HOW TO: VEGETABLE BROTH
You can easily purchase vegetable broth in most grocery stores, but you have to be careful what you purchase. If you are not in the habit of reading labels, you might miss that your vegetable broth isn't plant-based. I could take up a whole day telling you many times I assumed the ingredients in a product only to discover later that there was something fishy about the ingredients --- sometimes, literally!
This past week my husband brought home a vegetable coconut curry kit. It was from our favorite big-box grocery store, so we were very excited to try it. I should also add it was in the produce department. Vegetable-based, big box store, and the produce department. Sounds legit, right? Something told me to check the ingredients. Seven ingredients into the curry sauce is the word "anchovy."
Vegetable broth is a plant-based pantry staple. It is great for soups, braising tempeh, cooking vegetables, gravies, and so much more. But, it can be tricky shopping for the right one. Even with the fully plant-based broth, some canned liquid vegetable broth can have as much as 800mg of sodium in an eight-ounce serving, while some concentrated vegetable bouillon has as much as 970mg of sodium.
While I am not shunning the use of store-bought broth bases (see the list of my favorite ones at the end of this post), my first instinct is to make my own. It is easy to do, promotes zero waste, and you know exactly what's in it. No need to read the label, and it only takes 30 – 45 min.
HOW TO VEGETABLE BROTH
When I make broth, the ingredients I use will depend upon what I have in the house and the flavor profile I am looking for. Today, I used:
8 cups of cool water
2 whole carrots
2 celery stalks – leaves included
2 shallots
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Now, let's get to cooking:
No need to chop vegetables, except to fit into your pot. You can use other aromatics and herbs as well. For example, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, lemongrass, fresh basil, or chilis. Season to your taste.
Put everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Soft boil uncovered for 15 min. Then cover and simmer for another 30 min.
Pour the liquid broth into canning jars or in some other container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a refrigerator until ready to use.
Tip: When making a soup or gravy with the broth, remember to add a bit of fat – vegan butter, olive oil, or coconut oil.
A Couple of Notes…
Don’t throw away your veggies after you make broth. Here are a couple of things you can use the cooked veggies in:
Top with a bit of vegan butter and eat them as a side dish.
Chop them, add them back into 4 cups of the broth to make a soup. Thicken with cornstarch to the desired soup consistency. Add more veggies like dark leafy greens, potatoes, corn, or tomatoes. You can even add a bit of plant milk and vegan butter for a creamy soup.
Chop the veggies, freeze them, and use them later in a casserole or chili.
…and A Couple SUGGESTIONS
Here are my favorite broth bases from my local store or amazon. When I am low on my homemade vegetable broth or helping AP with a recipe, I use these:
vegetable broth powder - Orrington Farms Vegan Vegetable Broth Base & Seasoning
vegetable bouillon cubes - Garden Veggie Cubes