Homemade Vegetable Broth Scraps (Printable version)
A flavorful broth made from leftover vegetable scraps to enrich soups, risottos, and sauces.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetable Scraps
01 - 4 to 5 cups mixed vegetable scraps (onion peels, carrot ends, celery leaves, mushroom stems, parsley stems, leek tops, garlic skins)
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
02 - 2 bay leaves
03 - 6 to 8 black peppercorns
04 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
05 - 1 handful fresh parsley stems (optional)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
→ Water
08 - 10 cups cold water
# How to Prepare:
01 - Collect and thoroughly rinse all vegetable scraps, removing any dirt or mold.
02 - Place the vegetable scraps into a large stockpot and add bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, parsley stems, garlic, and salt.
03 - Pour in the cold water, ensuring the scraps are fully submerged.
04 - Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, skimming off any foam that appears.
06 - Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before straining through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a separate container, discarding solids.
07 - Taste and adjust salt if needed. Store broth in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- You get restaurant-quality broth while actually reducing what ends up in your trash.
- It costs nearly nothing since you're using scraps you already have.
- The flavor is deeper and more complex than anything from a store, with no added chemicals or weird aftertastes.
02 -
- Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage—they make the broth taste bitter and sulfurous, a lesson I learned the hard way with an entire batch.
- Potato peels cloud the broth and add a starchy taste that doesn't belong, so save those for composting or stock for another use.
03 -
- Never skip the skimming step—those first foam layers contain impurities that cloud your broth, and removing them makes the finished product visibly cleaner and more refined.
- Start with cold water instead of hot because it extracts flavors more gently and evenly, creating a broth that tastes clean rather than harsh.