Vegetable Stock

Vegetable Stock is an easy-to-make kitchen essential that serves as the base for homemade soups, stews and more. The yield for this recipe is approximately 4 quarts.

The beauty of homemade Vegetable Stock is that it can be anything you want it to be. Learn the basic recipe – carrots, celery, onion, herbs – then when you make it for different soups or dishes you can change it up. Add fennel, parsnips, mushrooms, tomato – whatever you like, there are almost no wrong choices. The one exception might be red beets – if you add them, they will dye the whole pot of stock and anything cooked in it red. But who knows, maybe that’s the look you’re going for! Your stock, your kitchen, your choice.

There is no salt added to stock – this is what makes it so versatile. Add the salt to the soup and assorted dishes you make with the stock.

Some soups benefit from a half glass of wine (French onion soup, for example). Experimenting is part of the fun of cooking.

At the top of this article I wrote “Vegetable Stock is an easy-to-make kitchen essential that serves as the base for homemade soups, stews and more.” Here is the “and more” part: people who eat my cooking often comment on how tasty my rice is, or beans, or polenta, or any number of dishes.  The “secret ingredient” they are picking up on is that I use vegetable stock instead of water.

This stock also makes a wonderful vegetarian au jus for dipping – enjoy it with sandwiches or crusty bread with good butter.

Once you make your Vegetable Stock check out these soup recipes:

• • • Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
    • Roasted Cauliflower Soup
    • Tofu and Mushroom Soup with Shiso
    • Chilled Cucumber Soup

Print Recipe

Homemade Vegetable Stock

Vegetable Stock is an easy-to-make kitchen essential that serves as the base for homemade soups, stews and more.

Recipe by~ Reese Amorosi

Votes: 3
Rating: 5
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Course

Soup, Vegetables

Cuisine

Vegetarian

Keyword

Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Recipe, Recipes, Soup, Soups and Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1.5 hours

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 3 carrots peeled
• 2 celery ribs
• 1 onion large
• fresh herbs parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, etc.
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 TB butter
• 4 quarts water

Optional Additions

• 1/2 cup wine optional
• 2 parsnips peeled or unpeeled, optional
• 1 fennel bulb optional
• 1/2 cup mushrooms sliced, optional
• 1 tomato large, optional

Course Soup, Vegetables Cuisine Vegetarian Keyword Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Recipe, Recipes, Soup, Soups and Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1.5 hours Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 3 carrots peeled 2 celery ribs 1 onion large fresh herbs parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, etc. 2 cloves garlic 2 TB olive oil 2 TB butter 4 quarts water Optional Additions 1/2 cup wine optional 2 parsnips peeled or unpeeled, optional 1 fennel bulb optional 1/2 cup mushrooms sliced, optional 1 tomato large, optional

Votes: 3 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Chop the carrot, onion and celery, set aside.
2. Heat the the olive oil over low heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, then add the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and well mixed with the oil.
3. Raise the heat to medium and add the vegetables. Stir constantly until they start to brown.
4. OPTIONAL STEP - If you are using the wine add it now and cook for 5-10 minutes until it reduces.
5. Add the water and herbs to the pot and cook on high until the mix boils, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer on low for one hour.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, uncover. Remove the solids with a slotted spoon and discard.
7. Pour the remaining liquid through a fine mesh strainer into another pot or large bowl. Rinse out the strainer then strain the liquid again pouring it back into the original pot. Cover and let cool.
8. Pour the cooled vegetable stock into jars or airtight plastic containers and store refrigerated for up to one week, or freeze in ice cube trays or jars. Be sure to leave 1.5 to 2 inches headspace if freezing in jars.