The best canned vegetable broth or….

10 years ago

...not opposed to making my own, but this will be used to make a recipe vegetarian. Can anyone recommend a tried and true canned broth?

Or, do you have an easy veggie broth that you use for recipes and wouldn't mind sharing?

Featured Answer

grainlady_ks

10 years ago

Vegetable broth is simple to make. I keep my parings, ends, onion skins, less-than-perfect bits, parsley stems, and some things that just plain need to be used, and make vegetable broth. Most of what I make it with would normally go to waste (trash or compost). I made vegetable stock every few days when I was on a Macrobiotic Diet, and the habit has been a good one, although I only make it once every week or two, now.

There are a few "secrets"....

Barely cover the vegetables with water for a full-flavored stock. Too much water and you'll get a weak stock. You can always add more water when you use it.
Use vegetables that have some flavor. Red bell peppers or fennel are surprisingly good. But some strong vegetables don't always work.
Add parsley, celery, and fresh herbs during the last half hour of cooking, not at the beginning, so the flavors aren't lost.

Other tips:

-You can add 1/4 c. of vinegar (try different kinds like white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, etc.) for more flavor - purely optional.

-You don't need perfectly fresh vegetables for the recipe.

-Roasting the root vegetables first does add a lot of flavor, but it's optional, if you have time (450°F in a covered roasting pan - coat veg. with olive oil - bake, covered, for 25-minutes. Uncover and roast an additional 25-minutes, tossing veg. two or three times.

-Avoid, or use sparingly, veg. from the brassica family, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, rutabagas, turnips - they can give a strong - bitter - flavor. Artichokes are also too strongly flavored. Really dark green celery leaves can also be bitter, but medium and light celery leaves are fine.

-Potatoes tend to absorb flavors, and the potato starch (also corn, if you add it) can make stock cloudy. Potato will also make the stock spoil faster, so if you use potato peels in your stock, use the stock quickly.

-Avoid powdered herbs, use fresh instead.

-Avoid anything rotten or moldy.

-Make sure you thoroughly scrub any and all vegetables before you use them for stock, especially if you peel them and are going to save the peelings for stock.

-I like to cut the veg. into chunks that are between 1/2-inch and 1-inch big. I think you get more flavor from pieces this small, instead of large chunks.

How to make stock:

Place fresh or roasted veg. in a stock pot (except celery, parsley, fresh herbs) salt can be added, or wait until stock is done and salt to taste then. Add just enough COLD water to cover (always use cold water for stock). Bring water to boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 45-minutes. Add celery, parsley, and fresh herbs and cook an additional 30-minutes - and during the last 10-minutes add the optional vinegar.

Remove the pot from the heat and strain the stock through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Discard the solids. If the stock is too weak, place it back in a clean stockpot and boil until reduced and flavor increases. You can always make a concentrate by cooking the vegetable stock down by as much as 2/3 the original amount.

Sorry, I can't suggest a commercial substitute, I've never tried one.

-Grainlady

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Comments (17)

lindac92
10 years ago
I have bought Swanson's....but it's so easy to make your own....
I just simmer onion, carrots, celery and bay leaf as a beginning.....then depending on what, I may add tomato juice and/or green peppers, garlic, a larger amount of celery, parsley stems or perhaps sage and/or rosemary. Depends on what I will use it for.
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I don't use broth/bullion for anything anymore, but I used to use Frontier brands broth powders - all vegetarian & in 'beef', 'chicken' & vegetable' flavors. Our local natural foods stores sell them in bulk & all are very tasty. Not canned, but I figured I didn't need to be paying extra for the water.

http://www.frontiercoop.com/products.php?ct=dfmsb&cn=Vegetable+Flavored+Broth+Powder
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I see what you mean. I glanced at a few veg stock recipes doing a search. Much too complicated and not necessary. Simplify as others have suggested above. I keep it simple and basic. Saute on very low heat, cut chunky, 2-3 large onions, 2-3 heads garlic, 6-8 carrots, 4-6 ribs celery, parsnips are good but i rarely have them. Saute on low just to give some heat and soften, not browning. Takes 20-30 min. Add water 2 inches below veg level, (veggies will sweat liquid soon), add a large fresh or fresh frozen tomato, chopped, or 2 med, or a dozen cherry toms. Bring to a simmer, don't boil. Keep it low and slow for about an hour and add course chopped parsley with stems, simmer another 1/2-1hr. Boiling for a long time can cause some bitterness. I don't add any dried spices or salt/blk pepper. I like to add any spices and other veggies when my stock becomes a final dish later on. (I add a fresh hot pepper early on but that is optional.) If your veggies are not soft and under water level after an hour, add a bit more water. Strain, chill quickly, and freeze. It makes a nice rich broth/stock about the color of ac vinegar. I freeze in pint containers. 1 pint i usually need right away and may fridge another, but no longer than 24 hrs. It thaws so quickly it is best fresh or frozen. I just run the container under warm water until it releases and add the frozen stock right into lightly sauteed veggies for that meal choice. Last night i used a pint in a sweet potato coconut curry. Added lots of veggies. Last week a corn chowder, and a mixed dark greens, mushroom and lentil soup. Once you get a basic broth that you like, less garlic, more onion or tomato, etc., it can become a hundred different soups or stews very quickly. Expensive ingredients like leeks, lemongrass, snap peas, kale, i like fresh cooked flavor anyway. (expensive in the winter with the garden under snow).
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eld61
10 years ago
Thank you Linda and Carol
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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
10 years ago
Trader Joe's Veggie Broth is both good and relatively cheap, if you have access to a Trader Joe's store.
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morz8 - Washington Coast
10 years ago
Not canned, but both O Organics and Swansons certified organic in a carton are a reasonable substitute for your own when pinched for time. They do both have sodium, but less than typical packaged broth and stock. If you don't need a quart for your recipe, microwave some in a mug and sip it on a chilly afternoon. Or freeze it for later.
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User
10 years ago
I use Kitchen Basics unsalted veggie stock.

Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock
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debrak_2008
10 years ago
I use Kitchen Accomplice reduced sodium veggie broth concentrate. I started buying it when my DD was a vegetarian but kept using it for its great flavor even after DD started eating meat again.
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l pinkmountain
10 years ago
Been a mostly vegetarian for a long time and make a LOT of soups, most are delish, I think. I recommend "Better Than Bouillon" paste in a jar. Best brand I have found, and I've tried most. Somewhat salty but not that bad if you don't add additional salt. If you have salt issues, that's another story.
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sally2_gw
10 years ago
Of course I like to make my own as much as possible, when I have time, but in a pinch, I keep Kitchen Basics on hand, as it is by far my favorite. It tastes the most like what I make. Interestingly, this is a very subjective subject, as Cooks Illustrated rated it in the bottom, yet the lady that hosts Splendid Table (I've forgotten her name) likes Kitchen Basics the best. I like that it's low or no salt. I think that America's Taste Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated likes salty stuff.

Sally
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sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
10 years ago
I always make my own and am pretty set up for the winter season. No need to go out and purchase stock as Grainlady so well provided info for...

If you have a pantry and freezer of staples and a stocked fridge, especially during the up-coming thanksgiving, saving all the off cuts of mild veggies....celery, onions, carrots, etc, you can make your own easily the following day. I garden and made my veggie stock a month ago and froze in 1/2 pint containers. Leek tops and lots of carrots, (still a couple hundred to harvest), a few whole tomatoes....keep it simple but strong and concentrated...barely enough water to cover as the veg will soften and release its moisture.

I tossed in some wild thyme at the end but i have tons and chives grow wild. We are having a mild fall and still have some fresh garden goodies like celery tops, parsley. I just bought a bag of onions that i may caramelize slightly, roast some veggies in the oven and make another veggie stock. Just a few pints for a veggie thanksgiving dressing. (i always make two dressings). Then need to re-peat a holiday meal with my family over NewYears. I just keep making stocks as i go along all fall with cooler weather. Never run out any more.

-roasting will give a richer flavor for dressing/stuffing.

Stock is basically free using what would often be tossed out. Purchased broth/stock is mostly water. Though for years i did have a few organic cartons in the pantry for holiday panics. : ). We're just better prepared now.

I like knowing what is in my stock, but don't sweat buying and having a few cartons on hand. Like the brands posted above.

Once you've made it a few times it becomes painful to toss out or even compost perfectly good stock ingredients.
bertoldi_cecilia
10 years ago
debrak_2008 What does it mean DD? Sorry but I am italian and I am following this forum to improve my English speaking about one of my hobby that is cooking:-)
lindac92
10 years ago
DD....means Dear Daughter...and DH means Dear Husband....like that!
PRO
Lars/J. Robert Scott
10 years ago
ATK recommended Better Than Bouillon also, and they said that a lot of canned or boxed broths are made from concentrates anyway. I buy a better brand of vegetable soup base at a restaurant supply store that has a lot less salt, but I do agree that it is very easy to make your own vegetable broth. ATK said you should roast or sauté the vegetables first, but I usually do not bother to do that, although it does make the flavor richer. If you do not have time, you can skip that step.

Bertoldi, I will be in Italy next year for the first time - maybe I can meet you there, if you are still there! I don't know for sure where in Italy we will be going, but we are flying in and out of Rome. Right now I am trying to improve my Italian. Hope to hear more from you here!
annie1992
10 years ago
Cecilia, welcome to the Cooking Forum! I hope you like it here, and that you share your love of cooking with us.

Annie
writersblock (9b/10a)
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I used to use Better Than Bouillon all the time, but be aware that is a bouillon substitute and not a broth substitute (much saltier). These days I prefer to make my own (great way to use up leek tops, onion skins, etc), but it was a very handy product, if you could cut the salt elsewhere enough to compensate.
l pinkmountain
10 years ago
Yes, whenever I use "Better than Bouillon" I leave out any additional salt in the recipe.

The best canned vegetable broth or….

grainlady_ks

Comments (17)

lindac92

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