Soups, Sauces and Condiments

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Making vegetable broth from scratch couldn’t possibly be easier and if this is your first time, I can guarantee you’ll never want to buy it from the store again! Store-bought cartons can be ridiculously expensive, and if you’re cooking mainly plant-based meals, you’re probably going through A LOT of it, especially during soup season. There are so many benefits to preparing this pantry staple at home and as long as you’re regularly cooking with vegetables, you’ll have an endless supply.

What’s so great about making your own vegetable broth at home?

1. Costs almost nothing to make since all you need are the scraps that you would throw into the garbage or compost anyways.
2. WAY less sodium in this homemade broth than what you find in the store-bought cartons.
3. So much more flavorful than any broth that you can buy at the store.
4. Reduces waste by repurposing vegetable scraps before throwing them out.
5. More nutrients in broth made from scratch compared to more processed, commercial brands. As the vegetables infuse the broth, you’re left with a nourishing blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Which veggie scraps to use:

You can really use any blend of vegetable scraps you’d like, just be aware that the flavor of the broth will vary based on the types of vegetables you use. Veggies like onions and garlic infuse a lot of delicious flavor, while mushrooms will bring a nice hint of umami. My broth is typically made from a blend of:

• onion peels
• celery leaves
• carrot tops
• garlic peels
• herb stems
• potato peels
• mushroom scraps

I would recommend limiting the amount vegetables like cabbage and broccoli because they can overwhelm the flavor and make the broth smell a little funky!

How to make homemade vegetable broth:

Step 1:

Save up all your veggie scraps! Just stick them in a gallon freezer bag and once it’s full, you’re ready to make broth.

Step 2:

Pour the entire bag of vegetable scraps in the Instant Pot and fill to the MAX line with water.

Step 3:

Season with salt and pepper and pressure cook on High for 30 minutes.

Step 4:

Using a cheesecloth-lined strainer or fine mesh sieve, strain the contents into a large bowl and discard the scraps. Allow the broth to cool before storing.

Once it’s cooled, funnel the broth into jars and store in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze for several months. You should be left with over 5 quarts of delicious homemade broth ready to be used in all your favorite soups and sauces! If you try this recipe and enjoy it, share it with a friend and comment down below. I always love to hear your feedback!

Don’t own a pressure cooker?

Making this broth on the stove or in a slow cooker is perfectly fine, it just takes some extra time. Using a pressure cooker is a great time saver and also allows your food to retain a lot of it’s vitamins and nutrients, whereas cooking in open containers with exposure to oxygen can lead to a loss of nutrients and flavor. I literally use my Instant Pot almost every single day and highly recommend investing in one to save yourself some time and energy! Here’s a link to the one I have been using for years: https://amzn.to/49X5iUa

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Rich, flavorful, homemade veggie broth made with leftover vegetable scraps that's way better than any store-bought brand. This is a great way to reduce waste, save money, and improve the quality of your home cooked meals!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Broth, Condiments

Equipment

• 1 8 qt. Pressure cooker optional

Ingredients

  

• 1 gallon bag full of vegetable scraps (onion skins, carrot tops, celery tops, potato skins, garlic peels, broccoli stalks, herb stems, etc.)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

 

• Empty bag of scraps into Instant Pot. (See notes for stovetop or slow cooker instructions.)
• Fill to the MAX line with water and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.
• Using a cheesecloth-lined strainer or fine mesh sieve, strain the contents into a large bowl and discard the scraps. Allow the broth to cool before storing in the fridge for up to 7 days or freezer for several months.

Notes

Make sure you’re using clean scraps. If they are unwashed when they go into the freezer, just make sure you rinse them before adding them to the pot.

Stovetop: Empty bag of scraps into large stockpot, cover scraps with water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. 

Slow cooker: Empty bag of scraps into slow cooker, cover scraps with water, and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low 4-8 hours.

Keyword broth, low sodium, scraps, stock, vegan, vegetable, veggie