How to Make Vegetable Stock {One Pot Tutorial

Name: How to Make Vegetable Stock
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 130 min
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)

How to make vegetable stock

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.

Add the water, enough to cover three-quarters of the vegetables in the pot. You do not need to completely submerge all the veggies.

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.

Uncover, remove from heat, and let cool.

Fish out the larger chunks of cooked vegetables and beans using a small strainer, spider, or slotted spoon.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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!

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Comments

Anna says:

October 5, 2023 at 12:29 pm

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. Yumna J. says:
  
  October 5, 2023 at 6:22 pm
  
  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
Silvia says:

May 14, 2021 at 6:04 pm

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
1. Yumna J. says:
  
  May 14, 2021 at 9:29 pm
  
  I totally understand that! Check out my Mediterranean White Bean Soup recipe.
  
  Reply

HI I’M YUMNA

I’m glad you’re here! I founded Feel Good Foodie over 10 years ago, back when I was still learning to cook. I’ve come a long way since then, but my number one goal is still the same: to make healthy, family-friendly cooking easy and fun for you! Need an idea for what to make for dinner tonight or want check out my authentic Lebanese recipes? Well you’ve come to the right place, and I promise you’ll leave saying, “That was good – so good!”

How to Make Vegetable Stock