Veggie Broth

Do you find yourself throwing away tons of vegetable scraps after cooking with all of your awesome CSA produce? Before you throw your veggie cuttings into the compost heap or the trash can, you can squeeze a little more life out of them by making your own broth. You can use the broth as a replacement for any water requirements, i.e. cooking rice. Risotto and soups also require broth.

A quick Google search will show you any number of recipes and techniques, as well as opinions as to what should or should not be included. Many people like to use whole vegetables. I tend to think that would be expensive and wasteful considering the amount of edible scraps we have after cooking. Many others have recipes with very specific combinations and amounts. This seems like too much work and thought.

As far as what veggies to use and which to avoid, our experience is that most veggies that you like to eat will be a great addition to your stock. Our favorites include: Potatoes, onions, garlic, turnips, parsnips, squash, peppers, carrots, celery, and herbs.

Some problem veggies include: Tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, broccoli, asparagus, and cilantro. These are delicious to eat, but they end of getting slimy and gross or their flavors dominate the broth.

Because we don't use a regular recipe our stock tastes different every time. We're ok with that, but if you want something more consistent you may consider sticking to a recipe of your liking.

First, you need to collect veggie scraps over a few days. We use a plastic storage container and keep it in the fridge.


When the container is full, or when you anticipate needing broth, put all scraps into a large pot and fill with water.


Bring water to a boil and let it simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It's not the most appetizing thing to look at, but it will make your home smell fantastic.


Pour the liquid through a large colander into another large pot or bowl to collect the broth and separate the scraps.


Strain broth into a storage container for use later. We use an old pitcher and often save some in the freezer.



You can use it immediately or store it for a week or two in the fridge. A simple sniff test will tell you if it has gone sour (it will be obvious). The frozen cubes seem to last a very long time and we use them if we're caught without fresh stock.