Easy 1-Pot Vegetable Broth

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Three glass jars filed with the BEST homemade vegetable broth and surrounded by fresh carrots, thyme, parsley, and tomato paste

Friends! I’m so excited to bring you this delicious kitchen staple that is SO easy to make. I’ve been telling all of my friends how they should start doing it, too.

Consider yourself part of the inner circle who gets in on a secret: Making vegetable broth is what all the cool kids are doing. Let me show you how!

Onions, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, garlic, bay leaf, salt and olive oil on a cutting board ready to make the BEST vegetable broth recipe

This broth is easy to make, requiring just 1 pot and basic ingredients you likely have on hand year-round.

The inspiration for making my own broth originally came from my pal Phoebe, who shared in her wellness book about making broth from vegetable scraps and garlic and onion skins collected throughout the week. BRILLIANT! Why had no one told me this before?

Ever since, I’ve been saving a big bag of vegetable scraps (carrot peels and tops, greens on their last leg, onion ends, etc.) in a bag in my freezer, and when it’s full, I know it’s broth time.

Stirring a big pot with vegetables for making the BEST homemade vegetable broth

I start by sautéing the sturdier vegetables down until soft and tender. Then I add water, salt, pepper, and herbs.

Herbs add the “umami” to the soup, in my opinion. I went with fresh thyme, parsley, and rosemary and a bay leaf for good measure.

And for even more depth of flavor? Tomato paste and nutritional yeast! I know it sounds like an unlikely combination that makes this broth cheesy and tomato-heavy. But a little goes a long way in adding extra “oomph” to the broth and helps take it from vegetable water to AMAZING broth!

Cutting board featuring two of the key ingredients used in our post on how to make the BEST Vegetable Broth

After about 1 hour of simmering on low, the flavors develop and your broth is ready to go.

Of course, you can cook it longer (the longer the better, really). But 1 hour is about the minimum for truly delicious broth. All that’s left to do is strain into storage jars and you’re set!

Stirring a pot of simmering homemade vegetable broth

I hope you all LOVE this broth! It’s:

Hearty
Rich
Flavorful
Versatile
Easy to make
Healthy
& Super delicious

This broth makes the PERFECT base for soups, sauces, gravy, and all kinds of recipes, like my 1-Pot Chickpea Noodle Soup1-Pot Vegan Minestrone, Simple Vegan Stuffing, Easy Vegan Poutine, Thyme & White Bean Pot Pies, Mushroom & Leek Risotto, Tomato & Vegetable White Bean Soup, 1-Pot Curried Lentil Potato Soup, and Coconut Curry Ramen.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot showcasing the rich color of the BEST homemade vegetable broth

Easy 1-Pot Vegetable Broth

An easy, 1-pot recipe for homemade vegetable broth! The perfect way to use up vegetable scraps and skins to make delicious broth for soups and more!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Jars of homemade Easy 1-Pot Vegetable Broth on a cutting board with tomato paste, carrots, and herbs
4.94 from 141 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 (1-cup servings)
Course Soup
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 5 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
  • 1 medium onion (with skins // finely chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (with skins // finely chopped // or sub garlic-infused olive oil)
  • 4 medium carrots (with skins // finely chopped)
  • 4 stalks celery (finely chopped)
  • 1-2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste // divided)
  • 9-10 cups filtered water
  • 1 cup chopped sturdy greens (kale, collards, etc.)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 small handful fresh thyme*
  • 1 small handful fresh rosemary*
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast (if you don’t have it, omit)
  • 4-5 Tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water), onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Add 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (amount as recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and stir to coat. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened and slightly browned, stirring frequently.
  • Add water, greens, parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and another 1/2 tsp sea salt and black pepper (amount as recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and increase heat to medium high until the mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add nutritional yeast and tomato paste (add less of both for less intense flavor, or more for bigger more robust flavor!). Stir to combine and loosely cover (with the lid cracked).
  • Continue cooking for at least 30 minutes, preferably 45 minutes to 1 hour. The flavor will deepen the longer it cooks.
  • Near the end of cooking, taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more herbs for herby/earthy flavor, salt for saltiness, pepper for a little spice, or tomato paste or nutritional yeast for “umami” and depth of flavor. In total, I added about 2 tsp sea salt and black pepper (amount as recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and all of the suggested amount of nutritional yeast and tomato paste (both of which add depth of flavor and make the broth rich).
  • Let cool slightly before pouring over a strainer into another pot. Then divide between storage vessels (I prefer glass mason jars). Let cool completely before sealing. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (sometimes longer). Perfect for use in soups, recipes, gravy, and more! Recipes listed above.

Video

Notes

*If using leftover veggie scraps: either add in addition to the vegetables or slightly scale the vegetables back. They can be added straight from frozen. 
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil, all of the recommended salt, pepper, tomato paste, and nutritional yeast and with half of the vegetables because they are strained.
*You can sub 1 Tbsp dried thyme or rosemary per small handful fresh herb.
*Recipe makes ~10 cups broth.
*Recipe inspiration from Jennifer’s Kitchen.

Nutrition (1 of 10 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 42 Carbohydrates: 5.2 g Protein: 2.4 g Fat: 1.6 g Saturated Fat: 0.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 486 mg Fiber: 2.1 g Sugar: 1.7 g

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  1. Bailey k says

    I made this recipe but skipped the tomato paste and blended up the strained veggies as a broccoli cheddar soup base! It was perfect!

  2. Marcy says

    This was the first time for me to make veggie broth. I picked this recipe because of the option to add nutritional yeast which I have found to make so many things taste awesome!
    The flavor of this recipe was outstanding. I’ll never buy veg broth again. Even my picky eater husband liked the white beans I cooked in this broth. If he knew I was serving him vegan food, he would be in shock.
    I vac seal bagged portions and stored in the freezer, longer than a month and still the flavor is spot on.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Marcy! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo

  3. Raul says

    I am DEFINITELY going to make this vegetable broth and the Vegetable White bean Soup.
    Questions! How much is a “handful” of thyme? Can I throw in stem and all or only the leaves? What if I can’t find fresh? Alternative? Thanks for the recipe and answers. : )

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re excited for you to try both recipes, Raul. The measurement of thyme is flexible, but ~5 grams. You can throw in the stems and all since you’ll be straining it. You could also sub a lesser amount of dried thyme. Hope that helps!

  4. Lynn says

    Hello! This looks great, I’ve been wanting to try making broth!

    But why do the veggies all need to be “finely chopped” when they will be cooked down and strained? That seems like unnecessary time and work?

    And if it is necessary, could they be run through the food processor to save time?

    And are there any veggies you wouldn’t want to use in this broth, or does “anything go”?!

    THANKS!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lynn, finely chopping helps them get more browning/flavor in the sautéing step, but it’s not essential. Using a food processor could work, depending on the veggie. We wouldn’t go too heavy on cabbage, mustard greens, parsnips, turnips, or anything else with an especially strong flavor or a flavor you dislike!

      • Matilde says

        Hi! I have a couple questiona, One has to do with English not being my mother-tongue 😁 so when you say scrap vegetables, do you mean like vegetable skins and leftovers from other recipes? Im guessing this does not apply to kale for example but potato, butternut squash and carrots for example? Also, what do you do (if you do not throw it away) with the leftovers from straining? The cooked vegetables scraps I mean. I hope I am being clear enough 😬 thanks!!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Matilde, you’re very clear! 😊 Correct – use the vegetable skins and leftovers from other recipes. For kale, we like to save the stalks if we use just the leafy part in salads. For butternut squash and carrots – yes, the peel. The leftover veggies from straining won’t have much flavor, but you could eat them, compost, or feed to animal friends (checking to make sure what you’re using is safe for them).

  5. Kim Castelli says

    I am a new “cook” and when it states “small bunch” — i need it more spelled out for me. Also – why the not exact amount on yeast / paste?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kim, thanks for the feedback! If you click “metric” beneath the ingredients header, you can find weight measurements. The ranges are to account for personal preference and variation between brands. Tasting as you go helps with becoming a more skilled cook :)

  6. Courtenay says

    This has now been my go-to vegetable broth recipe for years! I always fill up two big ziplocks of vegetable scraps in the freezer, and then I know it’s time to go…I find it so satisfying to know I’m using every part of the vegetables I’m buying, and the broth itself makes for the most wonderfully deep & complex base for all my cozy winter soups and stews. It doesn’t even begin to compare to store bought. And the addition of the tomato paste and nutritional yeast sends this recipe into the stratosphere!
    Thank you so much.

  7. Nicole says

    I followed the directions for the amount of water and cooked it just over an hour and it reduced down to about 3 cups! Maybe I’ll need to double it next time.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      That does sound like it reduced a lot! You can cover completely to help less liquid evaporate. Also, if you have a burner that’s able to keep a lower heat, try that!

    • Barbara says

      The best way to ruin any soup stock is to let it boil, and this is no exception. Time is the master here. I find it’s best to keep it on a low simmer. In addition, I like to put the top on crooked so the stock can vent but steam up onto the underside of the lid and drip back down into the pot. Good luck! NTW, this is my savor is the veggie stock, hands down.

  8. Corelia says

    Making this to freeze! I use 750 ml jars without shoulders, leave a few inches headspace, and then I just pop ’em in the freezer. Frozen vegetable broth lasts up to 6 months but most people say to use it up after about 3, for the fullest flavour.

    • Daniel Mistele says

      So I made this using the nutritional yeast and boy does it give it an umami punch! Also, I freeze them in freezer Ziploc storage bags. I put in 2 1/2 cups per bag The trick is, I’ll freeze them flat so I can stack them. I am able to stack all my stock,; vegetable, chicken and beef. I just grab one break off a chunk and put it in my food as I’m making it.

  9. Christa says

    Hi! There is a recipe to can Veg Stock in Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving–400 delicious and creative recipes for today edited by Judith Kingry and Lauren Devine p. 401.
    In my experience when I canned bone broth it only lasted for a year (I think because of the fat). So I am looking forward to canning veg broth because it will last longer I think. I encourage people to drink this if they have trouble SLEEPING—it’s amazing!! Also thank you so much for sharing this fantastic recipe! I hope to try it soon!!!

  10. Kim O'Brien says

    I made this, however I roasted all the vegetables and a full head of garlic in my oven first. It really brings out the flavors of the vegetables much more to roast rather than sauteing them first. This broth had way more flavor this way.

  11. Joshua Johnson says

    Has anyone tried roasting the veggies in the oven before using in this recipe? I think it brings a lot of extra flavor out in other recipes but i have never done it in broth.

  12. Maggie says

    I make a big batch of this on a regular basis to freeze, and use it whenever I need broth. I strain it through a food mill, and the resulting broth is rich and flavorful. I use it as a soup base, and also to cook grains like farrow, bulgur and barley. It really takes everything to a whole ‘nother level. Thank you.

  13. DonnaSue says

    Can this be canned safely, I have pancreatitis and often need to go to liquids so I am starting to pressure can things for when I am sick and this looks like a great place to start. I have never canned anything.
    Thanks for the time you spent to share this
    I made one batch and really like it, being able to use water instead of oil was what I needed.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi DonnaSue, we haven’t tried canning it, but think it could work! However, we don’t have much canning experience so can’t offer instructions! Perhaps another reader with more canning experience will be able to chime in?

  14. Gwendolyn Lewis says

    Amazing!! I made this for use during Passover week because I couldn’t find anything suitable at the store. I just left out the Nutritional Yeast. We didn’t even miss it! I will be making this again, and again.

  15. Jill says

    I was looking for a no/low sodium veggie broth to make for a friend w/ dietary restrictions. What makes the sodium level 435mg per serving size? Or am I reading this incorrectly?

  16. Diane Medeiros says

    I love making this broth. It’s hands down the best broth you could ever ask for; aromatic and very easy to make. Making some right now. Half will be used in a mediterranean Red Lentil Soup with feta and the other half will go into a vegetarian stew with soy curls, peas and potatoes. Thank you Dana for another fabulous recipe!

  17. Katarina Schare says

    I made this recipe and first left out the tomatoes. It didn’t quite to the trick. Once the tomato paste was added, it was the most delicious vegetable broth I have ever had! Instead of streaming the veggies through a strainer, I put them (once they were cooled down) in a kitchen cloth and “wrenched them”. I got a lot more juice out of them that way. More flavor. Less waste. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!

  18. Fran says

    Excellent recipe I’ve made a couple of times now; I have modified based on what veggies and herbs I have on hand and add extra nutritional yeast and a whole can of tomato paste. It freezes well and is a great base for a lot of soups and vegan dishes I’m learning to make, as my husband has recently switched to a vegan diet for health reasons and I am now pretty much vegetarian (although I still sometimes give in to being a ‘flexitarian’ and having some cheese on occasion!).

  19. David Manchester says

    If I chop the pieces larger do you think I could leave them in, add some beans and noodles and make it into minestrone or do I have to remove all the cooked veggies first?

  20. Haillee says

    I’ve been making my own broth from veggie scraps for a few months now. I’ve been looking for a simple recipe to add a bit more dimension and flavor to my broth and this recipe delivers! I didn’t have fresh herbs on hand so I used dried thyme, basil, and parsley, three bay leaves and assorted combination of kitchen scraps, including red and green pepper tops and cores, celery and squash ends, garlic and onion skins,and whatever kale and collard stems.

    Delicious!

  21. Suzanne says

    Fantastic recipe! The only change I made is to add a jalapeno pepper and a whole little can of tomato paste. It now tastes very much like a less salted version of V8 :)
    I’m in dieting mode, and this is my go-to drink alternative to snacking.
    Couldn’t be happier with the flavour. Thank you so much for the recipe.