Homemade Vegetable Stock Recipe » Use Leftover Vegetable Scraps

Learn how to make a delicious homemade vegetable stock recipe that is loaded with flavor and is perfect to use in soups, stews, and braises.

Vegetable stock is a veggie-based liquid consisting of water and vegetables that are simmered together to make a flavorful broth to use in a myriad of recipes. If you are vegan or even vegetarian, then this is absolutely the recipe for you.

The best way to make vegetable stock is by saving old veggie scraps and freezing them until you have enough to make it. There is no perfect number of leftover veggies to make a stock or broth, it’s whenever you feel like you have enough to make it. In that way, don’t let this recipe be so prescriptive, use what you have when you have enough.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 roughly chopped yellow onions
• ½ roughly chopped celery bunch
• 10-12 roughly chopped carrots
• 2 roughly chopped leeks
• 10-12 garlic cloves
• 1 to ½ gallons of leftover frozen vegetable scraps
• 1 bunch parsley
• 15-20 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 15-20 black peppercorns

Makes 2 ½ gallons

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Procedures:

1. In a very large pot over low heat add in the olive oil and gently sweat the onions, celery, carrots, leeks, and garlic cloves for 15-20 minutes. Do not brown.
2. Next, add in all of the remaining ingredients and fill the pot up with cold water until it is about 2” over the veggies.
3. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to an active simmer.
4. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Strain the stock and use or store it.

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep refrigerated before using.

How to Store: Cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days. This will freeze very well covered for up to 6 months. Be sure to completely cool the stock before freezing.

How to Reheat: Add your desired amount to a saucepot and cook over low heat until warmed.

Before using your vegetable stock, it is wise to season it with salt and pepper.

Sweating vegetables when cooking means cooking over low heat to soften but not too brown.

It is absolutely fine if your vegetable stock is lighter or darker than mine.