Homemade Vegetable Broth

This easy Homemade Vegetable Broth recipe uses leftover veggie scraps and is made right on the stovetop. We also reveal our secret ingredient that makes the most delicious broth.

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Veggie broth is a common recipe ingredient and is also lovely to sip on as a light soup. Other light soups we love include this Chicken Vegetable Soup. Check out all of our healthy soup recipes for more inspiration.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Making vegetable broth makes you really feel like a true cook. I’ve worked in a number of professional kitchens and they all made their own veggie stock.
• With homemade broths, you have control over ingredients. Many store-bought broths have added sugars and preservatives to keep them shelf-stable.
• This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. Bonus!

Ingredients

Find the complete ingredient list, with measurements, in the recipe card below.

• Olive Oil – For cooking our mirepoix.
• Mirepoix – Otherwise known as onions, carrots, and celery. When sweated down with the olive oil the flavors will add depth, sweetness, and complexity.
• Fresh Water – We use a ProOne water filter and highly recommend using filtered water if possible.
• Vegetable Scraps – These can include onion skins, potato peels, carrot peels, bell pepper ribs, kale stems, cabbage cores, cauliflower and broccoli stalks, and mushroom stems.
• Garlic – A couple of smashed cloves of garlic bring that rich and distinctive flavor.
• Sea Salt – Salt is an essential component to bring out all of the flavors in your ingredients.
• Fennel Fronds – This is our secret ingredient! These feathery green leaves resemble dill and have a mild, sweet anise flavor. They add a mild aromatic quality and a nuanced, sophisticated flavor to the broth without overpowering other ingredients.

Equipment

• Large Stock Pot or Soup Pot – Choose a pot with a tight-fitting lid.
• Fine Mesh Strainer – This is used to strain the vegetable scraps from the broth.
• Glass Mason Jars – We recommend using wide mouth glass jars for storing and freezing the broth.

Instructions

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the FULL recipe details.

Step 1

First, start by prepping the mirepoix. Just a rough chop of the onions, celery, and carrots is good; it doesn’t need to look pretty.

Step 2

Next, warm the olive oil in the large soup pot. Add the mirepoix and saute, stirring for about five minutes.

Step 3 

Then put a lid on the pot and let the onions caramelize a bit. This adds such depth of flavor.

Let it sit over low heat on the stove top for about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Next, add in the fresh filtered water and stir well.

Step 5

Then comes even more flavor.

It is now time to add the veggie scraps you have been collecting, the crushed garlic cloves, and a generous pinch of sea salt.

Give it a good stir and pat yourself on the back!

This broth is going to be so delicious.

Replace the lid on the soup pot and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about two hours.

Step 6

Finally, the secret ingredient!

After the broth has simmered for about 2 hours, add the fronds from the fennel.

Place the lid back on, turn off the heat, and leave for 8 hours. We typically let it sit overnight.

Step 7

Next, strain the cooled broth through a mesh sieve. Use the back of a large spoon to really press down on the scraps in the sieve to release all of the broth.

Pour the broth into airtight containers like mason jars for storage.

Substitutions

• Substitute other fresh herbs instead of fennel for aromatics, such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
• You could also use dried herbs and spices. However, keep in mind that dried varieties are more potent than fresh ones, so you may need to use less.

Recipe Variations

• To enhance the broth’s umami richness, include dried or fresh mushrooms like shiitake, porcini, or cremini.
• To add a spicy kick to the broth, incorporate whole dried chili peppers, whole peppercorns, or fresh chili slices.
• Use fresh or canned tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato paste to create a tomato-based vegetable broth with a hint of acidity and sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

• It can be used as a base for homemade soups. To create a hearty and comforting meal, add cooked vegetables, protein like chicken or tofu, and noodles or grains.
• Sip the warm broth in a mug as a comforting beverage, especially during cold weather or if you’re feeling under the weather.
• Use the broth to cook grains like brown rice, quinoa, or barley, or legumes like lentils or beans. The broth adds depth of flavor and richness to these dishes, making them taste more delicious.

FAQS

Storage Tips

• To Store: If you plan to use the filled mason jars of broth within a week, store them in the fridge.
• To Freeze: Be sure to use freezer-safe containers. If freezing broth in mason jars, use wide-mouth jars to minimize the risk of cracking. Also, leave extra headspace, about an inch at the top, to accommodate expansion during freezing. Freeze for up to 3-6 months.
• To Thaw: When ready to use frozen broth, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or gently warm the jar in a bowl of warm water. Avoid rapid temperature changes that could cause the jar to crack.

More Soup Recipes

**This recipe was originally posted on October 15, 2013, and updated on August 27, 2019, and updated again on April 4, 2024, with recipe notes, writing, and photos.**

If you’ve tried our Homemade Vegetable Stock recipe, please leave us a rating and a comment below. We’re always interested in feedback!

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