Homemade Vegetable Broth Scraps (Print View)
Flavorful broth made from mixed vegetable scraps, perfect for soups and sauces.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetable Scraps
01 - 4 to 5 cups mixed vegetable scraps (onion peels, carrot ends, celery leaves, mushroom stems, parsley stems, leek tops, garlic skins)
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
02 - 2 bay leaves
03 - 6 to 8 black peppercorns
04 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
05 - 1 handful fresh parsley stems (optional)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed (optional if not included in scraps)
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
→ Water
08 - 10 cups cold water
# How to Make:
01 - Collect and thoroughly rinse all vegetable scraps, removing any dirt or mold.
02 - Place the cleaned scraps in a large stockpot. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, parsley stems, garlic, and salt.
03 - Pour in 10 cups of cold water, covering the scraps completely.
04 - Heat over medium-high until the liquid reaches a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
06 - Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before straining through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl or container, discarding solids.
07 - Taste the broth and adjust salt if necessary.
08 - Transfer broth to airtight containers; refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- You stop wasting vegetable scraps and turn them into something genuinely delicious.
- A pot of homemade broth costs almost nothing and tastes leagues better than store-bought.
- It fills your freezer with liquid gold for soups, grains, and sauces whenever you need it.
02 -
- Never use broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or potato peels—they turn the broth bitter and cloudy, which I learned the frustrating way.
- The skim-off step matters more than it seems; those few minutes of attention make your finished broth cleaner and more beautiful.
03 -
- Start with cold water and bring it up slowly—this gentle approach extracts cleaner, more refined flavors than dumping scraps into already-boiling water.
- If you prefer an even lighter broth, reduce the simmering time to 45 minutes; if you want it darker and richer, go to 1 hour 15 minutes, but watch for cloudiness.