How To Make Homemade Vegetable Broth For Free

This is my easy method for making homemade vegetable broth for free! You can stretch your grocery budget just a little bit further by using the vegetable scraps (saved in the freezer, over time) that you might otherwise throw away.

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EASY HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH

Just like the Free chicken broth I told you about in this post, this vegetable broth also comes in at $0.00. It's a really simple method I started using a couple of years ago and so far has saved me a lot of money on broth. Since we eat soup at least twice a week in the colder months, this really works out well.

Instead of composting our vegetable scraps, we save them. They wouldn't last long in the refrigerator so I keep a running storage bag in the freezer. Since we mostly eat a wide variety of vegetables, I usually have three bags available for homemade vegetable broth at any time.

To start the bag I just put a few scraps in and throw them in the freezer. Each time I chop new vegetables, I add them to the bag. Carrot tops here, potato butts there. I even add apple peels and cores for a little sweetness. Lots of onion tops and bottoms get added and celery parts. Pepper tops occasionally go in and if I have extra fresh garlic I throw a couple in (with the skins) before simmering.

There are a few things I don't add (that go to the chickens):

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Spinach (will turn the broth green)
• Tomatoes (not a problem but I really never add them)
• Fruit other than apples
• Cauliflower
• Brussels
• Spicy Peppers (will make the broth really spicy)
• Asparagus

IS THIS A GUT HEALING BROTH?

I don't know. But...with that said, getting a wide variety of vegetables is good for you (eat the rainbow), and so it would stand to reason that drinking the homemade vegetable broth of a wide variety of vegetables would also be good for you.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH

You will collect these items throughout the week(s) in your freezer bag and then pull it all out when you need it.

• Vegetable scraps like:
  • Carrot tops
  • Onion parts
  • Garlic
  • Pepper tops
  • Potato scraps
  • Celery parts
  • Herbs that are past their prime (wilted but still good)
• Salt: I use coarse sea salt.
• Water: Enough to cover your vegetables

HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE BROTH

This method of making homemade vegetable broth only takes about an hour on the stovetop.

1. Pull: Pull out your scraps from the freezer and empty them into a stock pot or cast iron dutch oven.
2. Fill: Cover with water and add salt.
3. Boil: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Simmer: Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat for one hour, adding any fresh herbs halfway through.

THIS HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH WOULD BE GREAT WITH:

• Instant Pot Panera 10 Vegetable Soup
• Double Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Use it when making Easy Instant Pot Wild Rice or Easy Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Garbanzo Bean Soup
• Leek and Lima Bean Soup
• Thai Laksa
• Crockpot Potato Soup with White Cheddar

Hey- you’ve made it this far, and now we’re BFFs.  If you make this recipe, I would love for you to give it a star rating below (scroll down to the comments).  P.S. What makes me happiest is hearing from you!  Make sure you follow me on Instagram (please tag me!), Pinterest, and Facebook too!

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