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homemade vegetable broth in a cooking pot (how to make vegetable broth)
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5 from 3 votes

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Yields approximately 10 cups (2 ½ quarts). Recipe easily doubles or triples.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 22kcal
Author: Sarah Trenalone

Ingredients

Broth Base: (Don't Skip These)

  • 1 onion, thickly sliced
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly diced, leaves removed + reserved
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt, divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup herbs, loosely packed (fresh or frozen)
  • 12 cups water
  • ½ cup wine (white or red), optional

Broth Extras: (Use What You Have on Hand or Love)

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • root vegetables such as fennel or turnips
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  • Lay onions, carrots, and celery on a baking sheet in a single layer.  
    Broth extras: If using garlic or extra root vegetables, add those to the baking sheet too.
  • Drizzle veggies with olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Roast about 30 minutes, until veggies are cooked through.
  • Add vegetables to a large soup pot, along with the rest of the salt and all remaining ingredients (including the reserved celery leaves).
    Tip: If using tomato paste, add it now.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Strain out any solids (vegetables and herbs) from the broth.
  • Use broth right away, refrigerate and use within 3-4 days, or freeze broth in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Notes

Note: For a much clearer broth, avoid bringing broth to a boil, and extend the simmer time to 3 hours.
*Nutrition Information does not include vegetables, because they are discarded and not consumed.  Wine is included.

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 11mg | Calcium: 9mg