It’s been at least a couple of years since we bought the pre-made stock at the grocery store and I can with 100% certainty say we are never going back! Making homemade stock is really simple, affordable, it’s lower in sodium, plus it is a great way to use up veggies that are nearing the end of their shelf life and peels too.
Making stock at home is so easy. Literally, just toss a bunch of veggies in a large stockpot with water and let it boil. It does take some planning ahead. You may need to get that soup started a little earlier to make up the stock first, but making stock is not hands-on cooking. There is no stirring, mixing, or other fancy stuff. The stock is just sitting on the stove cooking, so you’ll have plenty of downtime for relaxing. This is slow food! Plus, when I say roughly chop the veggies, I mean cut the carrot in half and toss it in the pot. Basically cut the veggies enough that they are submerged in the liquid. These veggies will be strained after cooking so don’t waste your time on uniform cutting. I even know some people who use the whole onion, peels and all. Just toss it in the pot.
Homemade vegetable stock is really tasty. It has so much more flavor than the salty store-bought version. I love the unique blend of fennel and fenugreek, the fennel is a little spicy and the fenugreek sweet. But beware, fenugreek will make your urine strangely sweet too. You can totally add your favorite seasonings and make a custom stock blend! Allspice or juniper berries are delicious additions, just use them sparingly as these are mighty flavorful spices! When I make stock, I throw in spices based on my mood and whatever meals I’m planning to use it for, but no two batches of stock are the same. Go crazy, experiment, make some deliciousness!
Homemade vegetable stock is the healthiest option for soup stock. You know exactly what is in there, and it’s not just salt and water! All of the nutrients from your vegetables and herbs are in the stock. Plus when you throw in whatever veggies and beans are in your soup recipe and you now have a veggie double-whammy. There is a reason why soup is people’s go-to food when feeling ill. It is packed with nutrients like vitamin A and antioxidants, and easy on your stomach. Slurp it up!
Making homemade vegetable stock is not only healthy it is also extremely affordable. For less than 75 cents I can make 32 fluid ounces of organic veggie stock. Here in Denver, Colorado, it costs at least $2.89 for 32 fluid ounces of store-bought organic vegetable stock. Saving $2.14 certainly isn’t going to make you rich, but it does add up over time. We used to go through two packs of store-bought stock per week, so we were spending $5.78 on stock, or $300.56 per year, ouch! Now making our own stock costs about $78 per year and just a little extra time. My goal is to not buy any packaged foods for both health reasons and cost-savings, and we’re getting there, one baby step at a time.
When making stock I like to use up any veggies that are starting to look a little sad. You know, when you end up with that little bit of fennel. Or that half onion from lasts night’s dinner. This is great stuff for stock, just toss it in and use it up! Don’t go using straight-up rotten veggies, but making delicious stock does not require crunchy fresh ones either. Save those for snacking and other tasty meals. Additionally, I always throw in the peel of a squeezed lemon, just scoop out any remaining seeds. I drink a lot of lemon water, so I save a lemon peel if I’m planning to make soup anytime soon. I love really bright flavored soups so adding the lemon peel is a great way to add that lemon flavor without wasting a fresh new lemon (I like to save those for my lemon water). Plus adding lemon to the stock adds that savory flavor, but without the salt. Lemons are a great substitute for salt if you are trying to decrease your sodium intake. Well there you have it, an easy to make and delicious vegetable stock. Let’s get cooking!
Vegetable Stock
Easy vegetable soup stock. The perfect foundation for super flavorful soups and stews. Plus this homemade soup stock has far lower sodium than the store-bought variety and it’s way more affordable.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 7 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 8 cups of water
- 1 onion (red or yellow), roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon peel (leftover from a juiced lemon)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel
- 1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large stockpot. Kick the heat up to high and cover the stockpot with a lid.
- Once the water reaches a rapid boil turn the heat down to medium-high and cook for about 45 minutes.
- Pour stock through a strainer to remove veggies and herbs. There you have it vegetable stock!
Notes
Stock with keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Cheers,
Erica
