World’s Best Homemade Vegetable Stock
There is nothing like homemade stocks, they can change the flavor in all your recipes immensely. There is just such a huge difference, especially when you use this stock, because roasting the vegetables before you simmer them really adds another level of complexity and richness and it’s just ohhh sooo good… you will thank me later. The other thing I love about this recipe is the freezing capability – I usually freeze the stock I’m not going to use that week into individual ziplocs for easy use later! This recipe is so easy!! No excuses!!!!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups celery (about 3/4 – 1 bunch), roughly chopped, leaves left on
- 2 sweet yellow onions, roughly chopped, peelings and skin on
- 3 cups carrots (about 6 pieces), roughly chopped
- 2 large tomatoes (about 1 lb.), roughly chopped
- 2 bell peppers (about 1 lb.), roughly chopped
- 1 parsnip, chopped
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- 3-5 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 6-8 whole black peppercorns
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 16 cups water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Very ROUGHLY chop all vegetables and toss with olive oil. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan and place in oven. You want to roast the vegetables until they caramelize for about 40 minutes, stirring about every 15 minutes. Every oven is different so make sure to keep an eye on them.
- When the vegetables are done, place them in a large stock pot with all the other ingredients and bring the stock to a full boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered until the liquid reduces about 1/4, this should take about 2 hours.
- Strain the broth to separate the stock from the vegetables. Any stock you aren’t going to use within the next 3-4 days, freeze in individual ziplocs and label.
- Enjoy your homemade vegetable stock!!
******* IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT ADD SALT – you never want to add salt to your base stock recipe, you will add it later when you are cooking.
******* You can always add turnips, mushrooms, leeks, or any other vegetables you have around also!
Yum, yum, yum. . . . .
FRESH! Nothing like fresh veggies…seasoned to perfection….problem for me is I have to cut them up and cook them 🙁 LOL! Keep the stuff coming Lizzy!
Sounds wonderful! Nothing is better than homemade stock, though I’ve only done chicken before, I need to try this.
Question, from your image, it looks like you roasted the onion skins, did you? Also did you then boil and simmer them as well? I’ve never thought of using the skins…
Yes I do – I’ll make that more clear in my post but by roasting with the skins on it adds SO MUCH MORE FLAVOR! Then I strain them out at the end once the stock is done!
So many great things go into your vegetable stock. It’s wonderful having the knowledge to make our own and control the ingredients.
I love homemade stock. So flavorful. I am definitely going to try this roasted veg method. I love the flavor of roasted veggies so it really makes sense. brilliant. thanks for the great idea.