Recipe for Vegetable Stock - One Hundred Dollars a Month (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade vegetable stock last? ›

Being free of meat, homemade Vegetable Stock will last at least 5 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. When freezing, I typically freeze in 1 cup measures, just to make it easier to portion out (rather than defrosting an entire 1 litre batch just to use 1 cup).

I stick with these ingredients for my recipe: onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and sometimes mushrooms. I've seen folks save all of their veggie scraps in a bag/container in the freezer and then they make stock out of that.

Vegetable stock likely comes unseasoned, while broth usually contains salt and other seasonings. Vegetable stock is made with untrimmed, sometimes whole vegetables, while broth is made from trimmed, roughly chopped vegetables.

Steer clear of veggie scraps from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower, as they can make your stock bitter. Tip: Keep a freezer bag or container of veggie scraps in your freezer and add to it whenever you cook.

Let cool completely before transferring broth to a sealed container. If using within a few days, store in refrigerator. Otherwise, store in freezer for up to 6-8 months.

Save those vegetables that may have lost their crunchy appeal for a flavorful veggie stock. Even if stored properly, celery and carrots may become floppy after some time, but don't let them go to the compost. Throw in your onion skins, potato peels, and other veggie scraps from cooking to add more flavor to the mix!

Making vegetable stock costs virtually nothing.

You're using ingredients that you already have in the fridge, so, really, it just costs a little bit of your time to make a flavorful stock.

Vegetables to Avoid When Making Vegetables Stock

Starchy vegetables like potatoes and turnips will make for a gummy, cloudy vegetable stock. Beets overpower their aromatic counterparts. Zucchini and greens beans become bitter when slowly simmered for as long it takes to make this stock.

What is the easiest stock to prepare? ›

Among the different types of stock, which one is the easiest to prepare? The vegetable stock is the easiest to prepare. This stock is made from white meat or bones. The preparation for this stock usually takes five to six hours for meat and eight to ten hours for bones.

In most recipes that call for vegetable stock, its main advantage over water is that it provides flavor, which is especially important if you're making vegetarian or vegan food that's missing the richness from meat.

Vegetables will not have much left to give after being used for stock, you can still eat them but they may not be flavorful or nutritious. Unless you're making a stew you're going to be cooking the stock, then removing the vegetables, then cooking the stock more with other ingredients.

Add bright, fresh flavor to vegetable broth

To brighten any soup, stock, or broth, a splash of lemon juice or vinegar is always a good idea. A splash of white wine is never a bad thing either, but stay away from anything too oak-y, and simmer the broth for a few minutes to give the wine a chance to get comfortable.

Store in the fridge or freezer, then use as desired.

Homemade Vegetable Broth will keep in the fridge for up to one week, or for up to two months in the freezer.

“For quality, chicken or vegetable broth should be used by the date on the package and three to four days in the refrigerator if opened,” Syers explains.

Leftover vegetable broth can be stored in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or frozen and saved for later. Vegetable broth can be used in a variety of soups, stews, and gravies, and can be a tasty substitution for water when boiling rice or potatoes.

An opened container of vegetable broth should be kept refrigerated and typically lasts for 4 to 5 days. To preserve its quality and extend this period slightly, one might opt to freeze the broth.