It's easy, healthy, and delicious.
Vegetable broth recipe
Are you looking for a recipe for homemade vegetable broth? Well, here it is: Throw a bunch of vegetables (scraps, skins, whatever) in a big pot with some water, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer for a while. Then strain it.You just made homemade vegetable broth.
It is so simple, useful, and economical that there really is no excuse for using a canned broth that tastes like little more than salt water, which is essentially what it is. Homemade vegetable stock can be used in soups, sauces, and lots of other dishes you may not have thought of. If you're dieting or just trying to eat better, you can use vegetable broth to add fat-free flavor and nutrition to almost any savory dish.
Keep reading for details on how to make it, what to do with it, and why you should bother.
No, really, what is the recipe for vegetable broth?
Still not sure? Here it is, step by step.- Use a very large pot, preferably a stockpot.
- Put in just about any vegetables at all. You don't need to chop them unless they won't fit in the pot. In most cases, you don't even have to peel them, because the skins are loaded with flavor and vitamins, and texture will not be an issue when the finished product is strained. Refer to this list for more information on which vegetables to use.
- Take some garlic cloves, smack them with the side of a large knife to break them up a bit, and throw them in the pot, peel and all.
- Add salt, pepper, and any fresh or dried herbs you choose. I usually use a bunch of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley.
- Pour in one gallon of water.
- Heat to boiling, then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow the broth to cool a little.
- Pour or ladle through a fine strainer, and you're done!
Choose your veggies
You really can use any vegetables at all to make a great vegetable stock. I never make one without onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms, but beyond that you can change it up to suit your needs and use up whatever you have on hand. Homemade vegetable broth is a great way to salvage any fresh vegetables in your refrigerator or pantry that are past their prime, and you also may want to vary your choices based on what you plan to do with a particular batch of broth.- Onions - Any kind, skins included. If they look dirty, remove the outermost layer of skin or wipe with a damp paper towel. Halve or quarter larger onions.
- Celery - Include the leafy green tops. Cut the stalks just enough to fit them in the pot.
- Carrots - No need to peel them. Just scrub them and throw them in, or use the ready-to-eat kind and dump in the whole bag.
- Mushrooms - These are really good for making a richer, darker broth. I always use at least white button mushrooms in my vegetable broth, and I use portobellos when I want a darker broth, like for French onion soup.
- Bell peppers
- Parsnips
- Spinach
- Leeks - Be sure to cut them up and clean them, because they usually have a lot of dirt between the layers.
- Tomato - A particularly good addition if you'll be using the broth for something like minestrone soup.
- Fennel bulb - Halved or quartered, with greens.
- Turnips - Cut in large pieces.
- Zucchini
- Just about any vegetable scraps - Potato peel, broccoli and cauliflower stems, green bean ends.
Equipment Needed
Farberware Classic 16-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot with Lid
Obviously, a stockpot is ideal for making stock. You can spend a lot less or a lot more than the cost of this pot depending on your budget. Generally, a more expensive pot will have a tight-fitting lid and a heavier bottom, which provides more even heat and less tendency to burn.
Amazon Price: $79.99 (as of 11/08/2009) 
Polder KTH-1009-75 9 Inch Round Footed Strainer, Stainless Steel
In a pinch, you can use a colander to strain the broth, but a strainer with a fine mesh will make for clearer broth.
Amazon Price: $12.13 (as of 11/08/2009)
Tovolo Blue Silicone Solid Spoon, 14-Inch
Any spoon that is long enough to reach into a large stockpot will do, and I usually use a long wooden spoon. This blue silicone spoon also comes in red.
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 11/08/2009)
Furi Rachael Ray Coppertail 7-Inch East/West Knife
Use a large, sharp knife for safer cutting when prepping the vegetables.
Amazon Price: $69.95 (as of 11/08/2009)
Pyrex Storage 14-Piece Round Set, Clear with Blue Lids
Depending on how you plan to use the finished broth, you will need some storage containers in various sizes. Make sure the containers are freezer-safe if you will not be using all the broth within a couple days.
Amazon Price: $22.97 (as of 11/08/2009)
It's not just for soup...
There are lots of uses for vegetable stock besides making soup. Here are a few.- Add some vegetable broth to a roux for a flavorful white sauce.
- Cook rice with broth instead of water for added flavor, and you can cut back on high-calorie gravy or butter.
- Add broth to mashed potatoes in place of some or all of the milk for a diet-friendly alternative with extra nutritional value.
- Freeze broth in an ice cube tray and grab a cube or two for thinning sauces.
- Sauté mushrooms in a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Stir a few tablespoons of flour into some broth and boil it for a minute with the mushrooms for a quick mushroom sauce for pasta or grilled meat.
Why not just use a can of broth from the grocery store?
I've been known to use canned broth, but it just doesn't compare in flavor to homemade. Canned broth is loaded with sodium, and it tastes like it. Homemade vegetable broth has all of the vitamins and flavor of the vegetables you put into it and nothing else. Making your own broth also makes good use of scraps and unused fresh vegetables that would otherwise end up in the garbage. You can make a huge batch of broth in less than two hours and freeze it, and you'll have it on hand whenever you want to throw together a quick soup or healthy side dish.Personally, I find it rewarding to transform a pile of vegetables I wouldn't otherwise eat into a delicious, fresh soup, and you just can't get that from a can at the grocery store.
More uses for your homemade vegetable broth
Just about any meatless soup recipe can be made vegetarian and lower calorie by replacing beef or chicken stock with vegetable stock. Try out your own homemade broth with some of the recipes on these lenses.-
Soup Is Good Food
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I love soup - almost all kinds. Soup can be such a comfort food, especially when the weather is cold. Soup can also make you feel better when you are feeling a little ill. Most soups are easy to make, and soup recipes and variations...
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Vegetarian French Onion Soup
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I love French onion soup, but it's almost always made with beef broth, and I'm a vegetarian. I have my own French onion soup recipe that is easy, vegetarian, and really yummy. Read on and learn how to make it yourself!
Share your tips and favorites here!
poppy wrote
i just made this with some rice, it was fab! thank u so much! it was so good every one wanted seconds!
Posted November 07, 2009
justgotanewpressurecooker wrote
Use a pressure cooker and reduce your cook time from 2hrs to 20 min.
Posted October 08, 2009
VirtualWorker wrote
Really GREAT! article on vegetable stock.
Posted October 04, 2009
Jade wrote
Your easy-going attitude inspired me to just open up the fridge and start combining veggies and spices. I used leftover corn, plus red onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, allspice, thyme, sage, & sea salt. When the broth was ready, I used added a cup of red lentils, a little curry, and an extra onion, simmered 20 minutes & pureed it to make a lovely golden lentil soup. Delicious!
Posted September 02, 2009
Here's my favorite link:
by Freaknoodles
often hard to find good vegetarian ones, so I like to make them myself. This vege... (more)
