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

FAQs

Is homemade vegetable stock worth it? ›

As with all stocks, homemade Vegetable Stock is far superior to store bought, with the added benefit that it's much easier to make than seafood and meat stocks which often call for manhandling of considerable amounts of bones (I'm thinking of you beef stock!).

Storing and Using Homemade Vegetable Stock

Allow the stock to cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze it for several months.

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.

Homemade chicken broth is a laborious task but reaps delicious results. In the refrigerator, your homemade broth will last 3-4 days. To extend your broth's freshness, store the broth in the freezer for up to 6 months.

But if you keep an eye on sodium levels, both broth and stock can be healthy. Taub-Dix notes that stock is often considered healthier than broth since it tends to be slightly higher in protein and other nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, than broth.

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.

Since both are made exclusively from vegetables, neither product contains gelatin, yet there are still a few subtle differences between the two: Vegetable stock likely comes unseasoned, while broth usually contains salt and other seasonings.

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!

Do potatoes go in veggie 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.

Softer vegetables such as potatoes or pumpkin are no good as they break down too easily, creating a cloudy stock. If adding fresh tomatoes, remove the seeds as they can impart a bitter taste. The fresher the vegetables you use for stock, the better the flavour will be.

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.

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.

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.

If you buy vegetable stock, you'll likely get a product with a lot of sodium but not a lot of flavor. By making your own stock, you can control the amount of sodium and create an incredibly flavorful base for soups, stews, risottos, and other dishes that call for stock as the primary cooking liquid.

Making homemade stock is a fantastic way to turn leftover produce and bones from meat and poultry, that you'd otherwise throw out, into an essential ingredient for rich, flavor-packed meals and sides.