BrothsAmericanEasy

Classic Vegetable Broth

Name: Classic Vegetable Broth
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 2 medium (about 1 pound) (450 g) yellow onions, skins left on, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 4 medium (about 12 ounces) (340 g) carrots, scrubbed, not peeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 4 stalks (about 8 ounces) (225 g) celery stalks, with leaves, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 8 ounces (225 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered; 1 head (50 g) garlic, halved crosswise, papery skin left on; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 1 packed cup (from about 1 large bunch) (30 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley stems, whole stems, rinsed; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 teaspoon (3 g) whole black peppercorns; 10 cups (2400 ml) cold water; kosher salt, to taste, added only when using the broth (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A golden, savory vegetable broth built on browned onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms, with garlic, parsley stems and thyme. It's clear, balanced and ready to use in soups, risottos and sauces.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: About 2 quarts (1.9 liters), 8 cups

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Ingredients

8 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 medium (about 1 pound) (450 g) yellow onions, skins left on, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
4 medium (about 12 ounces) (340 g) carrots, scrubbed, not peeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
4 stalks (about 8 ounces) (225 g) celery stalks, with leaves, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
8 ounces (225 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
1 head (50 g) garlic, halved crosswise, papery skin left on
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1 packed cup (from about 1 large bunch) (30 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley stems, whole stems, rinsed
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon (3 g) whole black peppercorns
10 cups (2400 ml) cold water
kosher salt, to taste, added only when using the broth (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7- to 5.7-liter) stockpot or Dutch oven
Fine-mesh strainer
Large heatproof bowl or 4-quart (3.8-liter) pot for straining
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Airtight containers or jars for storing

Steps

Before you start

Scrub the vegetables well, but you don't need to peel them. Leave the onion skins on for deeper color, and trim off any very dirty root ends.
Use a pot of at least 5 quarts (4.7 liters) so the vegetables are covered by water with room to simmer.
Don't add the salt until you use the broth. That way you can season the dish you're making to taste, and the broth won't turn out too salty once it's reduced.
Skip strong or bitter vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and beets. They can overpower the broth or turn it bitter.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Scrub the onions, carrots and celery.
- Cut the onions, carrots and celery into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks.
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel and quarter them.
- Halve the garlic head crosswise, leaving the skin on.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in roughly even chunks so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Don't rinse mushrooms under running water. They soak it up and dilute the flavor.
2
Brown the onions
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring only every minute or so, for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion edges are deep golden brown with some dark spots.
Tip: Browning gives the broth its color and savory depth. Don't let the pieces turn black, which tastes bitter.
3
Sear carrots and celery
- Add the carrots and celery to the pot.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the carrots take on a few browned spots and the celery brightens and smells sweet.
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Ready when: Carrots have lightly browned edges and the pot smells sweet and toasty.
4
Brown mushrooms and paste
- Add the mushrooms and garlic halves, cut side down.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
- Push the vegetables aside, add the tomato paste to the clear space, and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it darkens to brick red.
- Then stir it through the vegetables.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are browned and the liquid in the pot has mostly evaporated; the paste is brick red and smells sweet.
Tip: If the bottom of the pot starts to scorch, lower the heat to medium.
5
Add water and aromatics
- Add the parsley stems, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, peppercorns and 10 cups (2.4 liters) cold water.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the surface of the liquid.
Tip: Start with cold water so the flavors extract gradually.
6
Simmer gently
- Reduce the heat to low so the broth barely bubbles, with just a few small bubbles breaking the surface.
- Partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 45 minutes without stirring.
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Ready when: The broth is a deep golden amber, tastes savory and sweet, and the carrots are very soft. It will have reduced to about 8 cups.
Tip: Don't boil hard or simmer much longer than 1 hour. Overcooking can make vegetable broth bitter and cloudy.
7
Strain the broth
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or clean pot.
- Carefully pour the broth through it.
- Let it drain for a couple of minutes, then press the vegetables gently with the back of a spoon to release the liquid.
- Discard the solids.
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Ready when: The liquid is clear and golden with no bits of vegetable.
Tip: Don't press hard. Forcing the solids through makes the broth cloudy.
8
Cool and season
- Let the broth cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then to release heat.
- Taste a spoonful.
- Season with salt only if you will drink it as is.
- Otherwise leave it unsalted and season the finished dish.
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Ready when: The broth is lukewarm or cooler to the touch of the container, and tastes rich and balanced.
Tip: Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. For faster cooling, set the bowl in an ice bath.

Good to know

Tips

Browning the vegetables in step 2 through 4 is the key to a rich, golden broth. Don't rush it.
Keep the simmer gentle and limit it to about 45 minutes for a clear, sweet broth.
Freeze the broth in 1-cup (240 ml) portions, or in ice cube trays, for easy use in small amounts.
Save clean vegetable scraps such as onion ends, carrot tops and celery leaves in the freezer and use them in place of some of the fresh vegetables.

Make ahead

Make the broth up to 4 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Freezer: in containers or freezer bags, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace, for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until steaming and bubbling at the edges, about 5 minutes for 2 cups. Thaw frozen broth overnight in the refrigerator or reheat directly from frozen in a pot over low heat.

Substitutions

fresh thyme sprigs → dried thyme. Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme in place of the 6 fresh sprigs.
fresh flat-leaf parsley stems → fresh parsley leaves and stems. Use about ½ cup (15 g) parsley, though the flavor will be slightly grassier.
cremini or white button mushrooms → dried shiitake mushrooms. Use ½ ounce (15 g) dried shiitake, added with the water, for a more intense umami flavor.
tomato paste → soy sauce. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) with the water for savory depth. The broth will be saltier.