Stock Archives - Simply Sundays

Who doesn’t love something for nothing??

Well, that’s kind of what homemade veggie broth is like

There are always scraps and peelings and shavings and skins left over when preparing fresh veggies

So.. save them! I like to keep a gallon bag in my freezer to store all of the scraps and when it’s full, it goes right into the slow cooker or pressure cooker

Vegetable broth is a healthy and delicious alternative to chicken or beef stock. An frugal way to repurpose kitchen vegetable scraps

What’s the difference between broth and stock?

A broth is typically made by simmering meat and a mix of vegetables and a stock is made using the bones of an animal also with a mix of vegetables. Since we’re going for the veggie version here, we’re not using bones so it’s a broth!

So many applications, broth for soup is a given
Or replace the water when making rice or quinoa with veggie broth
You can use the broth as poaching liquid for fish…

Anything you would normally use beef or chicken broth. And it’s much lighter and more delicate

I save onion ends/skins, carrot peels, garlic ends/skins, parsley, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms etc.

I avoid using veggies like cabbage, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower in the broth. Vegetables from the cruciferous family will make your broth bitter
I also avoid using strong fresh herbs such as rosemary or sage in the veggie broth

So here are the super simple steps to making your own broth
Save, save, save… once your freezer bag is full, place contents in a slow cooker or pressure cooker

I just happened to use a pressure cooker in this instance because I wanted to make soup on the quick side, but the results are just the same in the slow cooker

Add 8 cups of water to the pot, a healthy pinch of salt and a bay leaf or two. I save the broken bay leaves for making broths and stocks

Cover and cook 15 minutes high pressure in the Instant Pot, 4 hours in a slow cooker or 1 hour simmering over medium heat on the stovetop

(Pressure cookers vary, so check cooking time on the manufacturer’s instructions)

Strain solids into a colander over a large bowl

Strain broth again through a fine sieve over a pot

Re-season to taste and there you have it! Easy, delicious, HEALTHY veggie broth!

You can store in a mason jar for about 2 weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer

Simply Sundays note: keep in mind, since the amount/type of vegetables you are using will be different each time you make the stock, the taste will vary