I was recently going through my fridge and, OMG, the sheer amount of vegetable scraps almost brought me to tears. I mean, there were carrot tops, onion ends, a few lonely celery stalks...You get the picture. Throwing them out felt wasteful, so, inspired by my grandma's amazing resourcefulness, I decided to use them to make a homemade vegetable broth. Let me tell you, it turned out AMAZING.
This recipe is more of a method than a strict set of instructions. It's all about using what you've got—those seemingly useless vegetable scraps you’d usually toss. The beauty of this broth is its adaptability, you know? It’s a blank canvas for culinary creativity. You can add or subtract anything to suit your taste and the scraps you happen to have. And trust me, it is WAY easier than you think!
Required Equipments
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Colander
- Airtight container for storage
The-Thrifty-Cook's-Broth:-Scrap-Magic
Transform your vegetable scraps into a flavorful and nourishing broth! This recipe is simple, thrifty, and incredibly delicious. Learn how to turn kitchen waste into culinary gold.
⏳ Yield & Time
Yield: 4 cups servings
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time:
🍽 Ingredients
📖 Instructions
- First, gather your scraps! I’m talking onion ends, carrot tops, celery leaves, herbs from bouquets (remove any rubber bands!), and any other vegetable scraps you have. Don't be shy. Everything's game unless it’s moldy or rotten.
- Give those scraps a good rinse. Seriously, get them nice and clean. No one wants a gritty broth. Think of it as a mini-spa day for your veggies!
- Next, chop them up! You don't have to be precise, but roughly chop your scraps into bite-sized pieces. This will help them release their flavor during the cooking process. If you have something really hard like the base of a broccoli stem, you might want to cut it smaller.
- Toss those gorgeous bits into your large pot. Cover them generously with cold water, about 2-3 inches above the scraps, then add a generous pinch of salt. Don’t skimp on the salt here. It really helps to draw out flavors from the veggies.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, gently bubbling, for at least 1-2 hours, or even 4 if you have time. Seriously, the longer, the better flavor! Give the mixture a stir or two during simmering.
- After the simmering time, turn the heat off. Now for the fun part! Grab your colander. Strain the broth through the colander, into a clean container. Don’t crush the ingredients, just let the liquid filter out. Use a clean spoon to press down slightly if needed but avoid being too harsh.
- Once strained, taste and adjust the seasoning. It’s totally up to you. If you feel like it needs some pepper, a squeeze of lemon, a bay leaf or even an herb or two, go for it. Experiment! This is your magical broth!
- Carefully pour the broth into clean, airtight containers for storage. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for longer storage. And that’s it! You've transformed kitchen scraps into delicious, flavorful broth!
📝 Notes
- Feel free to add herbs like thyme, rosemary, or bay leaf during simmering. Experiment with different vegetable scraps each time. Some scraps are more flavorful than others.
🍎 Nutrition
Calories: 15 kcal
Protein: 1g
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 2g
Fiber: 1g
Calcium: 20 mg
