How to make vegetable stock

Well done you! You’ve clicked this article, which means you’re a doer. And as a doer, it’s time to learn how to make vegetable stock that’s delicious and completely homemade. 

We love doers! People who roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. The ones who feel a tingle of excitement at the thought of a new project to be undertaken, a new skill to be learnt. The ones who live for the feeling of a job well done (or at least a job well attempted).  The ones who don’t fear mistakes, who keep trying, who make it from scratch because that’s the best way, the only way.

Speaking of making it yourself, today we’re tackling a convenience food staple and the base of many a well loved dish: vegetable stock! Ditch the powdered stuff full of salt and numbers and embrace this gorgeous, healthy vegetable stock recipe full of deep rich flavours, but with the unmistakeable tasty edge that kids and big kids alike will love. You’ll find it hard to return to the store bought variety after this homemade triumph, and you’ll scarcely believe it’s meat-free!

How to Make Vegetable Stock

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 onions
• 2 to 3 carrots
• 3 to 4 celery stalks
• 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small bunch parsley
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Optional Extras: leeks (especially the green parts), fennel, tomatoes, mushrooms, mushroom stems, parsnips_

Note: don’t use garlic and salt at this stage. These are much better added to the finished dish your vegetable stock is used for.

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Stock pot
• Strainer
• Cheesecloth or coffee filters (for straining)
• Storage containers

Method

1. Gather Vegetables and Herbs: Onions, carrots, and celery give stock a great base flavour, and you can round these out with any of the other vegetables listed above.
2. Roughly Chop All The Vegetables: Wash any visible dirt off the vegetables and give them a rough chop. You don’t even need to peel them first unless you really want to. (Some people even advocate leaving on the onion skins!) Throw all the vegetables in a pot big enough to hold them plus a few extra inches of water. Add the herbs.
3. Cover with Water and Simmer: Cover the vegetables with enough water that you can easily stir them in the pot. Less water means that your stock will be more concentrated; more water makes a lighter-flavoured stock. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to just under a boil. Once you start to see some bubbling around the edges of the pot and a few wisps of steam on the surface, turn the heat down to medium-low.
4. Cook for an Hour: This isn’t an exact science, but one hour is generally enough time to infuse the water with vegetable goodness. Give it a stir every now and again to circulate the vegetables.
5. Strain and Store: Take the pot off the stove and remove all the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Set your strainer over a big bowl and line it with cheese cloth or coffee filters. Pour the stock through. Divide the stock into storage containers, cool completely, and then freeze.

For the easiest, simplest veggie stock we’ve ever cooked, check out our Make it Right video. It’s guaranteed foolproof.

Yep, it feels pretty good to be a doer. But enough reading. Get cooking and get doing HelloFreshers! We salute you.