How To Make Homemade Vegetable Broth (Out Of Vegetable Scraps)

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been saving vegetable scraps, with the intention of making homemade vegetable broth.

I finally gathered enough – about 4 cups or so, leftover from random meals of stir-fry, oven-roasted vegetables, kale chips, soup, and other dishes. My mix included:

• Broccoli stalks
• Kale stalks
• Red and yellow pepper stems
• Green bean ends
• Outer onion layers

I added some additional seasonings and ended up with a very flavorful vegetable broth. This broth can be used to make soup, sauces, gravies, curries, and other savory dishes. It can be frozen for future use – but I quickly used mine up!

Tips For Making Great Homemade Vegetable Broth

• Variety is key: The more vegetables you include in your broth, the more flavorful it will be. Save all kinds of scraps and keep them in a bag in your freezer.
• Add seasoning: Although you can make a pot of broth out of vegetables alone, adding the right spices and seasonings will take the flavor to the next level. Add a bay leaf, salt, garlic, and fresh herbs to your simmering pot. Experiment with other flavors as well. If you’re making an Asian dish, add a dash of soy sauce. If you want a spicy broth, add a dash of hot sauce or pinch of cayenne pepper. Don’t forget to taste test along the way and adjust accordingly.

Making vegetable broth out of leftover vegetable scraps is a great way to reduce food waste and save money. And it couldn’t be easier to make. If you can make a pot of soup, you can make homemade broth.

Now start saving those scraps!

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Print Recipe

Homemade Vegetable Broth (Made With Vegetable Scraps)

Yield: 4 cups broth

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Using this easy method, you'll never go back to buying packaged vegetable broth again!

Ingredients:

• 4+ cups vegetable scraps (from onions, leeks, peppers, celery, leafy greens, carrots, herbs, etc.)
• 6 cups water
• Salt
• Bay leaf
• Minced garlic
• Additional seasonings, as desired

Directions:

1. Place vegetable scraps and water into a large stockpot. Add additional ingredients. Bring to a simmer and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 45 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Discard vegetable scraps.
3. Once cool, place broth in a large glass jar or freeze in individual freezer bags for convenient future use. Use refrigerated broth within 3 to 4 days.