DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.

Have you ever thought about making your own vegetable broth?

I’ve thought about it. However, I’ve never been inspired enough to do so. All that chopping of veggies deterred me. For convenience, I’ve purchased organic vegetable stock.

Last week I came across a simple and amazing recipe for DIY broth from vegetable scraps. Inspiration struck! Because I make juices and eat a plant based diet, I have lots of vegetable scraps. Those go into the trash or into a compost canister…and often then into the trash as I don’t have a dedicated compost pile.

What if I used the veggie leftovers to create broth? I can, I discovered. And the best part? Because these are the scraps, they are already in small pieces. No additional chopping required. Second best part? I used my pressure cooker to create a perfect batch of broth in 30 minutes.

DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps Title Meme

What Scraps to Use

Throughout the week, as you prep meals, place vegetable scraps in a gallon size container and store in the freezer. When the container is full, it’s time to make broth.

These vegetables are perfect for broth making:

  •  red and yellow onion pieces and skins
  •  garlic pieces and skins
  •  celery ends and tips – avoid using many leaves as they can be bitter
  •  carrot ends and tips
  •  tomatoes pieces
  •  asparagus stems
  •  bell pepper ends, stems and seeds
  •  mushroom stems and pieces
  •  spinach
  •  zucchini pieces and ends

Don’t use starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes. They cloud the broth. Also avoid cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts because of bitterness.

DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps
Thawed and rinsed veggie scraps ready to cook. I added additional fresh tomatoes from my garden.

DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps

Vegetable broth may be used for soup and stew starters, to cook rice and pasta in, to saute vegetables in or to replace water for cooking vegetables.

DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps

Make your own delicious and nutritious broth from leftover vegetable scraps.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 cups

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 gallon container vegetable scraps, frozen
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil

Instructions
 

  • Thaw, at least partially, gallon container of frozen vegetable scraps. Rinse veggies.
  • Place vegetable scraps in pressure cooker.
  • Add water, bay leaves, sea salt and dried herbs.
  • Cover cooker and bring to pressure. Cook for 30 minutes. Allow natural release.
  • Carefully remove lid. Strain broth through fine mesh strainer or through cheesecloth. Store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze and keep for 3 - 6 months.
Keyword DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps
DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps Ready to cook
Veggie scraps in the pressure cooker with herbs. I added two chopped carrots to the scraps.
Cooked vegetable scraps.
Cooked vegetable scraps. It isn’t beautiful, however, doesn’t it look yummy?
Draining veggie scrapsl
I used cheesecloth inside a colander to strain the broth.

The Finished DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps

The broth smelled wonderful as it cooked. Smell is an important sense for me when I’m cooking, as it is for many. When something “smells right”, that’s a good indicator. The broth smelled very right.

After allowing the pressure cooker to release steam naturally, meaning I didn’t turn the knob on top to release it manually, I lifted the lid and peeked inside.

What began as a mess of scraps transformed into a rich and savory looking broth. In the sink the cheesecloth draped colander rested over a glass bowl. I carefully poured the contents of the cooker into the colander and allowed it to drain completely.

The broth is excellent. I sampled a spoonful, to make sure the flavor is up to par. It is! In fact, it tastes much better than what I purchase.

I LOVE that I have a use for all my leftover vegetable scraps. It makes me feel so good to know I am not wasting those bits and pieces. Rather, I am turning waste into something that I can use. And, I know exactly what’s in my broth: veggies, water, herbs, sea salt. Nothing more.

Tomorrow night I’ll prepare Lentils and Brown Rice in my pressure cooker, using one of my containers of DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps. And I’m already collecting veggie scraps for my next batch of broth. I feel ridiculously excited!

DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps Finished
The recipe made three containers of broth, about 3 cups each.

 

Pick up Vegan Pressure Cooking, the book that inspired the DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps.

And grab a Pressure Cooker by clicking on the photo below:

 

 

Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.

66 thoughts on “DIY Broth from Vegetable Scraps”

  1. Making my own broth is something I’ve wanted to do but never have! The timing on this post is perfect. I can’t wait to try this!

    1. I’m trying to reduce waste especially in the kitchen. I’m loving this recipe that allows me to save my scraps.

  2. This is a great recipe and a great idea to use up leftover vegetable scraps! I would think you could can the broth as well if you make enough of it. Thanks so much for sharing!

    1. Yes you could or freeze it. I used my first batch up quickly. My next one I’m going to freeze half.

  3. I make bone broth all the time with my scraps of veggies too. I never thought of just using the veggie scraps even when I have no bones to make stock with – this was nice.

  4. I’ve often thought of making my own but never actually did it. Thank you for this easy to follow step by step recipe – I will have to try this!

  5. I just threw away scraps today, again, and thought of how wasteful it was, again. I really want to try this. It would be perfect for all those grounds that normally get thrown away when I juice. Thank you for posting this. It came at a great time!

  6. While I have made my own chicken broth, it has never even crossed my mine to try making vegetable broth! What a great idea! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!

  7. Ooh, super helpful – I’m moving into a metabolic diet that emphasizes carbs by veggie, and this looks perfect. I wonder if you can use an insta pot to make it?

  8. Veggie broth is one of my favorite things to make in the summer when the garden is in full on mode! One thing I’ve added in addition to your list is the fronds and scrap pieces from fennel bulbs. One of the best versions I’ve made, but truly, are there any bad ones?

  9. What a great idea!! Unfortunately, all of my veggie scraps go to my chickens and my dog food. I am going to put this recipe on the fridge at the crisis facility where I work though, so we can use those veggies instead of tossing them.

  10. I really need to get me a pressure cooker! I keep seeing amazing ways like this to use it! Plus, I’m constantly stocking up on broth to use when I make noodles and such, so it’ll be cool to try a homemade version for once!

    1. This one is so easy to make with the pressure cooker! And it’s delicious. I’m enjoying making my own.

  11. I’m going to have to try this. I never thought of saving up the scraps to make the broth! We are big on homemade soup in our family!

  12. Boy! I wish I could wrap my head around this stuff. It’s soooo easy, but I just can’t get myself to do it. I’m putting it on the task list to try, though. This is a great recipe and it’s always good to have a broth on hand.

    1. I keep a couple of reusable plastic containers in the freezer, for scraps. When I start chopping/prepping veggies I get a a container out and drop the scraps in as I go. It’s quickly become a habit!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating