Don’t throw your vegetable scraps away! Turn them into a large, freezable bath of homemade vegetable broth which can be used as the base of many dishes.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been saving vegetable scraps, with the intention of making homemade vegetable broth.

I finally gathered enough – about 4 cups or so, leftover from random meals of stir-fry, oven-roasted vegetables, kale chips, soup, and other dishes. My mix included:

• Broccoli stalks
• Kale stalks
• Red and yellow pepper stems
• Green bean ends
• Outer onion layers

I added some additional seasonings and ended up with a very flavorful vegetable broth. This broth can be used to make soup, sauces, gravies, curries, and other savory dishes.

Homemade vegetable broth can be frozen for future use – but I quickly used mine up!

Tips For Making Great Homemade Vegetable Broth

• Variety is key: The more vegetables you include in your broth, the more flavorful it will be. Save all kinds of vegetable scraps and keep them in a bag in your freezer.
• Add seasoning: Although you can make a pot of broth out of vegetables alone, adding the right spices and seasonings will take the flavor to the next level. Add a bay leaf, salt, garlic, and fresh herbs to your simmering pot. Experiment with other flavors as well. If you’re making an Asian dish, add a dash of soy sauce. If you want a spicy broth, add a dash of hot sauce or pinch of cayenne pepper. Don’t forget to taste test along the way and adjust accordingly.

Making vegetable broth out of leftover vegetable scraps is a great way to use up leftovers, reduce food waste, and save money. And it couldn’t be easier to make. If you can make a pot of soup, you can make homemade broth.

Now start saving those scraps!

Learn more about cooking with food scraps to save money on food.

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Homemade Vegetable Broth (Made With Vegetable Scraps)

Yield: 4 cups broth

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Using this easy method, you'll never go back to buying packaged vegetable broth again!

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Ingredients

• 4+ cups vegetable scraps (from onions, leeks, peppers, celery, leafy greens, carrots, herbs, etc.)
• 6 cups water
• Salt
• Bay leaf
• Minced garlic
• Additional seasonings, as desired

Instructions

1. Place vegetable scraps and water into a large stockpot. Add additional ingredients. Bring to a simmer and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 45 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Discard vegetable scraps.
3. Once cool, place broth in a large glass jar or freeze in individual freezer bags for convenient future use. Use refrigerated broth within 3 to 4 days.

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