Step up all of your homemade soups and sauces with homemade veggie stock. It is seriously so easy to make, and actually saves money because you can use all the veggie scraps you would normally throw away. Get the most out of your veggies people!

The base of my stock is carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms, parsley stems, and a bay leaf. Toss them into a Dutch oven or other large pot. Don’t worry about peeling the onion or carrots or cutting the ends off of the celery.

In addition to this base, I add frozen veggie scraps that I’ve collected over time. If you’ve read my other recipes you know what I mean. This is a variety of skins, peels, stems, ends, bits, bobs, kits, kaboodles…you get the picture.

Add enough water to cover most of the contents. Less water will produce a more potent stock, more water will produce a lighter one.

Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it bubble away uncovered for about an hour. Taste as you go.

I don’t add salt or pepper because I want my stock to be as versatile as possible. This allows me to season according to different recipes.

After an hour, ladle or pour the contents through a fine mesh sieve or what I like to call the “college fine mesh sieve”. This consists of a colander lined with coffee filters, and it is what we use in lieu of a sieve in my house.  I beg your pardon for the poor quality pics. Things got a little ~steamy~.

Allow to cool and store in an airtight contain in the fridge for up to 1 week and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Add to any recipe that calls for stock of any kind!

Homemade Vegetable Stock

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

2-3 large carrots, chopped

1 large white or yellow onion, quartered

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

10 shiitake mushrooms, quartered

1 bunch parsley stems

1 bay leaf

1 bag frozen vegetable scraps (optional)

Add ingredients to a dutch oven and cover with cool water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook uncovered for 1 hour.

Strain the liquid into a large bowl, discarding vegetables.

Cool and store.