Use up all the leftover veggies in your fridge and make a flavorful and homemade vegan chicken broth! This vegetable stock is super simple to make on the stove and will replace chicken broth in all of your favorite vegan recipes.
Add the vegetable pieces, water, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 45 minutes.
Remove the broth from the heat. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the broth, pressing down on the vegetables to get all the flavor out. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Notes
Plan Ahead. This recipe works best if you start saving your veggie peels and extra bits and do so for a while. I like to keep a large ziplock bag in the freezer and toss things into it each night while I'm preparing dinner. You need about 10 cups of veggies for this stock recipe.
Be sure to wash your veggies well before peeling them if you plan to save the peels for broth!
Some veggies are not ideal for stock. Avoid potato peels as they can hold toxins from the soil. You may also want to avoid brassicas, like broccoli, kale, and cabbage. They add a flavor to the stock that's not ideal.
Squash and potatoes can make the stock cloudy, but the peels from squash and zucchini are perfect for broth.
The best vegetables to use for vegan chicken broth are onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
Onion peels should be included, as they help give the vegan broth a rich color.
Try including small amounts of fresh herbs for extra flavor!
The nutrition facts here are just a guide. The actual details will depend on which vegetables you use, how much salt you add, and how much water you use.
Storage: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 4 months.