Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe
I started making homemade vegetable broth once I realized how many veggie scraps I was tossing without thinking. Now I just save them in a freezer bag and turn them into a big pot of broth whenever it fills up.
There’s little waste and you always have fresh broth on hand for Lentil and Butternut Squash Chili or Summer Vegetable Chili.
Featured Comment: “Since reading this I have been saving my vegetable scraps. I just made two huge pots of broth and it is sooooo good!! I also made a vegetable soup with the vegetables we grow and the broth. The flavour is amazing!! The scraps that have been boiled go to the compost bin. Full circle! Thank you for posting this 🙂” ~ Patti
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Every time I’m chopping veggies for dinner, I keep a big gallon bag in my freezer for scraps. Carrot ends, onion skins, celery butts, herb stems. It started as my husband’s idea earlier this year, and it totally took off in our house. Now I barely throw any veggie scraps away but instead make vegetable broth with them.
I used to feel kind of guilty tossing all that perfectly good flavor in the trash. And store-bought broth never made sense to me when I knew I could make my own broth so easily.
This version just works. I dump the frozen scraps into the pot, cover with water, add peppercorns, coriander, bay leaves, and whatever herbs I have. Then it simmers until the whole kitchen smells warm and savory.
It comes out clean and clear, with real veggie flavor. And I love having containers of it tucked in my freezer, ready for soup nights.
What is Vegetable Broth?
Vegetable broth is a savory liquid made by simmering a variety of vegetables, herbs, and seasonings in water. It’s commonly used as a base for soups, stews, sauces, and grain dishes to add flavor without the use of meat or animal products.
What Vegetables are Good for this Veggie Broth
Before you make the vegetable broth you want to collect a bagful of kitchen scraps. Wash all the vegetables before you peel, slice, chop, etc. You can save the peelings, stalks, and leaves.
Onions, carrots, celery, and garlic are the key ingredients. But there are so many other vegetables that can add flavors such as bell peppers, leeks, green onions, and mushrooms.
The list goes on. The best way to make a vegetable broth from scraps is to simply experiment to see what tastes good to you.
Also, fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, cilantro and rosemary are all great additions to a veggie broth.
What Not to Put in Vegetable Broth
Stay away from cruciferous veggies, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts as they can leave bitter flavor in the broth.
Zucchini and green beans tend to become bitter as well when simmered for a long period of time.
Also, some starchy vegetables like potatoes and turnips will make for a cloudy vegetable stock. Beets are too overpowering with their color and taste.
Wash your vegetables before using the scraps and stay away from anything with mold.
What You’ll Need for this Vegetable Broth Recipe
When ready to make the broth, you will need: gallon-size bagful of frozen veggie scraps. I pack mine up pretty good. Coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. That’s usually the base I use.
Depending on the veggie scraps I already have, I might add garlic, onions, parsley, and any other aromatics. Maybe if I don’t have celery and carrot scraps, I will add fresh ones.
How to Make Vegetable Broth
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has more detailed instructions.
1.Put your frozen scraps into a stock pot. You’ll need at least a 6-quart pot. Add water and the rest of the ingredients. You want enough water in the pot where you can easily stir the vegetables.
2. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, and cook for 1 hour, uncovered.
3. After one hour, remove the pot from the stove. Cool slightly if needed. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, remove all the vegetables. You only want the liquid remaining.
4. Then set your strainer over a large bowl and pour the vegetable broth through. You should be left with nothing but clear and clean broth. I also like to put a cheesecloth over my strainer and run the broth one more time to ensure it is completely clean.
Storing Vegetable Stock
Let the broth cool completely before transferring into containers or freezer bags. I personally favor freezer bags over containers.
I will measure out 4 cups of broth for each bag and lay flat in the freezer. It thaws out much faster than when frozen in containers.
Refrigerate fresh broth for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
4 Ways to Use this Homemade Vegetable Broth
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Veggie Broth
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 8–9 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Making homemade vegetable broth has never been easier! Now you can make your own vegetable broth using kitchen scraps. There’s little waste and you always have fresh broth on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon bag of frozen veggie scraps, completely full
- 13–15 cups water
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leafs
- 1–2 sprigs each: fresh thyme, rosemary
- Optional extras: garlic, onions, parsley
Equipment
- Stock pot
- Slotted spoon or skimmer
- Strainer
- Storage containers
Instructions
- Add frozen vegetable scraps to a 6-quart stock pot. Add water and the remaining ingredients. You should have enough water in the pot where you can easily stir the vegetables.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Take the pot off the stove and remove all the vegetables with a slotted spoon or a skimmer.
- Set your strainer over a large bowl and pour the broth through. Broth should be clean and clear without any impurities. You can also run the broth through a cheesecloth.
- Cool completely at room temperature and then divide into storage containers or gallon size freezer bags. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- See recipe post for a list of vegetables that make the best veggie scrap broth and also vegetables that should be avoided.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 54
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 28.8 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.5 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Recipe updated February 2020 with rewritten post and additional information. No change to the recipe.
Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Can this been canned?
I’ve never tried canning it so I can’t answer with certainty.
Absolutely! I make this and can it all the time. You need to pressure can it though since it’s low acid.
Since reading this I have been saving my vegetable scraps. I just made two huge pots of broth and it is sooooo good!! I also made a vegetable soup with the vegetables we grow and the broth. The flavour is amazing!! The scraps that have been boiled go to the compost bin. Full circle! Thank you for posting this 🙂
Thank you Patti! I’m glad you found our recipe helpful.
Really good recipe. I’m going to try it right now.😎
Love it! I’ve been doing it for a while now and supplementing a bit by sautéing fresh onions or adding roasted carrots or parsnips. Super economical. And delicious. Thanks for posting. I would not have had the courage to use scraps if you hadn’t!
By the way I found a company that sells recently priced pint sized cardboard containers. I’m enjoying using those for storing broths and soups and for gifting soups also!
This recipe makes a great vegetable stock. Thanks for sharing Katy’s.
I recently saw a recipe for vegetable scrap broth in the Farmer’s Almanac newsletter. Further searching led me here. I just made my first batch in the instant pot for 20 minutes at high pressure, then strained. So delicious! There’s a warming spicy/heat that’s irresistible this season. I don’t know which scrap could have added that to the broth. There were a few big bunches of carrot greens, maybe that? Maybe red bell pepper seeds?
Thank you for all the tips!
Hi Cheryl: So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Bell pepper can definitely add a peppery taste. I usually don’t add it to my broth but instead, use it in soups and chilies.
What about potato scraps?
I recommend staying away from starchy vegetables as they can make the broth cloudy.
This is how I always make my veg broth, a Vietnamese friend taught me. However, she didn’t mention the scraps to not use. Thank you. I really want to know if squash seeds are useable.