Did you know that you can make homemade vegetable broth from scraps? Let me show you how easy it is to make a vegan broth from veggies you would have otherwise just thrown away. This simple hack will save you money on groceries and make delicious flavorful soups and savory meals!

Three jars of homemade vegetable broth with vegies around them.

Why make this recipe

If you hate throwing out the ends, stems, and stalks of vegetables this recipe is for you. I started saving peeling and scraps every time I chopped up veggies and stuck them in freezer bags until I had enough to fill a pot, then cooked it down into a broth.

The first time I made this veggie broth I was amazed at how good it tasted. I started collecting all my veggie scraps during the week and making a pot of broth on the weekends that I can use the following week to make soups, sauces, and gravies.

I just make it part of my routine now, and it’s so simple, and best of all, it makes a delicious broth that tastes better than store-bought!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegetable Scraps – this includes the peels or ends of veggies that you cut off while prepping other meals. Almost any vegetable will work.
  • Water – I like to use filtered water for the best flavor.
  • Salt – you can omit this if you want or adjust the amount to suit your taste and dietary needs.

What vegetables work best for broth?

Most vegetables that you use frequently will work great for veggie broth. My mix usually contains onions, garlic, celery, carrots, broccoli stems, bell peppers, kale stems, potatoes, squash, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and/or zucchini.

Helpful tools

  • A freezer bag to collect vegetable scraps.
  • A large stock pot.
  • Fine metal strainer – a regular colander will also work. You can also line a colander with cheesecloth if you want to strain out small pieces of veggies that would otherwise fit through.

How to make vegetable broth

Step 1 – As you are cooking with vegetables, collect any peels or stalks that you cut off and place them in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer.

Freezer bags full of vegetable scraps to make broth.
Save your vegetable scraps and freeze them until ready to use.
A soup pot full of vegetable scraps and water to make homemade broth.
Add the veggie scraps to a large pot amd cover them with water.

Step 2 – Once you have collected about 4-5 cups of vegetable scraps, pour the frozen scraps into a soup pot and cover it with 8 cups of filtered water and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Step 3 – Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to it boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours. (The longer that you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor will be.)

The veggie broth after it has simmered for 2 hours.
Simmer the vegetable and water until you have a deep rich veggie stock.
Vegetable scraps in a strainer after they have been boiled down to make broth.
Use a strainer to drain off the vegetables from the broth.

Step 4 – Place a strainer on top of another pot and slowly pour the broth through the strainer.

Step 5 – Allow the broth to cool a little, then store it in mason jars or freezer bags until you are ready to use it in recipes.

Can I use old vegetables?

Sure! Older vegetables like bell peppers that are starting to look wrinkled or carrots or celery that are limp and no longer crispy are great to use when making homemade stock. (I also love to use these up in my pureed zucchini soup recipe.)

Optional add-ins

You can also add some herbs and spices to flavor your broth. Sprinkle in some black pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, or a bay leaf while the broth is cooking for some extra flavor.

You can also add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, soy sauce, or tomato paste to the broth at the end of cooking for more umami flavor.

A few dashes of turmeric will give your broth a beautiful golden color and add nutritional benefits too.

Vegan broth in jars next to vegetables with a tea towel behind it.

How to use vegetable broth?

Use this vegetable stock in any recipe that calls for broth. It works great to flavor vegan soups, added to vegan pasta sauces, vegan gravy, or in homemade seitan recipes.

This broth also tastes great on its own. I love to add a little oat milk or soy milk to it and drink it as a hot creamy beverage too.

Pro Tips

  • Don’t use rotten vegetables that have a bad smell, they will also have a bad taste.
  • Avoid peelings from non-organic vegetables if you are worried about chemicals or pesticides.
  • Wash any dirt or soil off the ends of the stems.

Can I put boiled vegetable scraps in the compost?

Yes, but if you compost your vegetables, simply leave the salt out of the broth until you have strained the vegetable scraps out of the broth. This way you won’t be adding unwanted salt to your compost.

Storing homemade broth

I like to store my homemade broth in mason jars in the fridge so I have it on hand to use in a variety of recipes.

How to freeze vegetable broth

You can freeze vegetable broth in freezer-safe mason jars, or freezer bags.

Vegan broth made from veggie scraps in mason jars.

Ways to use your broth

Vegetable stock recipe

Homemade vegetable broth in 3 mason jars with vegetables around them.
Diet
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5 from 2 rating

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Yield: 8 cups
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Author: Monica Davis
A simple vegan veggie broth made from leftover vegetable scraps.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups vegetable scraps
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • As you are cooking with vegetables, collect any peels or stalks that you cut off and place them in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer.
  • Once you have collected about 4-5 cups of vegetable scraps, pour the frozen scraps into a soup pot and cover it with 8 cups of filtered water and 2 teaspoons of salt.
  • Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to it boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours. (The longer that you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor will be.)
  • Place a strainer on top of another pot and slowly pour the broth through the strainer.
  • Allow the broth to cool a little, then store it in mason jars or super cubes until you are ready to use it in recipes.

Notes

  • Don’t use rotten vegetables that have a bad smell, they will also have a bad taste.
  • Avoid peelings from non-organic vegetables if you are worried about chemicals or pesticides.
  • Wash any dirt or soil off the ends of the stems.
  • Use 1 teaspoon of salt for a low-sodium vegetable broth.
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Serving: 1cup, Calories: 1kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.2g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 0.01g, Saturated Fat: 0.001g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.004g, Sodium: 594mg, Potassium: 4mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 94IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 0.02mg
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