a little bit of sugar.
This broth is naturally gluten-free and oil-free so carefully consider any add-ons if you can't have either one of those things.
Please see recipe card below for exact measurements.
🔪Instructions
Step One - Add the water to a large stock/broth pot.
Step Two - Add in your veggie scraps and anything else you wish to add. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour.
Step Three - When your broth is ready, it is easiest to scoop the scraps out with a mesh strainer, then toward the bottom of the pot, set the strainer over a bowl and then lift the pot and pour over the strainer to get the remaining bits out.
Step Four - Pour your broth into your container. Because I am using an old oat milk carton, I am using a funnel here.
👩🏻🍳Chef's Tip
Do not add cruciferous vegetables to your stock or broth. Things such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts can potentially make your broth bitter.
📃What is the difference between stock and broth?
Typically, a broth is made from a protein (meat) and vegetables, while a stock is made from bones, seasoning, and water. They are similar and are often interchangeable and usable in the same types of dishes. Since we're making a vegetable broth, and this is a vegan website, no bones or animal proteins will be used.
📖Substitutions & Variations
Vegetable stock is pretty versatile and you really can make it your own! This particular veggie stock is made purely with frozen vegetable scraps, and a sheet of kombu seaweed.
- Spicy - yep, some like it hot! You could definitely add some jalapeno scraps to this stock and get a nice spicy element for any recipes you want
- Add fresh herbs - things like thyme, rosemary and bay leaves are poplar add ins!
- Use whole veggies - While most vegetable stocks just use frozen or fresh scraps, some do contain a mixture of mire poix (carrots, celery and onion). This would need the use of oil.
- Other seasonings - miso paste would be an excellent add in for broth, it does add sodium, and you need to add it at the end when the broth is not boiling. Salt and pepper, sugar, nutritional yeast and any other seasoning you think would be good!
Check out some of my other recipes!
⏲Equipment
Making stock doesn't require a ton of utensils and cutting boards (unless you're making fresh broth with some fresh veggies, of course, but that's on you!).
- Stock Pot - This is the usual or traditional way to make a stock or broth.
- Instant Pot - If you need stock super fast, these fancy pressure cookers are the way to go. Instructions on how will be in the recipe card.
- Sieve or strainer - You will need to strain out the liquid from the scraps of course.
- Container to hold the stock - And of course, you will need to store your broth. I like reusing things and often end up using cleaned out old oat milk cartons to store mine, but if you're planning to freeze your broth, you'll need something more durable like glass or plastic.
- A bowl - to catch the liquid when you're straining of course.
- A funnel - This is optional.
🍱STORAGE
- Refrigerator - You can store your homemade broth in practically any container. I like to reuse a lot and often use containers that have previously housed something else, but you can use a glass or plastic container. Store for up to 10 days.
- Freezer - Depending on how much you're making, you may want to freeze a portion of your stock. The easiest way for me to store stock is in a freezer bag. But if you have a bigger, more modern freezer, you can store in plastic or glass containers. Can be stored for up to 1 year.
❓Frequently asked questions
Yes you can. Vegetable broth is commonly used for staying hydrated when dealing with an illness. Instead of just drinking water, broth not only keeps you hydrated but it also provides nutrients. So the next time you're not feeling well, try some warm, homemade veggie broth!
If you've tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I would love it if you could rate it 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! It's a great, and free way to support me!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Vegetable Broth With Veggie Scraps
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot
- 1 strainer or sieve
- 1 bowl
- storage containers or whatever you're using to store your broth.
Ingredients
- 1 large freezer bag full of veggie scraps I used a whole bag.
- 1 large sheet of kombu seaweed skip for salt-free
- 4+ cups water this will depend on how much broth you want.
Instructions
- Place a stock pot over high heat and add the water.4+ cups water
- Add in your frozen scraps and anything else you'd like and bring to a boil.1 large freezer bag full of veggie scraps, 1 large sheet of kombu seaweed
- Once at a boil, turn down to a low simmer and place a lid.
- Allow to simmer for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, turn off the heat and strain out the scraps and store the broth for use in the future.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Place frozen veggies into the instant pot, add water to fill line and place lid.1 large freezer bag full of veggie scraps, 4+ cups water
- Set the steam vent closed, set the IP to high pressure for 1 minute. You can quick release after it's finished or let it natural release.
- That's it! Continue as usual when straining and storing.
Notes
- You can go past the 1 hour mark, but after a while the broth will start to evaporate, so don't let it go for too long.
- You can skip the seaweed if you're not a fan of it.
- Add in your own seasonings and herbs if you'd like.
- Refrigerate up to 10 days in any container you have.
- Freeze up to 1 year in either a glass or plastic container, or freezer bag, depending on your freezer space.
- If you only have room for 4 cups of stock, only put in 4 cups of water.
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