Vegetable Stock Recipe

Skip the expensive boxed vegetable stock - save packaging, save money, save your veggie scraps!

It really is that easy; the hardest part is getting out of the habit of tossing these gems that you used to send down the garbage disposal. Store the following scraps in the frig for a few days or longer in your freezer. Throw away veggies are perfect ingredients to simmer in a pot to make a plant-based vegan broth, replacing an animal based chicken or beef broth. Added bonus - your house will smell amazing - like you've been slaving away for hours in the kitchen with almost zero effort.

Save These Ingredients to make Stock!

• Carrot tops & tips
• Celery leaves & stalks
• Onion peels & tops
• Garlic cloves, tips & peels
• Any leftover veggie scraps 
• Herb stalks & leaves

 

Vegetable Stock Recipe

Yield: 6 cups

Equipment

Instant Pot/pressure cooker (or large pot)

Colander for straining

Ingredients

4 cups any vegetable scraps, see list above

2 T cooking oil (avocado oil is my preferred cooking oil)

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 T dried rosemary or several springs fresh rosemary

1 T dried basil or handful of fresh basil

2-4 bay leaves

6 cups water, enough to cover vegetables

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional, adds savory flavor, protein & vitamins)

 

Stock Cooking Instructions

• Place chopped vegetable pieces/scraps in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
• Add herbs and spices and cooking oil.
• Select "Saute" button, and stir the vegetables until vegetables are slightly browned and onions (if used) are transluscent.
• Cover vegetables with water. 
• Lock lid of pressure cooker, set pressure cooker valve to "sealing".
• On an Instant Pot, select Manual/Pressure Cook. Use the + - buttons to set time to 20 minutes. 
• When time is done, use the natural release method. This means allow the pressure to release until the floating valve is completely dropped and the lid is safe to unlock. You can also manually release pressure by releasing the valve, but be prepared for the rush of steam that jets out.
• Strain liquid through a colander. You can use a fine mesh colander, but the colander I use for draining pastas worked fine when set inside a large bowl.

Stove Top Notes: Follow saute instructions above, then set stove burner to medium high until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Check pot periodically to retain liquid levels.

Vegetable Stock Storage

Store in refrigerator for 4 days or freeze for up to six months.