Don't toss those vegetable scraps! Instead, transform them into a flavorful, budget-friendly, and wholesome broth using your Instant Pot. This homemade vegetable broth is easy, delicious and nutritious and almost free to make.
This homemade broth tastes much better than store bought. And since it's using vegetable scraps you usually throw away, it's like you're getting the broth for free!
I go through a lot of broth in my house with my crazy love of soup. I also use broth a lot in sauces and to give flavor to veggies, grains and rice.
I love using this broth in my vegetable orzo soup, and to give flavor to my Instant Pot barley.
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Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Vegetable Broth
- Reduce food waste: Instead of simply tossing your veggie scraps in the garbage, they will be repurposed into a vegetable stock.
- Better flavor: Homemade broth has much more flavor than store-bought broth.
- Almost free to make: Making your own broth from leftover scraps is a great way to save money at the grocery store. Your veggie scraps that are normally tossed in the garbage are free to use. You only need to add water and seasonings to make quarts of broth.
- Many uses: It's great for soup but also in sauces and making rice and other grains in place of water.
Gathering Your Veggie Scraps
To make the broth, you'll need to gather vegetable kitchen scraps. Keep a gallon sized Ziploc bag in your freezer. After prepping your vegetables for other dishes, simply add the unused parts to the bag. Once the bag is full, it's time to make your own vegetable broth from scraps.
Ingredients
- Bag of veggie scraps
- Bay Leaves
- Seasonings: salt, pepper and garlic powder - You can use whole garlic cloves instead of garlic powder if you prefer.
The Best Veggies For Making Broth
You can use all parts of the vegetables including peels and ends.
- carrots including carrot peels and tops - Do not use too many leafy greens from the carrot tops or it could make your homemade stock bitter.
- celery including small amounts of leaves
- onions including onion skins
- mushrooms - Mushrooms give extra umami flavor.
- leeks
- shallots
- garlic
- lettuce in small quantities
- tomatoes - Try not to include too many seeds.
- fresh herbs
- potato peels - Not too many and make sure they are thoroughly washed.
- root vegetables like parsnips and sweet potatoes - They don't give a ton of flavor but can add some earthiness.
Vegetables NOT To Include In Homemade Broth
Some vegetables you want to avoid as they can make your broth bitter.
- cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower
- peppers
- bitter greens
- Brussels sprouts and cabbage
- green beans
- bok choy
- kale and collared greens
- corn cobs - You can use them, but they will make your homemade vegetable stock cloudy which I like to avoid.
How To Make Homemade Vegetable Broth From Scraps
Step 1: Add the water, veggie scraps, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic powder and stir to combine.
Step 2: Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 30 minutes. When the 30 minute cycle is done, you can have it naturally release the pressure or some models have a "press to vent" button.
Step 3: Use a slotted spoon to remove the large vegetable pieces. Then pour it through a fine mesh strainer into your storage containers.
Step 4: Let cool and then refrigerate or store in the freezer.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator
Once the broth is cooled to room temperature and filtered through the fine mesh strainer, pour into glass jars with a lid or any airtight container and refrigerate. It'll last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer
Pour the cooled veggie stock into freezer safe containers like mason jars. Make sure you don't fill the jars all the way as the liquid will expand when frozen. You do not want broken jars! Freeze for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Follow the same instructions but it will need to simmer in a covered pot for at least 45-60 minutes.
Yes! Set it on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Definitely! You can use either fresh veggies (whole vegetables or pieces), scraps or both.
No, the flavor and nutrients are usually extracted during cooking so they aren't good to reuse.
Veggie Soup Recipes
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Recipe
Vegetable Broth From Scraps
Ingredients
- 1 gallon sized bag of vegetable scraps
- 12 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pour the 12 cups of water in the Instant Pot.
- Add in the veggie scraps and seasonings. Stir well.
- Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 30 minutes. When done, either allow for slow release or press to vent after about 15 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the large vegetable pieces. Then, pour broth through a fine mesh sieve into airtight containers. This broth can be stored in the fridge or frozen for later use.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Fine strainer
Notes
- Avoid using vegetables that will make your broth bitter such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and bitter greens.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I usually like to have a few cups stored in the fridge but then freeze the rest for later use. If you are freezing in jars, make sure to leave at least an inch of space at the top. When frozen, the broth expands and you don't want to break the jar. (I've been there!)
Jen says
I just love making this broth. It's so easy to throw my veggie scraps in a bag in the freezer and then make this recipe. I use broth all the time. Yes for soup but also for sauces and when making rice too. It's like getting lots of broth for free!