Homemade Vegetable Broth
Hands down, this is the easiest one-pot recipe for homemade vegetable broth. And, it actually tastes like fresh, delicious vegetables, not just salted water. You have to make this broth!
If you haven’t made vegetable broth from scratch, it’s time to start. It couldn’t be easier to make, it’s incredibly inexpensive, and the flavor is far superior to any store-bought vegetable broth. Having really good broth (like today’s recipe) on hand is key to making delicious soups and stews, savory sauces and risottos, and tasty cooked whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.
A perfectly flavored vegetable broth always starts with a handful of essential ingredients – onion, carrot, celery, garlic, fresh parsley and thyme, dried bay leaves, and black peppercorns. You can customize the flavor further by adding more vegetables, aromatics, and fresh herbs. Good additions include green onions, mushrooms, leeks, fennel, rosemary, dill, oregano, and basil. One of the advantages to making your own vegetable broth is the ability to tailor the flavor to your personal taste preferences. You’re also creating a clean, fresh tasting broth that doesn’t contain added sugars, thickeners, or excessive amounts of sodium.
Not all vegetables and herbs are ideal for making vegetable broth. Some ingredients can make the broth cloudy, gummy, or oddly colored; other ingredients can impart a very strong or bitter flavor. Avoid using these ingredients when making vegetable broth.
cruciferous vegetables (bok choy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, rutabagas, turnips)
hot peppers
excessive amounts of raw tomatoes (tomato paste is fine to add)
green beans
winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata, hubbard, sugar pumpkin)
corn and corn cobs
potatoes
sweet potatoes
red onion
beets
cilantro
Let me show you how easy it is to make your own vegetable broth, step by step.
Wash the vegetables and herbs well
The last thing you want in your broth is dirt or sand, so be sure to wash the vegetables and fresh herbs really well.
Roughly chop the vegetables
Chop the vegetables into large chucks. Chopping increases the surface area of the vegetables that comes in contact with the water; this maximizes the flavor extracted from the veggies. There’s no need to peel the vegetables or remove roots or stems, as long as they’re clean. Peels, roots, and stems add depth of flavor and rich color to the finished broth.
Gently simmer for 2 hours
Add the chopped vegetables, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, dried bay leaves, and peppercorns along with 3 quarts of water to a large pot. Partially cover the pot with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer, not a boil. Gently simmer for 2 hours, giving the vegetables time to release as much of their flavor into the broth as possible. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer; this ensures that not too much liquid boils off.
Strain the broth and serve or store
Use a fine-mesh strainer to remove the vegetables, herbs, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns from the broth. Return the strained broth to the pot and add the salt. Use the broth immediately or transfer it to airtight containers and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If freezing the broth, allow it to come to room temperature before placing it in the freezer. For the best quality, use frozen broth within 6 months.
Terminology tip: broth vs. stock. While these two terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between broth and stock. Broth refers to a liquid that’s made from simmering meat and or vegetables. Stock refers to a liquid that has had bones simmered in it; the addition of meat and or vegetables is optional.
To your health,
Darlene
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HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready: 2 hours 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 medium yellow onions
3 to 4 celery stalks
3 to 4 large carrots
5 to 6 green onions
8 springs fresh thyme
8 spring fresh parsley
8 to 10 garlic cloves, peeled
3 dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 quarts (12 cups) water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Wash yellow onions, celery stalks, carrots, green onion, thyme and parsley well to remove any dirt or sand. Cut yellow onions into quarters and chop celery, carrots, and green onions into large pieces.
Place cut vegetables, thyme, parsley, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot. Add 3 quarts water, partially cover pot with a lid, and over medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil). Gently simmer for 2 hours. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer (this ensures that not too much liquid boils off).
Remove pot from heat and carefully strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer to remove vegetables, herbs, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Return strained broth to pot, add salt, and stir to combine. Use the broth immediately or, once at room temperature, transfer it to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information per Serving
10 Calories, 0 g Total fat, 0 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 550 mg Sodium, 0 g Total carbohydrate, 0 g Dietary fiber, 0 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 0 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 20 mg (1%) Calcium, 0 mg (0%) Iron, 75 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2026 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
could you make this in an instapot or crockpot?