This vegetable stock recipe is incredibly flavorful and versatile. Add it to all your favorite soups and recipes to give them both flavor and nutrients.
Whether you are making stock from fresh veggies or vegetable stock from scraps, it’s easy and almost impossible to mess up. We will answer all your questions like “what is vegetable stock?” and “how do you make vegetable stock cubes?”
This vegetable stock recipe is so easy and inexpensive. Really. There’s no excuse to ever, ever buy it in the store ever again.
You’ll be able to avoid unnecessary preservatives and those awful tetrapaks.
what is vegetable stock?
Vegetable stock is made with vegetables that have been boiled and simmered for several hours. It can be used in a variety of different recipes.
what is the difference between vegetable stock and vegetable broth?
Basically, the difference between this vegetable stock recipe and broth is seasonings and herbs. Once you add seasonings and herbs, you will end up with vegetable broth instead of stock.
I don’t like to season mine, because I like to keep my options open.Now that we have that settled, let’s continue!
vegetable stock tips
Most regional cuisines are based on three very key ingredients. Carrots, onions, and celery are the base of the mirepoix, which is commonly found in both French and Southern cuisines. The Italians have a soffrito which is a mix of tomatoes, garlic, and onion. And, in New Orleans, they have the holy trinity of celery, onion, and green bell pepper. Depending on what you like to cook, you can add any of these ingredients to your stock.
You will want to steer clear of the cruciferous family. They can impart a very bitter flavor to your broth. Potatoes are not cruciferous, but they will make your broth very cloudy and don’t impart much flavor.
As you’re prepping meals throughout the week, you can cut off the odds and ends of onions, carrots, and garlic peels and throw them all in a bowl in the freezer. Once it starts to fill up, you can use it to make stock!
You can see my “before” above — a nice full pot of veggies scraps…
…and this is after the mixture has been simmered for six hours.
vegetable stock from scraps
Roughly chop and wash your vegetables. You want to make sure you remove any dirt.Dump all of your veggie bits in a pot big enough to hold all of them, then cover them with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Put on the lid and walk away!
That’s it! So easy, right!?
Now, you can let this simmer for just an hour or two for a light flavor. But, I like mine to get very condensed and rich, so I let it simmer for approximately six hours. Then, I store it in the freezer so I always have some on hand.
I made 15 cups of stock for $3.00! That much organic stock in the store would cost me $21.50.
frequently asked questions
how do you use vegetable stock?
I use this vegetable stock recipe in soups, enchilada sauce, risotto, pasta, dog treats, and really almost everything. If you want to amp up rice, cook it in stock instead of water. It takes the dish from just okay to amazing.
can I make vegetable stock from scraps?
Of course! You can absolutely make vegetable stock from scraps! That’s one of the great things about living a zero waste lifestyle — using every resource you already have available.
how do I make vegetable stock cubes?
If you end up with leftover vegetable stock that you want to save, no problem! Turn it into vegetable stock cubes by freezing it. After making your vegetable stock from scraps, divide it into ice cube trays and freeze. When you are ready to use it, thaw as many cubes as you need in the fridge or toss them right into your soup pot!
By making your own stock from scraps, you'll save money by using the bits of veggies that you might otherwise discard – plus you know exactly what's gone into your stock.
Vegetables to avoid: Scraps from the following vegetables are better off going into the compost bin, as their flavors can be too overpowering: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, artichokes.
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.
Don't boil fresh herbs in broth, though, or they could make the stock bitter. To brighten any soup, stock, or broth, a splash of lemon juice or vinegar is always a good idea.
As with all stocks, homemade Vegetable Stock is far superior to store bought, with the added benefit that it's much easier to make than seafood and meat stocks which often call for manhandling of considerable amounts of bones (I'm thinking of you beef 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!
Starchy vegetables like potatoes and turnips will make for a gummy, cloudy vegetable stock. Beets overpower their aromatic counterparts. Zucchini and greens beans become bitter when slowly simmered for as long it takes to make this stock.
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.
The vegetables should be cut in small pieces (1/2″ to 1″ pieces) so that they render their flavor more easily. The stock should not simmer for more than 45 minutes. In that time the vegetables have given all their flavor to the water. Simmering them longer will only turn the vegetables into mush.
Turnips and radishes. While you can toss in the tops of most produce, there are some root veggies she recommends leaving out. "Stay away from some of those really bitter root vegetables, like turnips and radishes," says Jawad. They can ruin the balance of your stock, making it come out very bitter.
Vegetable stock likely comes unseasoned, while broth usually contains salt and other seasonings. Vegetable stock is made with untrimmed, sometimes whole vegetables, while broth is made from trimmed, roughly chopped vegetables.
Flavor the base: We add Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the aromatics and warm them up to bring the seasonings back to life. You could use fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, or even add a Parmesan rind for more flavor.
Obviously, the vegetables left over from the broth will no longer be very tasty, but they can be reused to prepare other excellent dishes. Don't throw them away, because you can do some creative recycling with them.
Stock has a much thicker consistency, as it contains gelatine from boiled bones and connective tissue, so it's good for thickening as well as adding flavour. You may be wondering where vegetable stock fits in, since it clearly does not contain bones.
It reduces food waste and makes for an easy way to have fresh chicken stock available whenever you need it. In a large stockpot, combine the chicken carcass, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
By simply reducing any stock down before storing or freezing it, you will not only concentrate the flavors and thicken the liquid, you will speed up the reduction time later when adding it to a pan sauce or other recipe.
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