No Fail Vegetable Stock Recipe - Going Zero Waste (2024)
No Fail Vegetable Stock Recipe
Plant Based Recipes
October 26, 2015 | Kathryn Kellogg
Last Updated on October 26, 2022
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.
Remove the tops/bottoms/skins/stems from any vegetables you are preparing (avoid vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower as they will add a bitter taste to your stock) and place them in a ziplock bag - they can stay frozen up to 6 months. Note: You can add many other vegetable scraps (think sweet!)
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.
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.
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. Ultimately, if it doesn't add, it subtracts! This is my rule of thumb for most recipes.
Explanation: Vegetable stocks lack the mouthfeel of meat-based stocks because vegetables lack collagen. Collagen, found in meat, turns into gelatin when cooked and is responsible for the rich mouthfeel of meat-based broths. In contrast, vegetables do not provide the same texture because they do not contain collagen.
Cruciferous veggies: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or kale – these can make your broth become bitter. Green bell peppers (and possibly other colors of peppers, as well): these can make your broth become bitter. Especially avoid using the inside white pith of the pepper.
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.
Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.
Let cool completely before transferring broth to a sealed container. If using within a few days, store in refrigerator. Otherwise, store in freezer for up to 6-8 months.
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.
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.
A number of ingredients may make vegetable broth taste bitter. Therefore, it's best to avoid these ingredients – or use them in moderation. Bitter greens, such as dandelion greens or mustard greens. Tough or woody herb stems, such as rosemary stems, thyme stems, oregano stems, or even hard basil stems.
If you buy vegetable stock, you'll likely get a product with a lot of sodium but not a lot of flavor. By making your own stock, you can control the amount of sodium and create an incredibly flavorful base for soups, stews, risottos, and other dishes that call for stock as the primary cooking liquid.
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.
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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Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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