Every good cook needs a great stock. My homemade vegetable stock is infused with layers of healthy flavor from veggies, herbs and spices, and can take any dish from ordinary to spectacular.
A golden, delicious vegetable stock infused with layers of flavor from herbs, spices, vegetables and even fruits can be a great tool in a cook's arsenal.
Whether it's a vegan risotto you are making or a vegan beef stew, a good stock, like this mushroom stock or the vegetable stock I am sharing here, can make all the difference, adding depth of flavor and umami and that critical je ne sais quoi to any recipe.
This vegetable stock is a frugal recipe: it is made entirely with vegetable scraps or portions of veggies that you might just throw out. I save these scraps in a large freezer bag and pull them out when I need to make a stock. Add a few herbs and spices and voila, you have an amazing vegetable stock to make your stews and soups taste wow!
This is my everyday stock, the stock I'd have in my fridge at any given time. I also make a roasted vegetable stock with caramelized veggies that I will share with you another day. Meanwhile, save those vegetable scraps for a couple of weeks and then, get cooking!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Loaded with flavor and umami. The addition of a few simple spices and herbs makes this vegetable stock so, so flavorful. Allowing the veggies to cook slowly also infuses the stock with all of their healthy goodness.
- Cooks itself. Making a vegetable stock can't be easier: you just throw all the ingredients into a pot and let it cook. No stirring required. This is also a great recipe to make in the Instant Pot or crockpot.
- Frugal recipe. Using vegetable scraps makes this recipe an extremely frugal one. You can save nearly any part of a veggie or fruit you might normally throw out (see ingredients below for more on this). Remember, you won't actually be eating these: you'll just infuse the stock with all of their goodness, which is considerable, and then strain them out.
- Perfect for meal prep. If you do a lot of meal prep, a good vegetable stock can make things much easier by adding valuable flavor to dishes without the need for multiple ingredients.
Ingredients
- Vegetables or vegetable and herb scraps. This time I had some asparagus ends, celery tops, cauliflower leaves, mushroom stems, apple peels (from making my vegan apple pie for Thanksgiving), parsley stems and leek greens, which I used for the vegetable stock. You can also use broccoli stems, onion and garlic skins, corn cobs, carrot peels, parsnip peels, tomato seeds, ginger peels, fennel fronds and ends, ribs of bell peppers, stems of any herbs, including fresh thyme or fresh rosemary or fresh sage...the list goes on. Do try and avoid citrus fruit and peels because they can add bitterness to the recipe. To make the stock with vegetables instead of veggie scraps, see FAQs below.
- Spices: Cinnamon stick, allspice berries and whole black peppercorns.
- Herbs: Bay leaves and rosemary (optional)
How to make vegetable stock
Place all vegetables in stockpot.
Add herbs, including garlic, bay leaves and rosemary, if using, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and all spice berries to the pot.
Add 12 cups cold water, preferably filtered water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Turn heat to medium high and let the stock come to a boil. Turn down the heat so the stock is at a simmer.
Cover and let the stock cook for an hour. Once it has cooled down, strain out the vegetables, herbs and spices. Press on the veggies to release as much of those flavorful juices as you can. Store in the fridge.
Top tips
- Cut the vegetable scraps into smaller pieces before freezing. That way you can add them directly to the pot, no need to thaw them first. The smaller the veggies are, the more goodness will be extracted from them.
- Even if you use a stockpot or pasta pot with a strainer, as I did, pass the stock through a fine mesh strainer or sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove any floating pieces of veggies or spices. That way your stock will last longer in the fridge.
- The color of the homemade vegetable stock will change depending on the veggies you add to it. Adding more mushrooms and red onion skins, for instance, will give you a deeper colored stock.
- If possible, make sure the vegetables and vegetable scraps you use are organic for the healthiest, most flavorful stock.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the vegetable stock once it has cooled to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Freeze the vegetable stock in portion-sized storage containers or in ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can transfer the vegetable stock cubes to a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze the stock for up to three months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If I were starting this vegetable stock from scratch I'd use an onion, three celery stalks, a carrot, 8-10 mushrooms and a few sprigs of fresh herbs, including thyme, rosemary or sage. Chop the veggies into small pieces and be sure to add the spices and garlic for the best flavor.
Some cooks insist they are one and the same. However, there are a few small differences you can drill down to:
- A vegetable stock is usually not seasoned with salt, whereas a vegetable broth would contain salt or other seasonings (although I do add a pinch of salt to the stock to extract the flavors from the veggies).
- A stock is cooked for a longer time -- one to two hours -- whereas a broth would be ready in 30 minutes.
- A broth can often be eaten on its own as part of a dish because it is already seasoned, whereas a stock is meant to be used to enhance another dish, like a soup or a stew.
As for whether they can be used interchangeably in a recipe, the answer is an unequivocal yes!
Very much so. A store-bought vegetable stock or vegetable broth can contain a large amount of sodium and preservatives. You will also get a fresher, better flavor in your recipes with homemade vegetable stock, and you'll also save some money!
Recipes to make with homemade vegetable stock
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below. Or tag us on Instagram #HolyCowVegan.
Vegetable Stock Recipe
Equipment
- Large stock pot
Ingredients
- 5 cups vegetable scraps (I used asparagus ends, apple peels, leek greens, mushroom stems, parsley stems and celery tops. See recipe notes for examples of veggies you can use.)
- 4 cloves garlic (peel and add whole, or leave the skins on and crush the garlic with the flat edge of the knife and then add to the stockpot.)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 10 allspice berries (crushed slightly in a mortar and pestle or with a knife.)
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns (crushed slightly in a mortar and pestle or with a knife.)
- 12 cups water (preferably filtered water)
- 2 sprigs rosemary (Other savory herbs are fine too, like thyme or sage. If using dried herbs, use a total of 2 teaspoons,)
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional, but helps bring out the flavors from the veggies.)
Instructions
- Place all vegetables in stockpot. Add herbs, including garlic, bay leaves and rosemary, if using, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and all spice corns to the pot.
- Add 12 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Turn heat to medium high and let the stock come to a boil. Then turn down the heat so the stock is at a simmer.
- Cover and let the stock cook for an hour. Once it has cooled down, strain out the vegetables, herbs and spices. Press on the veggies to release as much of those flavorful juices as you can. Store in the fridge or freezer (see storage instructions in recipe notes).
Recipe notes
- Examples of vegetable scraps you can use: Asparagus ends, cauliflower leaves, mushroom stems, apple peels, leek greens, broccoli stems, onion and garlic skins, carrot peels, tomato seeds, ginger peels, fennel fronds and ends, bell pepper ribs, celery ends, stems of any herbs, including fresh parsley, fresh thyme or fresh rosemary or fresh sage...the list goes on.
- Making stock with fresh veggies: If making this vegetable stock with fresh veggies instead of veggie scraps, use an onion, three celery stalks, a carrot, 8-10 mushrooms and a few sprigs of fresh herbs, including thyme, rosemary or sage. Chop the veggies into small pieces and be sure to add the spices and garlic for the best flavor.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the vegetable stock once it has cooled to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Freeze the vegetable stock in portion-sized, freezer-safe boxes or in ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can transfer the vegetable stock cubes to a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze the stock for up to three months.
Made this recipe? Please leave a comment and recipe rating below.
Gina
Thanks for this lovely stock recipe. I use leeks all the time, and end up with so much waste product, so this is what first caught my eye. And all of the other veg scraps in any given week (threw out asparagus ends just before I saw this recipe...know better for next time). Have started saving scraps and look forward to my first batch of this stock this weekend. Merci, encore.
Pat
I've been making my own veggie stock for a while but have not tried the herbs. I am sure that will kick it up a notch! Thanks!
Vaishali
Hi Pat, the spices add lots of flavor!
Micah
This stock is ABSOLUTELY delicious.
I started making Pho, and the result using this recipe for the broth was far and away better than anything I've had in a restaurant. It is just so darn tasty. Way better than the best chicken stock I've had. The flavor is full body, but also fresh and alive. Totally perfect.
I followed the recipe exactly as is, and got my onions most of the way toward carmelized before adding the other stuff.
For the best Pho on the planet--use this veggie stock recipe, then add cooked rice noodles, fresh lime juice, sprouts, microgreens, tons of basil, fresh mint, sauted shittake mushrooms, chopped green onion, lots and lots of fish sauce, some chili sesame oil, and some chili garlic sauce. Perfection.
Vaishali
So happy you loved it, Micah, and thanks for the pho recipe--fabulous.
Eli Allison
The stock looks like a lovely colour, and I will so be trying this recipe. The only thing I would say is that while parsley leafs aren't great in stock, the stalks are amazing. Also, dried mushrooms give a great umami flavour, and dried mushrooms are things I tend to have 'hanging' around. Look forward to trying this recipe, all the best.
Rosalind Martin
I have made this stock 3 times now and I am very pleased with the wonderful soups and curries that I can make with it. Excellent recipe.
Anonymous
Looks like a great recipe, just wondering when to add the peppercorns and allspice?
Vaishali Honawar
With the veggies. Cheers.
ChiCha
Dear Vaishali,
Thank you so much for this recipe!!
As a vegetarian i can strugle to make a good broth. Looking at this makes me confident it will be great.
Will try to make your black- eyed peas recipe tomorrow.
Looks good and healthy. Love your style of writing aswell!
Kid
I was using way too much water!!! No wonder it tasted watery. Grrr.
1
How many cups of vegetable stock does this make? It may be a dumb question, but does some of the water boil away?
Vaishali Honawar
You should get about 8 - 10 cups of stock. Cheers.
1
Sounds good - thanks for answering so quickly!
dame
One thing.. parsley is great in stock when added at the end of cooking, and the white root of it (parsnip) is perfect for broth making along with carrots, celery, onion, garlic and mushroom (however I always use dried and then soaked once; they have more pronounced flavor)...preferences!
Ann
Nice recipe. I always add ginger to my stocks. It adds dimension. I like using cilantro stems also. Roasting the veggies adds additional flavor too. I cook mine until soft, drain then place under low broiler until lightly browned then return to liquid.
Thanks for posting!!!!
Jake
The recipe looks great and i will defeinately be making it but on step 3 where it says less water will impart more flavor; i have always believed that true stock flavor comes in the reduction. I am going to try the recipe as is (minus the salt) and reduce to about half and it will concentrate the flavor greatly. I went to a cooking school and we didnt even have a vegetable stock that looks this good
Pallavi Kulkarni Desai
What a lovely, lovely color! Browning the veges is such a good idea. I had seen a video on YouTube, where they veges are chopped and added, even onion and that did not appeal to me, but this is a way better idea 🙂 Thank you.
Vaishali
Thanks, Pallavi. The browning really adds flavor.
Anusha
Vaishali, how long does it keep? I hate the store bought ones that have tons of sodium in it. Would love to make and keep this to use as needed.
Vaishali
Hi Anusha, it will last in the refrigerator about five to six days, but you can freeze it in smaller portion-sized containers. That way you could use it for much longer.
Cassandra
Lovely colour! I'm sure it would taste amazing, too!
Vaishali
Thanks, Cassandra, it does. 🙂
Richa
gorgeous color Vaishali. the only time i make stock is when I am making pho, coz really there can no pho without it. 🙂
Vaishali
Thanks, Richa. Reminds me-- gotta make some pho. 🙂