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!
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.
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!
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!
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 Soup, 1-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!
Easy 1-Pot Vegetable Broth
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
*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.
Christine TM says
what do you think about cilantro instead of parsley in this? Thanks!
Hi Christine, we haven’t tried that but it would definitely work as long as you enjoy the flavor of cilantro!
Linda says
The recipe is fantastic! I’m an older cook – over 80 – and have made broths for years. Whatever attracked me to this recipe I don’t know but very happy I saw it and decided to make it. Followed it pretty much to scale – just don’t measure things anymore. I did substitute the nutrional yeast (never heard of it before and definitely tried cooked with it – so I looked for a substitute – voile! I had Soybean paste with dashi in the house and went with it. OM Goodness! This will be my go to recipe for a long time to come. For the base broth for my Miso Soups and for other soups as well. Bless you and Thank you! P.S. I posted your link to my FB account.
Linda says
P.S. I used one small baby bok choy and a couple of hands of mixed salad greens for the greens, plenty of pepper, 3 hemping Tbsp Soybean paste w the dashi already added. I simmed it for an hour after the first 30 mins – it only got better. Saving the cooked drained veggies for ….
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification.
Renee Perkins says
OMG stands for Oh my goodness. I have been cooking the stock for 30 minutes. The aroma is so beautiful I had a half cup and it is delicious. I am going to let it cook another hour. Just to see how much more flavor is imparted in the stock. It will be hard to discard the vegetables. I have written your recipe in my best recipes book. The only comment is I am not fond of black pepper, so a half of teaspoon is more than enough. Thank you for this recipe and will visit your site the next recipe I need.
We’re so glad you enjoying it! Thanks so much for sharing, Renee! xo
Pamela says
Can I can this ?
Hi Pamela, We haven’t tried canning it, but we think it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Nikee McVay says
My husband and I love this recipe so much! We’ve made it for our first real food after a cleanse (twice) and I made it after oral surgery when I couldn’t eat solids.
My mods: I like to omit the peels when cooking, remove the bay leaves after straining and then put the vegetables in the food processor and then add back into the broth for a hearty meal.
This will forever be my go to broth 🤍
Amazing! Thank you so much for the lovely review, Nikee! xo
Amanda says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I now have a large ziploc bag in my freezer that I fill with all of my vegetables scraps. When it’s full I make this broth. The tomato paste and nutritional yeast really add to the flavor.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Amanda. Thank you for sharing! xo
Charlie Joe says
And an onion too of course. (This should be part of my original comment. Not a new one!)
Charlie Joe says
I’ve had a cold and cough for a month. Living on Nyquil off and on. Made this yesterday with scraps from the fridge, 4 big carrots, 2 red potatoes way pass their prime, parsley I’d tossed out but then thought I’d add, just the green part not the yellow, a whole bulb of garlic not just cloves, a half a can of tomatoe paste. Simmered for way over an hour. Very good, but I don’t like the tomatoe paste, a little too much, and I actually felt better afterward. I scooped up a cupfull out of the pot so the veges are all still there and I’ll keep them there and add some celery etc later and just heat up again and scoop some more broth out. I knew a famous artist from Australia once, Margo Lewars, who said if you boil a pot of soup every day you can just leave it on the stove forever. Just add something new every day.
Thank you for sharing, Charlie! We’re glad to hear it helped you feel better. We hope you’re feeling 100% soon!
Adrienne says
This was so easy! I will never go back to buying boxed stock again. My house smelled amazing and I used it in a vegan tuscan white bean/kale soup. I kept a gallon size freezer bag in my freezer and simply added veggie remnants until it was full. I questioned the tomato paste and nutritional yeast being added but I added it an now understand! Thank you, forever changed!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear you enjoy it, Adrienne! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nicol says
By stocks of celery do you mean 4 whole bundles or 4 ribs?
Hi Nicol, 4 ribs.
Ema says
It was ok.I never tasted a broth before,so i don’t really know how it’s supposed to taste,but it was a little bland for my taste.I don’t blame the recepie,dough, because i didn’t add the sturdy vegetables, since i didn’t have any.Do you think it’s because of that,or it might be something else?I cooked it for an hour,and basically did what the recepie said, except for not adding nutritional yeast,the sturdy vegetables and parsley .Also, instead of getting 5 cups of vegetable broth (i was doing half of the recepie) i got around 3,and i did put the lid on for most of the time.
Hi Ema, we don’t think the greens would make a huge difference in flavor, but the nutritional yeast is a pretty key flavor. Cooking for a little less time or at a lower heat will help it reduce less. Hope that helps!
Jos says
This was a great recipe to follow although I didn’t have all the ingredients, I used what I had on hand. And it’s very purpley because I used purple carrots and purple onions. This batch I had the last of the carrots from my garden, 4 small purple onions, 2 heads of garlic and all the skins from both, a can of mushrooms and a whole can of tomato paste. Just tasted after an hour of cooking and oh so umami. Letting it cook a bit longer to deepen the flavor. Planning to use this for miso soup ♥️
Love your modifications, Jos! Miso soup sounds like a fantastic use =) Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Wendy says
Thanks once again Dana! I have lost count of how many times I have made this because it is sooooo good! I think I will use it in recipes but the I always end up just drinking it, I can’t help it.😂
I can’t digest too much onion so I usually put in a half shallot and no onions and it is still delicious. Other than that, I like the recipe just as it is! 😀😀😀😀😀
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy it so much, Wendy! Thank you for sharing! xo
Emma says
I made the broth this morning for the first time in my slow cooker because my soup pot doesn’t work on my induction cooktop🤦♀️! It’s the best broth I’ve ever made – way better than the chicken one. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks so much for the review, Emma! So glad you enjoyed!
SNL says
I’ve never made vegetable stock before, because I normally use a variety of veg when making broth, but that requires a lot of planning to use up veg and it was slowly driving me crazy. Anyway, I made black eyed bean broth for the freezer so consequently I had ample and variety of veg offcuts.
My choices: I fried my veg lightly (not till browned), only used 30g tomato purée and it was still too tomato-y for plain broth, 1tsp fresh = 1tbsp dried so I used 1tbsp dried thyme, 1tbsp dried rosemary and accidentally used 1tbsp dried Italian seasoning (served me right for not labelling correctly haha), added 1/2tsp dried coriander as it’s fragrance is great with veg and added leftover veg cooking water as part of the liquid. Lastly I’m not vegetarian/vegan so consequently I don’t have nutritional yeast however I found the stock sensational without it. Oh and that was with 1 hour simmer and a small break off heat in the hot pan while I finished eating dinner lol. I have just found out the stock worked great as a base for minestrone soup.
Next time I will try onion skins and omit the tomato completely. Thanks again for the inspiration! :D
SNL says
I also have a follow up question, why the specification for filtered water? I’m a Brit so I appreciate water systems vary but I’ve never seem it mentioned on recipes before. Sorry if text comes across rude, I’m just mearly curious
Hi, we find it has best flavor, but feel free to use any water!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and your modifications!
Nancy Evans says
I don’t have any parsley/greens on hand but I do have some
fresh basil. What do you think about using 1/2 cup of that instead of the parsley?
That would be lovely!
Rachael says
Followed your instructions with some ingredient additions- I used 1/2 a leek, 1/2 shallot, big bunch of carrots, 1/2 bunch celery, rainbow Swiss chard, a handful of parsley, dill, a few bay leaves and rosemary sprigs, a handful of cremini & handful of shiitake mushrooms, a bunch of dried wakame seaweed, salt and pepper as instructed. Didn’t have tomato paste but used about 2 Tbsp of Organicville Ketchup (mostly tomato paste in there 🤷🏼♀️🤣) and a few tbsp of nutritional yeast as instructed… I thought the combo of it all would be too much but HOLY HECK this stuff is amazing. The nutritional yeast and tomato paste were game changers. I am convinced it is my “nutritional hazmat suit” for my immune system. This stuff kicks butt! Absolutely good enough to drink on its own but I can’t wait to make your red lentil cauliflower soup with it!! Thanks as always!
Amazing! Thanks so much for such a wonderful review, Rachael. So glad you enjoy the broth!
Catherine Thomas says
Love this recipe! I got hooked on making fresh corn broth this summer and have been looking for a substitute until the summer corn is back. I found it! My sister and I live across country from each other, garden and cook via phone calls. I was so excited to share this with her. Lots of fall harvest veggies and herbs in our freezers to use in this. Thanks!
Woohoo! That’s so fun. So glad you find this recipe helpful, Catherine!
Barb says
Hands down the best broth recipe ever (not just the best veggie broth). We’ve been making it non-stop since we discovered it three weeks ago. One of us (who doesn’t even “like” veggies) has been drinking it straight as an afternoon snack.
Woohoo! That’s so great to hear, Barb! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Robin M says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Who knew making my own broth would be so easy and goooooood!!!! Unless I’m in a pinch, I may never buy vegetable broth again. Initially, I made this as an additive to dishes but found myself drinking as a broth in between meals when I was hungry. I’m super impressed and happy I found this recipe along with a few more I can’t wait to try. I omitted the tomato paste and added a few more spices. It still turned out amazing =)
Yay! We’re so glad you found it too, Robin! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lallie says
Thank you for sharing delicious broth recipes…
Absolutely delicious with all spice blends and veg especially kale.
I did not use yeast… Could not find in supermarket
Thanks, Lallie! So glad you enjoy the broth!
Holly says
This is just what I am looking for to make some yummy flavorful rice! Do ya’ll have any idea how long to cook this in an eight quart Insta pot? Thank you.
Hi Holly! We haven’t tried this recipe in an instant pot but we think it would work if you used the sauté function and then pressure cook on high for 20-30 minutes. Just be sure not to fill over the max fill line. Hope this helps!
Amy says
This has to be the best vegetable broth I’ve ever had. I’m making it again this weekend with a little change. I’ll add more water. I had a lot of veggies in there, mainly because my 4 carrots weren’t ‘large’, they were gargantuan. There wasn’t enough of this broth by the time it cooked down to have enough for the lentil soup, so I’ll increase the water by maybe a cup. But I also let it simmer on low for at least an hour. I’ll probably just heat up a cup of this to drink sometimes! Very flavorful. I used the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thank you for sharing, Amy! xo
Karen says
I just made this recipe. My first attempt at vegetable broth was making it from scrapes, and I found the broth to be bitter for some reason. I made it following you recipe minus the nutritional yeast but added a tsp. or so of soya sauce as I read somewhere that is a good substitute and I didn’t have greens so I left those out as well. I am pleased with the results and look forward to using is as a base for some hearty fall soups!
Great! Thank you for sharing, Karen! xo
Jenna says
Today was my third time making this broth, I broke my 50 hour fast with it, so incredibly amazing!! 😋😋😋 I added fresh tomatoes, chives and basil from my garden. I also added dried Dulse flakes at the end to boost mineral content. I’m adding this to my recipe book, you can’t beat it! Thank you!!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jenna! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Christine TM says
Ok I have made this approximately one million times :). I struggle with reflux so I do not add the tomato paste (tomatoes are hard for me to digest). This is BY FAR my fav veggie broth. Kudos- this broth is my breakfast most day in the winter. Bravo minimalist baker crew!
xo
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Christine! Thank you for your kind review! xoxo
Rachel says
Thanks for the recipe! I’m trying to think of ways of minimising storage space (my freezer is stuffed full of random bags and tubs of oddments!); do you think it’s possible to reduce the finished broth down to a thicker liquid concentrate? I do fruit butters in the oven and I’m trying to decide whether to try a similar process. I’ve also boiled cola into syrup, and veggie soup into a ketchup on the stove, so I feel like it could be possible…
Hi Rachel! We haven’t tried making this recipe into a concentrate ourselves, but we can’t wait to hear what you do! Thanks for the review! xo
AM says
This is a great, straightforward veggie broth recipe! I’ve been adding in parmesan rinds that I throw in with frozen veggie scraps and then hit it with some miso paste at the end in lieu of more salt. Any way you slice it, it’s brothy af.
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Sina says
This sounds really delicious but I’d like to be able to store it longer. Could I seal the jars in a pressure canner to add more shelf life?
Hi Sina, We haven’t tried canning it, but we think it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Gaye Sorrells says
Sina, I make mine very similar to this and I can it for 25 minutes at 11 lbs pressure. Turns out great!
Fiona says
Are you assuming that the veggies are organic? Otherwise I’m nervous about veggie peels!
You can peel, if preferred!
Cassie says
Hi! I’m so excited to make this for the first time. I’m wondering if you might share the container that you use to store your veggie scraps in the freezer until you’re ready to make the broth? Thank you!
Hi Cassie, we like to use a Stasher bag or other freezer-safe bag for storing veggie scraps. Hope that helps!
Cassie says
Thank you so much for the quick reply! I realize this is getting off topic, but I ordered Stasher bags via Amazon recently and they had such a strong odor (perfume) that I returned them. And now I’m a little apprehensive. I wonder if you or any of your readers have experienced that? Maybe they were stored in a warehouse near something stinky?
Hmm, so strange! They do have a bit of a silicone smell, but shouldn’t smell like perfume. Is it possible they weren’t Stasher bag brand?
Cassie says
I totally understand why you would want to clarify that, and yes they were definitely Stasher brand bag. I chose that brand based on so many credible recommendations. I have other silicone, so I’m familiar with that smell. This was some sort of artificial fragrance that was so bad, it gave me a head ache even after running it through the dishwasher. Anyway, it’s good to know you’ve never experienced that. Maybe it has to do with the warehouse. I’ll give them another shot. Thank you!
Rebecca says
This is my new mainstay. I made it several times for friends who were sick, and knowing they have specific allergies them saying it was excellent meant a lot.
I used more veggies, more herbs, tomato paste and nutritional yeast than the recipe called for because I wanted a robust recipe in case they had Covid.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the great review, Rebecca!
Bobbi says
This is delicious! I am currently doing a juice cleanse, and wanted to incorporate some broth for some energy, but couldn’t stomach making bone broth.
I doubled everything in the recipe (except the water, I could only fit 16 cups into my dutch oven). Simmered it for 1.5 hours and voila! My partner ate it as soup and I drank it as broth. Very flavorful! Will definitely be making again!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Bobbi! xo
Diane Roberson says
I have asparagus stems left can I use these for the vegetable broth? What would be best to boil with them for the best broth?
It will definitely taste like asparagus! But your method sounds fine (they shouldn’t need boiled for long). Let us know how it goes!
SpaGypsy says
Love it! It’s actually my breakfast every morning! I add fresh lemon, cayenne and ginger! Breakfast of champions!
Love that! Thanks so much for sharing. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Losa says
Sorry! 5 stars!!
Lisa says
Sorry! Lisa!
Thanks for the update =)
andrea tangen says
Made this today for my best freind who just had cancer surgery on her throat and she can’t eat solid food right now and this turned out delicious she’s gonna love it!!
Aw, what a kind gesture! Thank you for sharing, Andrea! Sending lots of good vibes for your friend’s recovery! xo
Kelly says
I added a couple of ingredients – mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes. My mom said it was the best broth she’s ever had. My cousin said it tasted like yummy soup. One request, I have no idea how much a “small handful” is to sub for dried spices. A little more specificity in that area would be helpful.
Wohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoys it. Approximately 5 grams of each herb (if using fresh). With dried, you’ll only need about half the amount.
Terry T. says
This is the most awesome vegetable broth I’ve ever tasted, let alone made. I no longer will have to search for a good recipe because you shared the best one out there!
I used it to make the roasted butternut squash soup and it’s wonderful too.
Thank you!!!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Terry! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Corrina says
Just wondering if you’ve made this in the instant pot and what times you might use? Thanks
Hi Corrina, we haven’t, but it should work. We’d say sauté the veggies in the instant pot as suggested, then add remaining ingredients and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, quick or natural release.
Josephine says
Hello,
If using the frozen vegerable scraps can you still refreeze the stock, or do you need to use it for the week?
Thanks!
You can refreeze the stock! But only use the scraps once. They’re flavorless after one use.
Elizabeth says
I just love this recipe, I use it as both a stock as well as omitting the skins and enjoying it as a chunky soup. I’ve added biodynamic brown rice when serving and lentils as well, it’s the best thing to use as it was designed or adapt for stew, thicker soup, risotto etc… thank you for posting it x
So wonderful! Thanks, Elizabeth! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Lena says
I make this regularly, sometimes using “broth-friendly” veggie scraps I’ve frozen over the week, sometimes using fresh vegetables. My husband is sensitive to tomatoes so I leave out the tomato paste, but otherwise I make it as-is. The nutritional yeast gives it the heft that I feel like most veg broth recipes lack, and it’s a great low-sodium base for soups, risottos, etc! Thank you!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Lena!
Elizabeth says
This is outrageously good! I made 2 modifications: I didn’t have celery (11 YO finds it a “hairy” veg so I rarely buy it); I used about half a cup of wine before I put into the water etc, I let it reduce to about half and then added the water. I DID use (in spite of deep skepticism toward the yeast) both optional ingredients. Far & away best veg broth I’ve ever made. I served some with pumpkin ravioli and croutons and 11 yo said, “this should be in a RESTAURANT!”
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Elizabeth! xo
Janet says
I loved this recipe. I used what I had on hand (baby carrots instead of full size carrots, leftover kale stems instead of kale leaves) and it turned out amazing. The tomato paste and nutritional yeast really added that nice touch of umami flavor. I honestly could have drank the broth alone but used it as the base for a soup and it worked perfectly.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Janet! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Dolores Blocker says
I’ve been using that same recipe for a few years, saving all vegetable clippings as you stated in your recipe, full bag and time to get it done, love the smell, sometimes I add the nutritional yeast sometimes not, I hav e CKD stage3b and am learning about healthier ways to prepare foods, have to stay away from processed foods as much as possible…. sodium, potassium, phosphorus, animal foods , oils etc all have to be careful about…. learning healthy is harder than I expected it to be but, I’m intent on avoiding transplant and dialysis!
Love your commitment to your health, Dolores! Thanks so much for sharing!
Nicole says
Thanks for this great recipe! It was super simple and I had most of the ingredients on hand. I needed veggie stock to make lentil soup. My boyfriend has high blood pressure so I wanted to make it fresh with very little sodium. I followed the recipe for the most part. I did use less salt and didn’t have fresh herbs on hand so I used dried Rosemary and thyme. I also used my food processor to chop the veggies, which made it much faster. I’ve made this lentil soup quite a few times and this was the best it has tasted..
Great! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Nicole! xo
Flavia says
Hello! I am making this recipe right now!
I was curious to know if you have any idea for how to use the veggies once the broth is done…could I blend and dehydrate perhaps? Not sure what I would do with that tho lol XD
Just trying not to waste good veggies.
Thanks!
Hi Flavia, unfortunately they don’t have much flavor left at the end, so it’s mostly just fibrous. Some people have made crackers from it, but we don’t love them. Another idea would be to blend, freeze in an ice cube tray, and add small amounts to soups.
Flavia says
Thanks to the reply! I ended up blending everything up with some of the broth , addind some spices and tomato paste and eating it like a soup. Not the best soup but it was ok :)
We’d say this one is definitely better as a broth.
Nichole T Hinds says
I love the idea of this recipe – however – I wanted to know if there’s a different substitute for the greens if you don’t have any on hand?
Hi Nichole. You can leave them out.
ML says
Delicious, healthy, and easy! Many thanks!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sarah says
Best vegetable broth recipe I’ve tried so far! I froze the broth in 2 cup portions so it was easy to defrost what I needed for my recipes. It added a delicious flavour to everything I put it in!
Smart! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Sarah. Thanks so much for sharing!
Linda says
This is the best broth and so easy to make! So much more flavorful than store bought broth.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Linda! Thanks so much for sharing!
Linnaea says
Amazing. Saving so much money by making this vegetable broth, I plan to make it every week and use it in recipes. Delicious flavor and just used it in your Black Eyed Peas & Collard Greens recipe for an excellent dinner. I made one batch regular & then one batch doubled- even the recipe doubled fit in my dutch oven.
Love that, Linnaea! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
HEATHER Riley says
Can you can this recipe for shelf storage?
Hi Heather, We haven’t tried canning it, but we think it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Nathan L Robertson says
Hi! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe but do not want to use coconut oil due to the heavy ecological destruction it causes. Would olive oil work as well as a substitute?
Yes!
Paula says
Thank you for sharing this! I appreciate how simple and doable it seems and I am looking forward to trying it out. I have a couple questions, though. I make a lot of salads. Do you have any thoughts on using things like tomato stems and lettuce or cucumber ends? Also, I buy broccoli in bulk and a lot goes to waste because it gets those little black spots before I can get to it. Have you tried broccoli in this recipe? would you cut or discard those pieces??
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
I think broccoli would work well! You can view this recipe as well for more inspiration as to what veggies / ingredients can go into broth.
Yara Hartkoorn says
This is the most amazing broth ever! Exquisite taste. Thank you soo much for sharing this.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Yara! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Miss Knowitall says
The umami comes from the paste and yeast, not the herbs. If you actually read about umami, then you’ll see those are two well known sources
Kyleigh W says
Hi! I follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and tomato paste is prohibited. Could I omit? Will it be missed?
It adds depth of flavor but isn’t essential!
Karen Sheldrick says
Hi there, I just made this recipe. I forgot to add the tomato paste until the end so I let the broth simmer for ten minutes or so after I added it. I didn’t have nutritional yeast so I didn’t add it and I used dried, not fresh spices as I didn’t have them on hand. I tasted it when it was finished and it tasted somewhat bitter. I think maybe the carrots added some bitterness to it? I’m not really sure. Maybe you have some suggestions? I did add a little more salt and a touch of sugar after tasting to combat this but I’m still not really happy with it but thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hi Karen, sorry to hear that! We’re thinking perhaps too much rosemary? A small handful of dried rosemary would be a lot.
Karen says
I only used about 1.5 teaspoons of dried rosemary to substitute for the fresh rosemary. I think I may leave out some of the carrot peels next time as I understand they can make a broth bitter. I ended up substituting some of the vegetable broth for chicken stock for the soup I was making and it turned out fine.
amelia swaggert says
Super flavorful and delicious. I’d probably add more herbs next time (I loooove thyme and rosemary!) but it was so delish!
Lovely! Thanks, Amelia!
MaM0 says
Are all of the recipes on your site in your “Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking” cookbook? If not, is a new cookbook in the works? We are a Celiac family and I appreciate the goodness that goes into your well developed recipes. My family and I appreciate you dearly. One last question, Does more money go into your pocket if I buy your cookbook from your site rather than Amazon’s site?
No, only a handful from the cookbook are on the blog. You can order the book from wherever is most convenient for you! Thanks for asking!
Sarah says
Can this be made in the Instant Pot? Thank you!
That should work! I’d say sauté the veggies in the instant pot as suggested, then add remaining ingredients and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, quick or natural release.
Sarah Johnson says
Thank you!
Debbie M says
I used this recipe for a Turkish red lentil soup & it turned out great! I’ve made this exact recipe before, using boxed vegetable broth. It was always really good, but your recipe took it to another level. I had to use tomato sauce, instead of the tomato paste. I just used 2 to 3 times sauce for the paste. I also used unami dust (dried shiitake mushroom, dried kombu & bonito flakes) instead of nutritional yeast. Thanks!
Love that, Debbie! Thanks so much for sharing!
Susan Paone says
I am so excited to have found this recipe! It is simple and delicious! Now that fall is upon us, I plan on making this regularly. It goes so well in minestrone soup! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Susan! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Mame Noonan says
I made this broth and included beets so it’s very red. What soups would you recommend making with it – that would be appetizing with the red color?
Thanks!
Hi Mame, this one!
Samantha says
Hi! My husband and I are huge fans of your recipes. I can’t even tell you how many we’ve used and have loved every single one of them.
Can’t wait to make this! I was wondering if you thought I could can it? Or is freezing the best way to preserve it?
Aw, thanks Samantha! We haven’t tried canning it, but we think it would work. Freezing works well!
Flyingmartini says
Hello. I can’t wait to try this! I’ve bought bold mushroom broth and can’t find it now. What’s a good sub for celery? 🤢 To me celery is the red headed step kid. 😂
You could leave it out. Or perhaps add a bit of fennel?
Sandra says
Can I substitute sliced canned carrots for fresh? Thank you.
Hi Sandra, we don’t think they would contribute much flavor, but maybe? Let us know if you try it.
Ali Rosenthal says
I’m planning to make this with frozen veggie scraps, do think I could throw it all in a blender when it’s finished and have soup out of it?
Hm, we aren’t sure how that would turn out! But maybe? Let us know if you try it!
Julie says
How long does homemade veggie broth last in the fridge?
About 5 days!
Alex says
Do you reckon I could use celeriac tops instead of regular celery? Maybe just lessen the amount slightly?
Maybe!
Lauren says
I used this recipe today to make broth for the first time and it came out perfect! I also added bell peppers because they were part of the scraps I had. The tomato paste and nutritional yeast adds a lot and I’m so happy with the result.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jaya says
This was amazing! I left out the tomato paste and added half a cup of sliced turmeric and used the full 2 tsps of pepper and salt. This is the best veggie broth I’ve tasted – been guzzling 2-3 cups (with a tsp of mellow miso paste stirred in) to break my fast and I can’t believe how energising this is. Thank you so much for sharing this!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jaya! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Anna says
Made it for the first time and love it! Definitely will be making again 👍
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Anna! xo
Zanthe says
hi there! I’m wondering if it would be ok for me to add potatoes and chickpeas as well? I would like to make mashed potatoes and hummus too
Hi Zante, not sure we understand your question. But this recipe could be used in making mashed potatoes or hummus. Hope that helps!
Joanne says
Making your broth each week is transforming me into a better cook! Ecological, wise, delicious recipe, thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Joanne! xo
Maxence says
Hi!
Do you think this recipe could be adapted for slow cooking?
I have made this recipe 4 times on the stove and I love it
Thanks for your help :)
Definitely! We’d suggest sautéing the veggies first for best flavor, but it’s not essential.
Maureen says
Tip if you’re watching your sodium: I’ve found that salt is often not needed especially if you add some pungent herbs or spices. I don’t salt my vegetable stock things like fresh-ground black pepper, turmeric & ginger add plenty of flavor on their own !
Thanks for sharing, Maureen!
Sheila says
Thanks! I had double the scraps so it made 6 quarts of stock. Freezing 4 and I have two in the fridge ready to use.
Do you think this broth is versatile enough for asian dishes even with the presence of rosemary, thyme?
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sheila! And yes, we think it would work!
Taryn says
I AM SO EXCITED.
Not sure why it never occured to me to make my own broth, but consider my mind BLOWN.
I used 100% scraps from the freezer for the veggies, as I do a lot of cooking/green juice drinking (all those wasted celery and carrot butts!) but the tomato paste and yeast definitely add the secret juuzsh. I did add fresh herbs and I think that was also key.
I love that it is more sustainable in every way by using scraps and no packaging AND saves a ton of money. AND IT TASTES BETTER.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Taryn! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lonzie says
The type of salt you use has a big impact on if it’s desirable. Unadulterated Pink Himalayan sea salt is less ‘salty’ than table salt and comes with health benefits instead of detriments. The only drawback is that everything healthy in all stores is required to have an FDA stamp that says it’s not intended to prevent or cure any disease (scare tactic). The label on sea salt is that it contains no iodine (selling point for table salt with mandatory artificially infused iodine). They’re right, you do need iodine, but the kind you get in table salt will do you zero favors (won’t absorb into your bloodstream) so if you care about iodine, get it from dried or frozen seaweed. Keeping it simple… pink salt will change your life. Wishing you love and life 🧡
Roquette says
I made this and was skeptical about the nooch, since I can usually taste it when it is added, but I can’t in this. It was wonderful. I made a sweet potato/Israeli couscous/chickpea soup, and it was great! It makes a good thick stock that can even be used as a concentrate and watered down after. Every recipe I’ve made from your site has turned out really well!
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Roquette! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Leah says
Hello! Could you use an immersion blender and keep the veggies in for the added fiber? Or would that ruin the broth and make it too thick?
Thanks!
Hi Leah, it would be much thicker and might be okay in some recipes, but we wouldn’t recommend it.
Grace says
Love this Recipe, I really like the addition of the nut yeast and tomato paste. I did not have the greens. wish I would have doubled it.
Thank You
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Grace! Thanks so much for sharing!
Elaine says
This is so rich and tasty. I have been saving scraps for the whole pandemic and made this today. I added a little green Chile powder and wow
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Elaine! Thanks so much for sharing!
Seema Gupta says
Hello,
Today i did attempt to make this broth – exactly as said in the recipe. Had to omit N-Yeast and the fresh herb as i didn’t have them and also the tomato paste as i wanted a non tomato based stock for a recipe.
I added dark green part of one leek, greens and stems of one beet, and rind of lime( no Juice) and dried oregano, dill and rosemary about 2tsp in total.
I used it in a soup– Vegan Borscht taste is good. But if you drink the broth by itself it tastes a little bitter. What could the reason be? is it due to Lime rind, greens of leeks or the dried herbs that i used.
Hi Seema, we think the lime rind is probably causing the bitterness.
Stephanie says
I love this recipe. I skip the sautéing step, and I add everything to a pressure cooker and let it cook at full pressure for 15 minutes, with a slow release. I prefer to add 4oz mushrooms, and skip the nutritional yeast. Some other vegetables I’ve put in are peppers,corn, squash, and whole artichokes. I only halve most of the vegetables so they can still be eaten after cooking. This recipe really cleared up the process of making my own vegetable broth for me! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie! xo
Don'L Nicol says
I made this and love the taste! But mine only came out with about 4 cups of broth. What did I do wrong? I tried pressing the veggies to get some of the water out, but I wonder if maybe I did not chop them finely enough?
Hi Don’L, is it possible that you cooked it longer? Or without a lid?
Don'L says
I had some veggies (celery, carrots, brussels sprouts, squash) that were about to go bad if I didn’t do something with them so I was excited to try this recipe today! I had nutritional yeast to add but no tomato paste so I just added a few Campari tomatoes because why not. The nutritional yeast really adds a lot so add some if you can! It has been on the stove for an hour and I am going to let it go another 3 hours until dinner time. It already tastes great!
I am thinking about freezing some of this in ice cube trays so I can just pop out a couple of cubes any time I need them for a dish!!
Love that idea, Don’L! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! xo
Joey says
hi may i know if the tomato paste can be omitted, husband dont like tomato taste.
Hi Joey, yes, it can. Though we find it provides a nice richness.
Ceilidhe Speirs says
Hello!! Busy making this veg stock for your ramen recipe – so excited! I was wondering if you had any suggestions on what to do with the strained vegetables once removed from the stock? Do you have any creative ways I could use them e.g. To make a type of fritter or something? Thanks so much. Love your page!!
Hi Ceilildhe, they don’t have much flavor once strained. But you could puree, freeze, and add small amounts to soups. Hope that helps!
Ayushi says
Hi can I use these veggies for vegan minestrone soup after straining the broth.
The leftover veggies won’t have much flavor, unfortunately! But you can use the broth for minestrone!
Linda Chamberlain says
Just wondering if there is a use of the vegetables once the broth is completed. Do you think it can be put in a vegetable garden bed?
Hi Linda, they could be composted!
Naomi says
This truly is the easiest and tastiest veggie broth to make! It has been my go to during quarantine, which goes to show the simple ingredients! The only thing I haven’t had is nutritional yeast, but even without- it’s delicious! I’ve used this as the base for so many soups and even just to sip on! So good!
Jessica Harris says
I’m allergic to carrots and I am having a difficult time finding a vegetable broth that does not include carrots. What can I substitute for the carrots that would still be the vegetable broth flavor?
Hi Jessica, we think it would be fine to omit or perhaps sub sweet potato?
Queenie says
Great basic broth to add a week’s worth of scraps to. I never thought of freezing my scraps – what a great idea! We have our own veggie garden, so we compost; but it’s a long, cold trek to the compost heap in winter. I like to boost the health benefit of homemade broth by adding oregano, basil, turmeric and ginger. I’m pretty generous with them in my broth, but if you’re new to broth bases, try starting with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of one or more of these.
Love the additions, Queenie! Thanks for sharing!
Katy says
Here is my rating! 5 stars! Thanks @minimalistbaker for all you do!
Thanks so much Katy!
Shannon says
Really good basic recipe.
Katy says
I made this using 2 cups bone broth and the rest water. I also didn’t have nutritional yeast and used parmesan cheese. I also added rice roman noodles and it was so so delicious. Everything @minimalistbaker puts out is SPOT ON. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Katy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Eliza says
Hi! I haven’t made this recipe yet but the reviews all are very promising and am excited to try
I am missing celery, could I add red bell pepper or something else instead, or will that not work?
Thanks!
Hi Eliza, we think it would be fine if you just left it out. Leek would be a good sub in terms of flavor. Bell pepper will add a sweetness. Let us know if you try it!
Rachele says
I too came to this recipe for the “you can use your scraps” comment. Bored in quarantine, I decided to go for it without using all of the whole ingredients in the recipe. I collected veggie scraps throughout the week (onion/garlic scraps and skins, carrot tops and skins, mushroom stems, broccoli stalk, etc.). I had a gallon ziploc bag almost full. Followed the recipe otherwise, using the order of adding ingredients, and all recommended spices/seasonings. I HIGHLY recommend using the nutritional yeast. It’s a total game changer for the flavor of the broth. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Rachele! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Mandy Peregoff says
I have been following you on IG for a long time now but my friend turned me on to your veggie broth and it is Sooo delicious!!! My friend, Ria and I made your broth then made soup together during our stay-at-home FaceTime happy hour :)
This will be my go-to broth from now on!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!
In good health,
Mandy
What a fun idea! Thanks so much for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Mandy Peregoff says
Oh yes, sorry. I missed that.
Definitely 5 stars :)
Thanks Mandy!
Tisha says
For the sturdy greens, could I use something like beet tops?
I wouldn’t recommend beet tops because the flavor is so pungent. If you don’t have any other greens, I’d say omit.
Coastal Hermit says
Hi, I don’t quite get this; the bag of veggie scraps you suggest collecting don’t seem to appear in the detailed recipe that follows. The introductory section leads me to believe that, presto, I’ve already made a broth with collected scraps. So is the second section a different recipe? Or are the ingredients indicated in the second section to be gleaned from the bag of scraps I’ve collected? I.e., is the introductory section just a summary of the second section?
Sorry for the confusion! This recipe is very forgiving. Just use roughly the amounts of veggies we suggest. And if you have scraps, either add in addition to the vegetables or slightly scale the vegetables back. They can be added straight from frozen. Hope that helps!
Ela says
Hi there!! I really want to give it a try but have just a few questions- this recipe doesn’t call for scraps, so I’m not sure I understand how I should incorporate them.. should I just add whatever I have left over?
Also, how would you reccommend to thaw it after freezing?
Thanks so much!
Hi Ela, This recipe is very forgiving. Just use roughly the amounts of veggies we suggest. And if you have scraps, either add in addition to the vegetables or slightly scale the vegetables back. They can be added straight from frozen. Hope that helps!
Nicole says
Your vegan shepherd’s pie recipe sent me here, and I decided to try it since trying to find tomato free (I’m allergic) commercial broths is next to impossible. This was so easy and made such an amazingly savory broth! I changed it up slightly – I omitted the tomatoes, obviously – but it makes an excellent jumping off point and is easy to alter for taste. I also let it simmer all day on my stove (maybe ~8 hours?) and was rewarded with a strong, flavorful, delicious broth. If I weren’t putting it in my shepherd’s pie, I would drink it straight! This also gives me a great solution for not throwing away scraps until I can get a compost bin. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it and were able to adapt as needed! Thanks for sharing!
diana vanderslice says
is it canning safe when using tomato paste and nutritional yeast?
We haven’t tried canning it, but we don’t see why not!
Crystal says
I would pressure can it…I doubt it is acidic enough to can using water bath method.
Jacqueline J Sheppard says
I love making my own broths. I’m not vegan, but have been trying to find a great veggie broth recipe. My question is, can I sub olive oil for the avocado or coconut oil?
Definitely! Enjoy!
Bee Giamanco says
Do I have to do anything to the vegetable scraps before I freeze them? Is blanching required?
I want to try this but I can’t really find the answer I’m looking for.
No need to do anything to them! Just add to a freezer bag and place in freezer until ready to use.
Bee Giamanco says
That’s the answer I wanted to hear! Lol! Thank you :)
Sparrow Wilder says
This is the best veggie broth recipe ever! My partner and I used it to make homemade ramen and it was to die for. Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious creation this is definitely a new staple in our house.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Suzanne says
Perfection! Best I’ve ever tried, and hands-down kicks the behind of anything we can get in stores. Thank you!!!!!!!!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne! xo
Angela W Broyles says
This is fantastic! I made this in my slow cooker so I would not have to tend to it… turned out great!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Angela. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Laurie says
I made this broth and it was so much better than store bought vegetable broth. I’m avoiding salt (mostly) so I put just a dash of salt for the whole batch and it still tasted wonderful. My husband and I were both very impressed with the lentil soup I made using this broth as the base. This broth will become a staple on our house! I’ll never go back to store bought! Plus, it makes me feel like A good cook!