Homemade Vegetable Stock Recipe

This easy vegetable stock recipe is made with onion, carrots, celery, herbs, and a few simple aromatics. Simmered gently on the stovetop, it makes a flavorful homemade stock for soups, stews, risotto, grains, sauces, and more.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

A good homemade vegetable stock is one of those kitchen basics that is incredibly useful to have tucked away in the fridge or freezer.

This version starts with the classic combination of onion, carrots, and celery, along with parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns. We sauté the vegetables first before adding the water, which helps build a little more flavor without making the stock heavy.

Making stock was one of the first techniques I learned in culinary school, and there was almost always a pot gently simmering somewhere in the professional kitchens I worked in. These days, we make it at home and freeze it in smaller portions so it is ready whenever we need it.

If you cook with meat as well, you might also like our Slow Cooker Beef Stock.

Scroll down for step-by-step photos, chef's tips, storage advice, and ideas for using your homemade vegetable stock.

Jump to:

• Homemade Vegetable Stock
• Recipe at a Glance
• Vegetable Stock vs. Vegetable Broth
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Vegetable Stock
• Ways to Add More Flavor
• Can You Make Vegetable Stock from Scraps?
• Vegetables to Avoid in Stock
• How to Use Vegetable Stock
• Storage and Freezing
• FAQ's
• More Kitchen Basics
• Homemade Vegetable Stock: A Flavorful Base for Everyday Cooking

Recipe at a Glance

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 45-60 minutes
• Total: About 1 hour 10 minutes
• Makes: About 1.5 liters (6 cups)
• Method: Stovetop
• Freezer-friendly: Yes

Vegetable Stock vs. Vegetable Broth

Vegetable stock and vegetable broth are very similar, and the terms are often used interchangeably in home cooking.

Traditionally, stock is usually kept fairly neutral and may be made without salt, because it is intended to become part of another recipe. Broth is generally seasoned and can be enjoyed on its own.

For this recipe, we recommend leaving the salt out or keeping it very light. You can then season whatever dish you use the stock in without worrying about it becoming too salty.

Ingredients You'll Need

You only need a handful of simple vegetables and aromatics for this homemade stock.

• Olive oil - Used to gently sauté the vegetables before adding the water.
• Mirepoix - Onion, carrots, and celery create the savory vegetable base. You can read more about it in our guide to French Mirepoix.
• Garlic - Optional, but adds another layer of savory flavor.
• Leek or green onion tops - Optional and particularly handy if you have some leftovers.
• Fresh parsley - Both the stems and leaves can go into the pot and add freshness.
• Bay leaves - Add gentle herbal flavor.
• Black peppercorns - Give the stock subtle warmth without making it peppery.
• Water - Used to gently extract the flavor from the vegetables and aromatics.
• Salt - Optional. We usually prefer leaving the stock unsalted and seasoning the finished dish later.

See the recipe card below for quantities

How to Make Vegetable Stock

Tested in our kitchen and loved by our readers-this recipe is the base for many delicious meals

Sauté the vegetables

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and leek, if using.

Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and smell aromatic.

Chef's Tip: Keep the heat moderate. We want to gently draw out the flavor of the vegetables rather than brown them.

 Add the water and aromatics

Pour in the water, then add the parsley, bay leaves, and black peppercorns.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat.

Gently simmer the stock

Simmer the vegetable stock uncovered for 45-60 minutes.

You are looking for a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil.

Chef's Tip: Vegetable stock doesn't need hours of cooking. Simmering it for too long can dull the fresh vegetable flavors and may introduce bitterness.

Strain the stock

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large stockpot or heatproof container.

Carefully strain the stock and discard the vegetables, and herbs.

For an even clearer stock, line your sieve with cheesecloth before straining.

Chef's Tip: Don't press or mash the vegetables through the sieve. Let the stock drain naturally for a cleaner finished stock. and stir occasionally

Cool the stock quickly

Place the pot of strained stock into a sink filled with cold water and ice.

Stir occasionally to help the liquid cool evenly, changing the cold water as needed.

Once cooled, transfer the stock to clean containers.

 Store or freeze

Refrigerate the stock for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months, following the storage instructions from our tested recipe.

We usually freeze ours in 1-cup portions so it's easy to grab exactly what we need for sauces, soups, stews, and braises.

Ways to Add More Flavor

The basic recipe is intentionally versatile, but you can change the flavor depending on how you plan to use it.

• Mushrooms - Fresh or dried mushrooms add more savory depth.
• Tomato - A small amount adds sweetness and acidity.
• Fennel - Lovely when the stock will be used in Mediterranean-style dishes.
• Fresh thyme - Adds gentle herbal flavor.
• Parmesan rind - Adds savory richness, although the stock will no longer be vegan.
• Roasted vegetables - Roast the vegetables first for a darker, richer stock.

Keep the finished dish in mind when choosing extra ingredients. A simple vegetable stock is often more useful because it can work in many different recipes.

Can You Make Vegetable Stock from Scraps?

Yes. Vegetable stock is a handy way to use some of the trimmings left over from everyday cooking. We personally prefer making our main stock with fresh vegetables because we find the flavor a little cleaner and more consistent, but we certainly save useful trimmings when we have them.

Good scraps to save include:

• Carrot peels and ends
• Celery ends
• Leek and green onion tops
• Parsley and other herb stems
• Mushroom trimmings

Keep them in a freezer-safe bag or container until you have enough to make stock.

Vegetables to Avoid in Stock

Not every vegetable makes a good addition.

• Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can become strong or bitter.
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes can make the stock cloudy and starchy.
• Beets will dramatically change the color.
• Bell peppers can easily dominate the flavor.
• Zucchini and leafy greens break down quickly and don't contribute much flavor.

We also prefer leaving out onion skins, as they can become very bitter.

How to Use Vegetable Stock

Homemade vegetable stock is incredibly versatile and can be used anywhere you want to add extra flavor without using meat stock.

• Soups and stews - Use it as the base for vegetable, bean, lentil, and pasta soups. Try it in our Italian Chickpea Soup, Veggie Lentil Soup, Italian Minestrone Soup, or Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.
• Couscous and grain-based dishes - Use stock instead of water to add more flavor to dishes like our Moroccan Toasted Couscous.
• Rice, grains, and pulses - Cook rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, farro, lentils, and chickpeas in stock instead of water for extra savory depth. 
• Orzo and pasta dishes - Add stock to dishes where the pasta cooks directly in the liquid for extra flavor. Our How to Cook Orzo guide is a handy place to start.
• Risotto - Warm the stock and gradually add it as the rice cooks to build flavor throughout the dish.
• Sauces, gravies, and braises - Use it whenever you need a little extra liquid and savory flavor in sauces, gravies, or gently braised vegetables.

Storage and Freezing

Fridge: Cool completely, transfer to airtight containers, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. We particularly like freezing stock in 1-cup portions, which makes it easy to defrost only what we need.

To thaw: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or add frozen stock directly to soups, stews, and other hot dishes where appropriate.

FAQ's

More Kitchen Basics

Once you have a few good basic techniques in your repertoire, everyday cooking becomes so much easier.

• How to Make Crostini
• How to Toast Pine Nuts
• White Wine Vinaigrette
• How to Roast Beets in the Oven
• How to Supreme an Orange

This simple vegetable stock recipe is one of those basics that's worth keeping in the freezer. It takes very little hands-on time and gives you a flavorful base ready for soups, risotto, sauces, grains, and plenty of everyday cooking.

Make a batch, freeze it in portions, and future you will be very happy to find it waiting there. 😀

Don't forget to let us know in the comments how it turned out. Remember Pin it for later or share it with a friend.

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.