Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe

Homemade vegetable broth is so easy to make that one might think that no recipe is needed. And it is true, I have made it by just using what’s in my fridge that needs to go and be great for a vegetable broth.

However, after trying this recipe I never went back to throwing together whatever is there.

This recipe originated in the How Not to Die cookbook and is one of the great Simple Preparations in the book, that make plant-based cooking easy and delicious. If you have the book you will notice that I do not follow the recipe completely. I love freestyle cooking and also appreciate a good recipe. Recipes are guidelines, try it and make it yours.

Homemade vegetable broth can be made out of clean kitchen scraps. You can use the same recipe and just have enough scraps to fit the amount needed in the recipe.

Blend or strain

There are two ways to prepare the vegetable broth. One way is to blend it to keep all the fiber goodness intact. This method produces a richer broth that is perfect for making a sauce.

The other method is to strain the broth after cooking, which results in a clear and bright broth that can be used for making clear soups.

Uses for homemade vegetable broth

I use homemade vegetable broth in soups, and stews, it is a great addition to cook rice, make a sauce, and wherever a recipe is asking for vegetable broth. Even though I usually substitute only part of the water in a soup or when cooking rice with this broth, the result is noticeably better.

Today, for example, I made borscht and was out of my yummy vegetable broth. Since my homemade cabbage borscht soup has so many vegetables, I didn’t think we would even notice the difference with or without the vegetable broth, but we did.

In soups, I usually use 2 cups of broth and another 2-4 cups of water as needed for the soup.

For cooking rice, I substitute about half of the water with vegetable broth. The result is very delicious rice. I also use whole grain rice and cook it in the instant pot.

For sauces, I substitute all the water with vegetable broth. Here is an example recipe:

Mushroom gravy:

Sauté 1 chopped onion, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, and 1 pressed garlic
add 1 cup vegetable broth
Mix in 1 heaped tablespoon garbanzo bean flour (it’s gluten-free and thickens nicely) and cook down to thicken
Season with soy sauce of your choice, some nutritional yeast, and herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary or whatever you like).
Blend all in a blender till creamy (optional).

To make the meal in the picture check out the red cabbage and mashed potatoes recipes.

Preserving the vegetable broth

This recipe will make about 14 cups of vegetable broth. Since there is no salt in it, the broth freezes well. I freeze some in 2 cups and also 1 cup portions, this way I don’t have to de-freeze the whole batch before using it.

Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe