How to Make Vegetable Stock

Yumna Jawad
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5 from 9 votes

Learn how to make Vegetable Stock in this easy tutorial. I share tips for how to use vegetable scraps and beans for best taste & consistency!

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Here is how I make vegetable stock for vegetarian soups and stews. It’s totally vegan, too! The added beans and their juices give the stock viscosity and a better mouth texture making it remarkably similar to a long-simmered chicken or beef stock.

Dutch oven and pouring water on top of vegetables to make the stock

How to make vegetable stock

  1. Place all your ingredients in a big pot, like a stockpot or Dutch oven. Make sure it is large enough for all your ingredients plus water.
  2. Add the water, enough to cover three-quarters of the vegetables in the pot. You do not need to completely submerge all the veggies.
  3. Cover and bring to a simmer on low heat. Once simmering, adjust the heat to maintain the simmer without over boiling. Cook like this for a couple hours. Stir occasionally.
  4. Uncover, remove from heat, and let cool.
  5. Fish out the larger chunks of cooked vegetables and beans using a small strainer, spider, or slotted spoon.
  6. Strain the remaining soup through a fine-mesh strainer to remove all free-floating bits. Refrigerate in a lidded container.
6 image collage showing a dutch oven with the ingredients in it and the steps to make the recipe

Tips for making vegetable stock

  1. Roast the vegetables for a much darker stock. This brings out the amazing flavor of the vegetables and mimics some of the roasted qualities of meat stocks
  2. Make a vegetarian “demi-glace” with the vegetable stock by adding tomato paste. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to the stock after the vegetables have been strained, reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.
  3. Stay away from adding vegetables from the brassica family Cauliflower, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and other brassicas add bitterness to stock. Save them for their own soups.
  4. Hold the salt. You’ll notice there is no salt in this recipe. That is a deliberate choice to avoid oversalting since salt will be added to the final recipe for which the stock is destined.

Recipes with vegetable stock

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between vegetable stock and vegetable broth?

There are a few differences. Stock is made specifically for use in other recipes. That is why there is no salt added. (See above.) Broth is thinner and seasoned to be sipped as its own soup. Meat-based stocks achieve their gelatinous texture from long-simmered bones. My vegetable stock uses beans to achieve its body.

How long will vegetable stock last in the fridge?

I recommend keeping for only 4-5 days. For a longer life, freeze for up to six months.

What are some other good herbs or vegetables to add to vegetable stock?

Parsley and mushrooms make good additions as do leeks, or other alliums like shallots. Tomatoes are also not a bad idea. If you are making your stock for a specific dish, you can flavor according, for instance using ginger, perhaps, if you intend it for an Asian dish.

Completed vegetable stock after draining and removing the vegetables

Homemade stock is so pure and a great thing to make when you get to the end of a bag of carrots or celery or for using vegetable scraps. You won’t believe it until you try it, but homemade stock, like this vegetable one, gives an unbelievably delicious boost to recipes. It’s also economical!

And if you’re looking for a non-vegetarian one, be sure to check out my recipe on how make your own chicken stock from scratch.

For more cooking resources, check out:

If you’ve found this cooking resource for How to Make Vegetable Broth helpful or if you’ve tried any recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience with this technique. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Dutch oven and pouring water on top of vegetables to make the stock
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How to Make Vegetable Stock

Learn how to make Vegetable Stock in this easy tutorial. I share tips for how to use vegetable scraps and beans for best taste & consistency!
5 from 9 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 6 servings
Course Soup, Tutorial
Calories 94
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 white onions quartered
  • 5 carrots peeled and quartered
  • 3 celery ribs quartered
  • 15 ounces cannellini beans with liquid
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • As needed water about 8-10 cups

Instructions

  • Place all items in a pot large enough to hold everything.
  • Add 8-10 cups of water, enough to cover ¾ of the vegetables in the pot.
  • Bring to a simmer on low heat. Once simmering, cook for 2 hours.
  • Let cool, then strain. Makes 6-8 cups of broth

Equipment

a 10 piece knife set
Zwilling Knife Block Set
John Boos CB1054-1M2418150 Cutting Board, 24 Inches x 18 Inches x 1.5 Inches, Maple with Juice Groove
Cutting Board
Anolon Nouvelle Nonstick Dutch Oven
Non-Stick Dutch Oven Pot
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups And Measuring Spoons 10-Piece Set, 5 Cups And 5 Spoons
Measuring Cups and Spoons

Notes

Storage: Allow the vegetable broth to cool completely. Then store the cooled broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However feel free to swap out the herbs for other kinds or use chickpeas instead of white beans. But the white beans will give the best consistency.
Photo Credit: Erin Jensen

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 191mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 8533IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Soup, Tutorial

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Comments

  1. Hello Yumna!

    I love homemade soup stock! Can you recommend a veg that can substitute for the carrots? I cannot eat carrots or fennel or corn.

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hi Anna, you can leave the carrot out or you can toss in some caramelized Vidalia onions for that touch of sweetness. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Hi Yumma. I want to know what can I do with the cooked vegetables and beans left – I don’t like throw away food. Thanks for your recipes

    Reply