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Home Vegan Recipes Vegan Vegetable Stock Recipe

Vegan Vegetable Stock Recipe

Go au naturel and use up all of your leftover vegetables by whipping up a delicious and easy homemade vegan vegetable stock. Hugely versatile! This is a handy ingredient to always have on hand, especially in the colder winter months where the only thing you're craving is a steaming hot bowl of broth, soup, or stew.

Basic Ingredients Needed For Every Vegetable Stock

Introduction

Vegetable stock is a staple ingredient for all vegan cooks as it forms the flavor base for most soups and stews - a must-have to have on hand throughout the colder winter months!

Making homemade vegetable stock is a great way to take your vegan cooking to the next level and is an amazing way to get rid of all things artificial from your plant-based diet.

That’s not all! Ever feel bad because you don’t have a garden or a compost bin and feel like you're wasting those precious extra bits of carrot and leek? Never fear! Embarking on the journey of making your very own vegetable stock is a guaranteed way to limit your waste and use the entirety of those beautiful vegetables sitting at the back of your fridge (skin and all!)

This easy vegetable stock recipe will provide you with a basic framework and guide so that you can start making your very own homemade vegetable stock! Those powdery cubes will soon be a thing of the past.

Key Information

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 2 hours
  • Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Serves: 4

Variations

The Basic Ingredients Needed for Every Vegetable Stock

Homemade vegetable stock really is one of those things that can be adjusted according to your personal tastes and preference - and we would even encourage you to switch up the ingredients in your homemade vegetable stock recipe depending on the produce that is in season.

That said, there’s one basic rule of thumb that you should follow if you want your vegetable stock to be as good as possible. Here it is, you want to have a pretty much even ration of these three types of vegetable - Alliums: Fiber: Root. But what exactly is the difference between allium, fiber and root vegetables? Here's a quick guide.

Alliums: White onion, red onion, spring onion, leeks, garlic and/ or shallots

Fiber: Celery, celeriac and/or fennel 

Root: Carrots, swede and/or parsnips

For a more comprehensive guide, see this link which clearly breaks down the different categories of vegetables out there. 

How To Use Homemade Vegetable Stock

Vegan Vegetable Stock Recipe

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

Main Ingredients
  • 2 large carrots, roughly chopped (stalks included)
  • 4 sticks of celery, roughly chopped (leaves included)
  • 2 whole leeks, roughly chopped
  • 1 small/ medium white onion, quartered (skin included)
  • 1 shallot, halved (skin included)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, bashed
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 liters of water
  • Salt and pepper (optional)

Directions

  • Begin by quartering your onion and halving through your shallot. Make sure to cut through the root and leave the skin on.
  • Roughly chop your carrots, leeks, and celery into approximately one-inch pieces. Use the entire vegetable as the leaves will act as an extra source of flavor.
  • Crush the garlic cloves, again leaving the skin on, and add to a large casserole pot with all of the vegetables.
  • Add about 2 liters of cold water to the pot - so that the vegetables are covered but can still move around - and stir with a wooden spoon for more equal distribution. Add your sprigs of fresh thyme.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, leaving to simmer for 2 hours uncovered.
  • Once finished, strain your vegetable stock and store in a large jug or jar that can be refrigerated or frozen.

Top Tips

  • As we’ve already said, homemade vegetable stock is one of those things that can be easily adjusted depending on what you’re cooking, what’s in season, or maybe just whatever’s sitting wasting away at the back of your fridge or pantry.

    • This recipe for vegan vegetable stock is a generic guide (maybe a little plain) that will work nicely in most, if not all, soups, stews, and lentil dishes.
    • If, like us, you’re someone who enjoys cooking, you may be interested in some simple ways that you can elevate your stock, ensuring that it complements other flavors in your recipe.

      • 1. Herb Bundles: Bay, Rosemary, and Thyme
      • It’s a classic for a reason, this simple combination of bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme really has survived the test of time. A herb combination that was traditionally used in the preparation of meat across British, French, and Italian cuisine, this blend can be used to elevate the aroma of your vegetable stock.

        • Herby and delicious, this homemade vegetable stock would be perfect for some simple lentils - a warming treat for the winter months!

          • 2. The Star Pupil: Star Anise
          • Deeply fragrant and aromatic, some people even decide to add star anise as their homemade vegetable stock simmers away on the stove. So what exactly does star anise taste like and how exactly can it elevate your vegetable broth?
          • A pillar spice in East Asian cooking, you probably know star anise best from dishes like pho. This highly fragrant spice, when used in a vegan vegetable stock, will make it very aromatic and is guaranteed to add a certain warmth and comfort to all of your vegan cooking.

            • 3. Seasoning: The Salt and Pepper Question
            • A point that maybe doesn’t need too much explanation, seasoning your vegetable stock is crucial in ensuring that your soups and stews have the best possible flavor. We would recommend that you season and taste your vegetable stock once it comes off the stove so that you can adjust it depending on whether it has a higher or lower vegetable concentration.
            • If you know that you’re a fan of all things pepper and happen to have peppercorns on hand, why not try adding a few to your vegetable stock as it simmers away? A guaranteed way to elevate flavor!

            • Things That May Make a Vegetable Stock Bitter

              • This is a problem that all too often comes up when people start making their very own vegan vegetable stock. This bitter taste often happens as a result of overdoing it with the herbs. Fresh herbs, when boiled for too long, can often begin to give off a bitter taste. So if you find that this happens for you, we would recommend going easier on the thyme, parsley, or whatever you happen to be using!

                • If you’re of the feeling that your vegetable stock is a bit lacking in flavor, you may be looking for ways that you can liven it up and add a bit of bitter taste. Here’s a quick and simple solution. When seasoning your homemade vegetable stock after it has been strained, feel free to add a little bit of fresh lemon juice or even some white distilled vinegar. Be careful. A little bit really does go a long way here, so make sure not to overdo it!

To Wrap It All Up...

So what are you waiting for! Make boiling up some delicious vegan vegetable stock a part of your monthly routine to save money, reduce waste, and improve the quality of all of your plant-based cooking!

Easily adjustable according to your tastes and preferences, this basic vegan vegetable stock recipe has given you a basic framework through which you can amp up your culinary skills and make recipes your own. Personalise a variety of soup and stews and wow all of your family and friends!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store my homemade vegan vegetable stock?
Homemade vegetable stock can be refrigerated for up to five days and frozen for up to five weeks! If you’re somebody who uses a lot of vegetable stock in your cooking, it may be a good idea to bulk cook your vegetable stock and store it in the freezer. Storing options can include a large tupperware with a removable lid or even an old jar - an excellent and stylish way to reuse and recycle!
How can I use my homemade vegan vegetable stock?
There really are no limits to what you’ll be able to do with your homemade vegetable stock. How often have you come across a vegan recipe that calls for vegetable stock or broth? All the time, right? Just think - if you get into the habit of making your own vegetable stock, you’ll have healthy homemade vegetable stock ready and waiting for all your cooking needs. Vegetable stock can be used in just about all soups and bean stews. All you have to do is gently fry your chosen vegetables with some onion and garlic, add your stock and leave to simmer until all of your vegetables are nice and soft, then blitz! For a bean stew, follow the same principle but be sure to crush your beans slightly before adding the vegetable stock, this will release the starches and is what will ultimately thicken your stew.

If you love this recipe…

If you’re a fan of this vegetable stock recipe, why not try it out with some of these tasty plant-based soups? The perfect winter warmer for those chilly evenings!

Tomato Basil Soup and Sourdough Croutons

Hearty Minestrone Soup

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