Using vegetable stock instead of water is a great way to make dishes more flavorful AND healthful. But store-bought stocks and broths are often high in sodium and expensive. This Homemade Vegetable Stock can be made FOR FREE using the scraps of vegetables you usually throw away - and without any salt at all. Get some extra mileage from your veggies!
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This is a basic homemade vegetable stock recipe. It's a great base for all your homemade soups, stews, casseroles, and anything else you can think of!
How is stock different from broth? Stock is usually unseasoned, and is to be used as a sorta "blank slate" for dishes. Broth on the other hand is already seasoned and ready to go.
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Heart Health Benefits of Homemade Vegetable Stock
The heart health benefits of our homemade stock lie in what's not there, more so than what is. Since stocks are a base ingredient, there usually aren't many ingredients to start with.
Commercial vegetable stocks are usually high in sodium. Even the reduced sodium versions have more salt than you probably want.
Our low sodium vegetable stock can be used for anything without having to worry about it. We don't add any salt at all, so any sodium present is naturally occurring in the vegetables and water.
There are also, of course, some antioxidants in our stock, which is variable depending on which vegetables we use, and how much of them.
Ingredients
Easiest homemade vegetable stock recipe ever!
- Frozen vegetable scraps
- Water
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
There's a little homework involved in this recipe. You need to save up your vegetable scraps until you have filled a gallon sized zipper bag with them. Keep the bag in the freezer while you're saving up.
- Step 1: Put the frozen vegetable scraps in a large stock pot.
- Step 2: Fill the stock pot with water.
- Step 3: Bring the pot to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Step 4: Simmer for 1 hour, covered.
- Step 5: Strain out the vegetable pieces.
- Step 6: Cool the stock, and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Hint: After simmering for an hour, it's helpful to let the stock cool a bit with the lid off before straining the vegetables out.
What Scraps to Save
Not every vegetable scrap is good to make stock from. Everything you save should be scrubbed clean and in otherwise good shape (no rotten spots, etc.). Here are examples of what you should save!
- Carrot and celery ends
- Bell pepper tops and seeds
- Spinach
- Peels of carrots and parsnips
- Onion skins and cores
- Tomato tops and cores
- Summer squash skins and ends
- Herb stems
- Mushroom stems
The color of your stock is dependent on what and how much of certain vegetables you add. You'll likely notice the color being slightly different each time you make it, too!
What to avoid in your stock
There are a handful of vegetables you probably don't want to have in your homemade stock. These will either lead to an "off" flavor, or strange texture, so best to avoid these:
- Garlic
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Winter squash
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.)
- Large amounts of some herbs (like cilantro or rosemary)
- Any moldy or otherwise "bad" produce
- Any ingredient you don't like the taste of
Equipment
You will need gallon sized zipper bags, a large stock pot, and a strainer to make homemade vegetable stock.
You'll also maybe want some storage containers to freeze the stock in once it's done.
Storage
Cool the stock, and divide it into containers of a volume that are appropriate for how you'll use it. I recommend portions of 2-4 cups. Store in the refrigerator.
Freeze any amount you won't use within 5 days. The stock can remain frozen for 6-12 months.
Pro tip
Never add any vegetable to your stock that isn't in good shape. A little wilty is okay, but if it wouldn't be acceptable for you to eat it raw, it's not okay to add to the stock.
FAQ
Not always. Some brands are low sodium or no added salt, but make sure to read the labels if you're going with a store bought stock.
Don't add anything with a strong flavor, like garlic, broccoli or cauliflower, or vegetables that break down and become thick, like potatoes and winter squash.
No, this recipe is not safe for canning. Because we are using scraps that may consist of root vegetable skins and various other parts of vegetables that are not considered safe to can, this recipe should not be canned. It can be frozen for up to 12 months, however.
Related
These are some great recipes to use your homemade vegetable stock in:
📖 Recipe
Homemade Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
- 1 Gallon Bag Frozen Vegetable Scraps (clean and in good shape)
- 6 quarts Water (24 cups)
Instructions
- Add the frozen vegetable scraps to a 10-quart stock pot (or similar size).
- Add the water.
- Bring pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Simmer for an hour.
- Allow to cool enough to avoid steam burns.
- Strain out the scraps and discard (or compost).
- Freeze any stock you won't use within 5-7 days. I recommend freezing in 2-4 cup portions.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Keep your bag of vegetable scraps completely frozen until you're ready to make the stock
- Do not add any moldy or "past their time" vegetable scraps to the bag
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Make sure all needed utensils and equipment are clean
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods - refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours of cooking
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- Always open the lid of cooking pots away from your face to avoid scalding burns
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