Vegetable Broth

By on 08 March 2011 in Soups with 18 Comments.

Homemade vegetable broth is so easy, it is a shame we ever buy broth at all. We’ve discovered it’s one of those things that requires a little (but not too much!) forethought, but it’s worth the extra planning!  Not only does it taste better than store-bought, it’s better for you (with only the sodium you add yourself!). Once it’s made, it will last 3 to 5 days in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

You can’t really go wrong with the recipe – just throw in whatever veggies or herbs you have around. We have both a basic recipe and a more hearty variation, which is a good alternative for recipes that call for chicken or beef broth. If you need some inspiration on how to use a fresh batch, hit the search!

Vegetable Broth
Makes about 8 cups

What You Need
4 carrots
3 stalks celery
2 medium potatoes
1 onion
5 cloves garlic
1 handful parsley
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon whole peppercorns
10 cups of water

For the hearty version
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce

1  Wash all of the vegetables. Don’t bother peeling them. Cut the carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, garlic, and parsley into a large dice (or use the slicing blade on a food processor to quickly prepare them).

2  Throw everything into a stockpot and heat over medium high for several minutes, stirring occasionally*. Once the veggies break down a bit and just barely start to brown, add 10 cups of water. Stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2 tablespoon whole peppercorns.

3  Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.

4  Strain the broth and use immediately, or store for future use.

*For the hearty version, sauté the vegetables in 3 tablespoons olive oil before adding the water. With the water, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce. After straining, add more soy sauce to taste.

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