Description
Crafting this homemade vegetable stock brings garden-fresh flavors to your kitchen, elevating soups and sauces with pure, natural goodness. Rich with aromatic herbs and seasonal vegetables, you’ll discover a versatile base that adds depth and nourishment to countless culinary creations.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 large onions
- 3 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 leek
- 4 garlic cloves
Aromatic Herbs and Seasonings:
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 cups water (2.4 liters)
- 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
- 1 piece kombu seaweed (optional)
Instructions
- Roughly chop onions, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic, ensuring chunks are similar in size for even flavor distribution.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, allowing it to shimmer but not smoke.
- Sauté chopped vegetables for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and develop a rich, caramelized base.
- Add bay leaves, thyme, parsley sprigs, whole peppercorns, and salt to the pot, releasing their aromatic essences.
- Pour white wine (if using) to deglaze the pot, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Gently place kombu seaweed (if using) into the vegetable mixture to enhance umami depth.
- Fill the pot with water, ensuring vegetables are completely submerged.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, avoiding rapid boiling which can make the stock cloudy.
- Reduce heat to low and let the stock simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and concentrate.
- Remove from heat and let the stock cool slightly for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing vegetables gently to extract maximum flavor.
- Cool completely before storing in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for future use.
Notes
- Adjust vegetable quantities flexibly based on seasonal availability or what’s in your kitchen.
- Roast vegetables beforehand for deeper, more caramelized flavor profile before simmering.
- Skip wine for alcohol-free version, replacing with additional splash of water or light vinegar.
- Consider adding mushroom stems or parmesan rind for extra umami complexity when stock simmering.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-75 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg