This homemade vegetable stock recipe uses leftovers to create a delicious, rich and bursting-with-flavor result that can be used in soups, stews or anything else calling for stock!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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This is a really tasty, gorgeous colored, full of flavor veggie stock that will lend itself well to anything you decide to use it in! I use leftover vegetable scraps ie the ends of a bunch of celery, carrots, and onions that needed to be used, and a lonely tomato left in the fridge. Using leftovers and past-their-best vegetables makes this super frugal too.
I love to make my own pantry staples, and stock is just another of those that is so stupidly easy to make I never end up buying it. It’s great in that you can control the ingredients and add salt as needed.
This recipe is great for soup recipes, including Broccoli Cheddar Soup, White Bean Soup, or Quick & Easy Vegetable Soup
If you’re looking for Homemade Chicken Stock, I have a recipe for that too:
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Very inexpensive to make. You can use whatever you have in the refrigerator. The ends of celery, an onion, and some wilted carrots can bring amazing flavor.
- Super easy. We are literally roasting vegetables, then simmering them to extract maximum flavor.
- Vegetarian Friendly. You can use this in any recipe that needs stock, and the bonus is that anyone can eat it!
How to use Vegetable Stock
- Anywhere you need stock!
- Try it in vegetarian recipes like Butternut Squash & Apple Soup or in my Lemon Spinach Risotto.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
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How to make this recipe
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and cut vegetables into chunks.
Roast the vegetables
Place carrots, onions, celery, garlic and tomatoes in large roasting pan. Toss in olive oil, and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until they are a dark brown color.
Deglaze the pan
Remove veggies from the oven, then pour 2 cups of water into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom and sides.
Simmer
Pour the vegetables, the water and scraped up bits in the stock pot (or Dutch oven. Add the remaining 4 cups of water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme into a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are very soft (for 15 minutes up to 30 minutes) and the vegetable broth is rich in color.
Season and Strain
Season with salt, if using, then strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard the cooked vegetables.
The stock is now ready to use. Or, you can cool it off and refrigerate or freeze in 1 cup portions.
Kylee’s Notes
Use any veggie scraps that you have. Including carrot peels, onion skins, garlic, celery, anything!
Any herbs or none at all are just fine. You can use fresh or dried, whatever you have will work perfectly!
How to store Vegetable Stock
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Freezing instructions
Ladle into freezer safe containers, leaving room for expansion, seal, label and freeze. This will be good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
You can also portion into a freezer bag and freeze flat for easy storage.
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How to make Vegetable Stock
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium carrots (peeled and coarsely chopped)
- 2 medium onions (peeled and coarsely chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (coarsely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced in half)
- 2 medium tomatoes (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 Tbs dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 cups water
- salt (optional)
Directions
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Place 3 medium carrots (peeled and coarsely chopped), 2 medium onions (peeled and coarsely chopped), 1 stalk celery (coarsely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced in half), and 2 medium tomatoes (cut into 1-inch pieces) in large roasting pan. Toss the vegetables in 1 teaspoon olive oil, and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are a dark brown color.
- Remove vegetables from the oven, then pour 1/3 of the 6 cups water into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom and sides.
- Pour vegetables, scraped up bits, and the remaining water, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 4 sprigs fresh thyme into a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- Season with salt, if using.
- Strain the stock into a large bowl. Discard the cooked vegetables etc.
- It’s ready to use! Or, you can cool it off and refrigerate or freeze in 1 cup portions.
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Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in September of 2015. It was republished with updated photos in October of 2021.
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