Unlock a world of flavor in your kitchen with the one secret ingredient that elevates every dish: homemade vegetable stock. Forget bland, store-bought cartons! This incredibly simple, fast, and flexible recipe transforms humble vegetables into liquid gold in just 40 minutes. It’s the perfect base for soups, stews, risottos, and sauces, proving that the best flavors are often the easiest to create. Let’s get simmering!
Ingredients
• MAKES: about 1 quart / 1 literTIME: 40 minutes
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, quartered, skin on
• 1 medium potato, cut into chunks
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed, skin on
• 1 small bunch parsley stems
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups / 1.4 liters water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Combine all —carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, parsley stems, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper—in a large saucepan or stockpot with 6 cups of water.2. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently, partially covered, for at least 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. For a deeper flavor, you can simmer for up to an hour.3. Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or container, pressing gently on the vegetables to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.4. Taste the finished stock and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Use immediately or let it cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutritional Information
• Estimated per 1 cup serving:
• Calories: 15
• Fat: 1g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Protein: 0.5g
Pro Tips
• Pro-Tips for Perfect Vegetable Stock
• Keep the skins on your onion and garlic. They add a beautiful golden color and a surprising depth of flavor to the finished stock.
• For a richer, more complex flavor, sauté the carrots, onion, and celery in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they start to soften before adding the water and other .
• Make a double batch and freeze it for later. Pour cooled stock into ice cube trays or freezer-safe bags for perfectly portioned flavor boosts whenever you need them.
• This recipe is a fantastic base. Feel free to add other vegetable scraps like leek tops, mushroom stems, or parsnip peels to create your own signature stock.
FAQ
Q: What other vegetables can I add to this stock
A: This recipe is a great base for using up vegetable scraps. Feel free to add leek tops, mushroom stems, parsnip peels, or corn cobs for sweetness. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower, as they can make the stock bitter.
Q: How can I make my vegetarian stock have a richer umami flavor
A: To boost the savory, umami depth, add a few dried shiitake mushrooms, a tablespoon of tomato paste, or a piece of kombu (seaweed) while simmering. Sautéing the base vegetables before adding water, as mentioned in the pro-tips, also builds a much richer flavor.
Q: What is the best way to store homemade vegetable stock for meal prep
A: For easy vegetarian meal prep, cool the stock completely and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months. Freezing stock in ice cube trays gives you perfectly portioned flavor boosts for sauces or sautés.
Q: Is this recipe a good low-sodium option
A: Absolutely. This recipe is ideal for a low-sodium diet because you have complete control over the salt. The initial pinch is minimal, and you can adjust the seasoning to your preference at the end, or leave it unsalted entirely and season the final dish you use it in.
