How to Make Homemade Veggie Broth

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One of the most rewarding things about backyard gardening is wasting almost nothing. Homemade vegetable broth is the perfect way to use up vegetable scraps, odds and ends from the garden, and produce that’s a little past its prime. Rich, flavorful, and far better than anything from a carton.

Once you’re in the habit of making homemade veggie broth, this is truly the best way to use up veggies that are in the fridge. Below you’ll see exactly how to make homemade veggie broth as a delicious base for your next recipe.

You might also like:

• How to Make Almond Butter from Scratch (it’s so easy)
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This article is part of my homestead cooking series where I share how to make from-scratch food instead of buying it at the grocery story.  From homemade bread and jelly to homemade condiments.  I'm Gretchen and I've been homesteading for over 15 years.  Here at the Backyard Farming Connection, I connect the lines between growing your own food, raising your own animals, and putting it all together in the kitchen.

What You’ll Need

Vegetables (use what you have):

You can truly use every veggie to make vegetable stock. I prefer not using things that are starchy like potatoes as it makes the broth cloudy. Every batch of homemade broth I make is slightly different. Here are the things I use most often:

• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, roughly chopped
• 4 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 1 whole head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 cups mushrooms or mushroom stems
• Any vegetable scraps you have on hand (leek tops, parsley stems, corn cobs, zucchini ends, etc.)

Seasonings:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• A small bunch of fresh parsley or thyme
• Salt to taste

Other:

• 12 cups of cold water

Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and brown slightly. This step adds depth and richness to the final broth – BUT I often skip this if I’m short in time. I also like to put the entire vegetable in to cook – onion peels, celery ends, etc.

Step 2: Add Everything Else

Add the mushrooms, remaining vegetable scraps, peppercorns, bay leaves, and herbs to the pot. Pour in the cold water and bring everything to a boil.

Step 3: Simmer Low and Slow

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You want it to bubble gently, a hard boil can make the broth murky and bitter.

Step 4: Strain and Season

Remove the pot from heat and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the cooked vegetables. Season with salt to taste.

Step 5: Store or Use Right Away

Use the broth immediately in soups, risottos, grains, or sauces. For storage, let it cool completely and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze in quart containers for up to 6 months. I often freeze broth in freezer bags.

Tips and Notes

• Keep a bag in the freezer for vegetable scraps throughout the week, onion skins, carrot peels, celery leaves, and add them directly to the pot.
• Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts, as they can make the broth bitter.
• Roasting the vegetables before simmering gives the broth a deeper, more complex flavor.
• Mushrooms are optional but add wonderful umami richness.

Ways to Use Your Broth

Homemade veggie broth works anywhere a recipe calls for stock. Use it as the base for soups and stews, to cook rice or quinoa, to deglaze a pan, or to add flavor to mashed potatoes and sauces.

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