Homemade Vegetable Broth

A glass jar of vegetable broth on a wooden table, surrounded by a carrot, an onion, and green herbs.

Homemade vegetable broth is an easy way to turn kitchen scraps into a rich, flavorful base for soups, stews, and more. With just a few simple ingredients and an hour on the stove, you’ll have a delicious, broth that’s healthier and tastier than store-bought.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 5

Course Ingredient

Cuisine American

Servings cups

Calories 42 kcal

Ingredients

6-8 cups vegetable scraps (such as carrot peels, onion skins, celery ends, and herb stems)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place the vegetable scraps, bay leaf, peppercorns, and garlic into pot. Add the water, ensuring the scraps are fully submerged.
To make on the stove top
Bring the mixture to a boil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour. This allows the flavors to meld into a rich broth.
To make in the slow cooker
Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
To make in the pressure cooker
Combine all of the ingredients in the pressure cooking pot then close and lock the lid. Presssure cook on high for 15 minutes. When the cooking time is done, allow the pressure cooker to release pressure naturally for 20-30 minutes. Then carefully release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.
Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or another pot, discarding the solids.
Taste the broth and add salt if desired, though it's often best to leave it unseasoned and adjust when using in recipes. Let the broth cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Avoid using cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts, as they can make the broth bitter.
Be cautious adding starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash to your vegetable broth. They can make the broth cloudy and may thicken it undesirably.
Adding a few tomato scraps can add acidity and richness, but too many might overpower the broth's flavor, so use them sparingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 78mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gCalcium: 43mgIron: 0.4mg

Please Note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated. It should only be used as an approximation.

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