Homemade Nutritious Vegetable Broth
- Date
- 22 February 2024
- Category
- Nutrition & Recipes
A recipe for a nutritious and delicious homemade vegetable broth that can be easily frozen and stored for future use. This broth is packed with vitamins and minerals, and it's a great base for soups, stews, or any recipe requiring broth.
Ingredients:
- 2 large onions, quartered (with skins for more nutrients)
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed (with skins)
- 2 medium leeks, cleaned and chopped (use the green part as well)
- 2 bay leaves
- A small bunch of fresh parsley
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 liters of water
- Optional: any other vegetable scraps (like broccoli stems, spinach stems, bell pepper cores, etc.)
Instructions:
1. Prepare Vegetables: Roughly chop all the vegetables into large chunks. There's no need to peel the vegetables, as the skins add extra nutrients and flavour to the broth.
2. Combine Ingredients: In a large stockpot, combine all the chopped vegetables, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns. Add 2 liters of water. The water should cover the vegetables by an inch.
3. Cook the Broth: Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the broth simmer uncovered for about 1 to 1.5 hours. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful and nutritious it will be.
4. Strain the Broth: After simmering, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or colander into a large bowl or another pot. Press on the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
5. Cool and Store: Allow the broth to cool completely. Once cool, it can be portioned into containers or freezer bags for storage. Remember to leave some space at the top of each container as the liquid will expand when frozen.
6. Freeze: Place the containers or bags in the freezer. The broth can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Using the Broth: When you need to use the broth, simply defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or gently warm it in a pot on the stove.
Note: This vegetable broth is not only a healthy base for meals but also a great way to reduce waste by using vegetable scraps and peels. The recipe is flexible, so feel free to adjust the types and quantities of vegetables based on what you have on hand.
