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Homemade Vegetable Broth

1 hr + 15 min

Soup

10 ingredients or less

Freezer-friendly

When making recipes, we are often left with a lot of vegetable scraps, as not all the parts of the vegetables we use are suitable for certain dishes. Of course, you can compost the remains, but we think making a vegetable broth is a way better option. You can freeze your daily veggie scraps until you have gathered enough to make the broth!

cups

Total

1 hr + 15 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

1 hr

Free from

Soy symbol

soy

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Gluten symbol

gluten

Ingredients

  • 6 cups (1440 mL)
    boiling water
  • 2
    medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 4
    garlic cloves, halved
  • 2
    carrots, in thick slices
  • 2
    celery ribs, in thick slices
  • 4 cups (640 g)
    vegetable scraps
  • ½ cup (8 g)
    fresh parsley, packed
  • ½ cup (8 g)
    fresh cilantro, packed
  • 2
    bay leaves
  • ½ Tbsp (4 g)
    whole peppercorns
  • 1 tsp (6 g)
    salt, plus more to taste

Directions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for one hour. Note: avoid a too-rapid simmer and do not let it simmer for too long, as this may result in a bitter broth.
  3. Turn off the heat and scoop out the vegetables using tongs or a slotted spoon. Press down on the veggies with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
  4. Place a mesh sieve over a large bowl, and strain the broth through it to catch any remaining small pieces.
  5. Let cool off completely before storing it, or use it immediately for a soup recipe. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Scraps you might want to include are from vegetables like garlic, onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery, herbs, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, zucchinis, squash skins, green beans, leeks, eggplants, and potatoes.
  • We recommend avoiding the scraps from cruciferous vegetables in your broth, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, arugula, and onion skins, as they make the broth bitter.
  • You may also want to skip beet scraps and red onion skins as they will darken the colour of your broth.

Storage

  • The broth can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. We'd recommend freezing it in 1 cup (240 mL) portions, so it's easier to use in future recipes.

Let us know what you think

Nutrition info

Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.

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Discussion & Rating

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Shawna - Jan. 30, 2024, 8:50 p.m.

Never thought to save veggie scraps for a broth, but it worked great!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Jan. 31, 2024, 7:31 a.m.

We're so happy that the vegetable broth was enjoyed, Shawna, thank you! 😊


Izzi - April 28, 2023, 11:57 p.m.

I save all the ends of vegetables, anything I may peel, chop, or have outer wrappers that I remove before cooking -many of the items once headed to the compost. I toss them in a large 2 gal. zip lock bag in the freezer until it's full, then use it to make broth.

PUL small logo PUL Team - April 29, 2023, 5:12 p.m.

Oooo thanks so much for taking the time to share, Izzi 😊


Sandy - April 25, 2023, 7:27 p.m.

Awesome recipe! Love that it's low sodium and that i can adjust to my needs 🙌


Devika - April 23, 2023, 12:44 a.m.

Please would you specify what you mean by vegetable scraps? It looks like a great idea!! 😊

PUL small logo PUL Team - April 24, 2023, 5:36 p.m.

Hey Devika! By vegetable scraps, we mean the parts of vegetables that aren't typically used, such as carrot tops and celery leaves - we've just added some more ideas to the recipe notes 🤓 We hope this helps for now!