Homemade Vegetable Broth Fresh Herbs (Printable)
A fragrant, flavorful broth made from fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs. Perfect base for soups, risottos, or sipping solo.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
02 - 2 celery stalks, sliced into pieces
03 - 1 large onion, quartered
04 - 1 leek, thoroughly cleaned and sliced
05 - 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
06 - 3 garlic cloves, smashed with side of knife
→ Herbs & Aromatics
07 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley, stems included
08 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
09 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
10 - 2 dried bay leaves
11 - 8-10 whole black peppercorns
→ Liquids & Seasoning
12 - 10 cups cold water (approximately 2.5 liters)
13 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for seasoning
# How-To Steps:
01 - Wash all vegetables thoroughly. Peel and slice carrots into rounds. Slice celery stalks into pieces. Quarter the large onion. Clean leek well, slicing both white and light green parts. Peel and chop parsnip. Smash garlic cloves with the side of your knife to release flavor.
02 - Place all prepared vegetables in a large stockpot. Add parsley bunch, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns. Pour in 10 cups of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
03 - Set the stockpot over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil, watching carefully to prevent overflow.
04 - Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 60 minutes. Occasionally skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface using a ladle or spoon.
05 - Remove stockpot from heat. Set a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a large bowl or container. Pour the hot broth through the sieve, discarding all vegetable solids and aromatics. Press gently on solids to extract remaining liquid if desired.
06 - Taste the strained broth and adjust salt seasoning if necessary. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to storage containers. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Its practically free if you save your vegetable scraps
- The flavor is worlds better than anything store-bought
02 -
- Never boil vigorously or it becomes cloudy and bitter
- The straining step is where magic happens, dont rush it
03 -
- Start with cold water for clearer broth
- Dont add salt until the end, it concentrates as it simmers