Last Updated on April 4, 2023 by Ellen Christian
Learning how to make vegetable stock or vegetable broth has helped me make delicious soups while keeping the costs down. I love making my own soups, especially in the winter when the temperature drops. Of course, if you’re short on time, there is a fantastic solution. Scroll to the end!
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Vegetable Stock or Vegetable Broth
The taste of homemade soup is so much better than canned soups. Plus, you can be in total control of what you put in a homemade soup so there is no worrying about ingredients.
Of course, making homemade soups takes more time than opening a can to get the best flavor. It isn’t something I generally start an hour before the meal is ready.
Since I received The Soupmaker’s Kitchen for review, I thought I would share how to make vegetable stock with you.
Vegetable stock definition
Technically, the word stock refers to a broth that has bones simmered in it. So, you would have chicken or beef stock but not vegetable stock. Vegetable stock should really be called vegetable broth.
The part of making soups that takes the longest is making the stock. A good stock is a base for every soup and the more time you put into making the stock, the better your soup will taste.
The type of stock that you use depends on the kind of soup you are planning to make. Chicken noodle soup will generally use chicken stock. Beef vegetable soup or minestrone soup will generally start with a beef broth.
There are two ways to help keep the costs down when you are making a homemade soup.
- Make your own stock instead of buying it.
- Use vegetable stock instead of a meat stock
How to Make Vegetable Stock
There are no rules that say you have to start a soup with a meat stock. I don’t always have a whole chicken or beef on the bone to begin making stock with.
For me, making homemade soup means starting with scraps of meat leftover from a meal. What I do almost always have on hand are vegetable scraps and that is how you begin making vegetable stock.
While this recipe calls for 6 pounds of miscellaneous vegetable peelings and trimmings, you can adjust the amount based on what you have available.
What to do with vegetable stock leftovers
Now that you know how to make vegetable stock, you can use it in place of water in almost any recipe. You can cook your rice, couscous or quinoa in it.
You can use it in place of water when making biscuits and bread. Or you can use it as the base of many homemade soups. if you have too much, you can freeze it in cup size quantities in freezer bags.
Then, just take it out when you need it.
Best vegetable broth to replace homemade
Making a good vegetable broth is really an all-afternoon project. And, not everyone has that kind of time. If you want a healthy vegetable broth or stock to keep in the cupboard for when you’re too busy,
Brodo Broth Co brings home-cooked broth to your door ready to enjoy. Brodo uses no concentrates, no preservatives, and no short cuts.
And, Brodo Broth comes in four varieties – Chicken Bone Broth, Beef Bone Broth, Hearth Bone Broth (a blend of chicken, turkey, and beef broth) and even a 100% Vegan Seaweed Mushroom Broth.
Additionally, Brodo offers Brodo Botanicals herb sachets which add additional nutrients and flavors to their broths.
Shop now at Brodo Broth for the perfect vegetable broth when you’re too busy to make homemade.
What should you not put in vegetable stock?
You can use almost any type of vegetable in a vegetable stock. But, there are a few that should not be used. Acorn squash is too starchy to be used in vegetable broth. But, you can use the peels.
Bok choy and other vegetables in the Brassica family will leave your vegetable broth too bitter. This includes things like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.
Corn won’t add much flavor to your stock and can make your stock cloudy rather than clear. Beets can be added in very small quantities but will turn your broth purple which you may not like.
If you have beets, you might want to make borscht. Find out how here.
The Soupmaker’s Kitchen teaches you everything you need to know to save your scraps, prepare stock and create the perfect pot of soup. Recipes include those that are both meat and vegetable-based. There is also a lot of information on basic techniques and soupmaker’s tips. As someone who has been making homemade soups for years, I learned quite a bit.
How to Make Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
- 6 lbs of miscellaneous vegetable peelings and trimmings
- 3 qts of water
Instructions
- Examples of what works well in a vegetable stock are: Tips and root ends from carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery, green beans, and squash. Use leaves from herbs, celery. Use peels from onions, sweet potato, tomato.
- Combine all the trimmings and water in a large pot with a lid.
- Bring to boil, reduce heat, and skim if necessary.
- Simmer for at least an hour or until all vegetables are quite soft.
- Strain into a large, deep bowl and allow it to cool.
- Transfer the vegetable stock into smaller containers to freeze.
- Freeze once the stock is room temperature.
- Discard the leftovers, compost or feed to your farm animals.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 73Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 4g
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
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