BrothsInternationalEasy

Deep Roasted Mushroom Broth

Name: Deep Roasted Mushroom Broth
Prep time: 32 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 12 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 1 ounce (about 1 cup) (30 g) dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed briefly under cold water; 1½ cups (360 ml) hot water, for soaking, very hot, from the kettle or tap; 1½ pounds (680 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, halved (quartered if large); 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, skin on or off, cut into 8 wedges; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic, smashed, peeled; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 2 medium (150 g) carrots, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; 8 sprigs (10 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves, whole; 1 teaspoon (3 g) black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari; 10 cups (2400 ml) cold water; kosher salt, to taste, start with 1 teaspoon (6 g)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rich, savory vegetarian broth built on roasted cremini mushrooms, dried shiitake, sweet onion, garlic and thyme. Use it for soups, risotto, gravies and sauces, or sip it on its own.

Prep: 32 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 2 hr 42 min
Makes: About 2 quarts (1.9 liters), 8 cups

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 ounce (about 1 cup) (30 g) dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed briefly under cold water
1½ cups (360 ml) hot water, for soaking, very hot, from the kettle or tap
1½ pounds (680 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, halved (quartered if large)
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, skin on or off, cut into 8 wedges
6 cloves (30 g) garlic, smashed, peeled
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
2 medium (150 g) carrots, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
8 sprigs (10 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves, whole
1 teaspoon (3 g) black peppercorns
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari
10 cups (2400 ml) cold water
kosher salt, to taste, start with 1 teaspoon (6 g)

Equipment (6)

Large rimmed baking sheet (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven
Fine-mesh strainer
Large heatproof bowl or second pot
Measuring cups
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel rather than rinsing them, so they roast instead of steaming.
Start the dried shiitake soaking first. They soak for the 30 minutes or more it takes you to prep and roast the vegetables, so no extra waiting time is needed.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center.
Keep the shiitake soaking liquid. It is full of flavor. Pour it off carefully and leave the gritty sediment behind.

1
Start the shiitake soak
- Place the rinsed dried shiitake in a heatproof bowl and cover with 1½ cups (360 ml) very hot water.
- Press them under with a small plate so they stay submerged.
- Leave them to soak while you prep and roast the vegetables (at least 30 minutes in total).
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Ready when: Caps are soft and bend without cracking by the time the roasting is done
Tip: Do not discard the soaking liquid; it adds deep savory flavor.
2
Preheat and prepOven 425°F / 220°C
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center.
- Wipe the cremini clean and halve or quarter them so the pieces are roughly 1½ inches (4 cm).
- Cut the onion into 8 wedges, smash and peel the garlic, and cut the carrots and celery into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
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Ready when: Oven is at 425°F (220°C) and vegetables are cut into even pieces
Tip: Wiping instead of rinsing keeps the mushrooms from waterlogging.
3
Season the vegetables
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cremini, onion wedges, garlic, carrots and celery with the olive oil.
- Spread in a single layer with space between pieces, using two sheets if it looks crowded.
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Ready when: Vegetables are lightly and evenly coated in oil
Tip: Crowding causes steaming and a paler, less flavorful broth.
4
Roast until brownedOven 425°F / 220°C
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan, stir in the tomato paste until it coats the vegetables, then roast another 10 minutes.
- The shiitake keep soaking in the meantime.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are deep golden brown with shrunken, browned edges, and the tomato paste smells sweet and slightly darkened
Tip: If the garlic browns very dark before the rest, pull it out so it doesn't turn bitter.
5
Strain the soaking liquid
- Lift the shiitake out of the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon and squeeze gently over the bowl.
- Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into the pot, leaving the last tablespoon or so of gritty sediment behind.
- Slice off and discard the tough shiitake stems, and roughly chop the caps.
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Ready when: Liquid in the pot is clear and dark amber without grit
Tip: Line the strainer with a coffee filter for very clear broth.
6
Combine in the pot
- Scrape the roasted vegetables and any browned bits into the pot.
- Add the chopped shiitake, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, soy sauce and 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water.
- Add a splash of the water to the baking sheet and scrape up the browned bits, then pour that into the pot too.
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Ready when: Everything is submerged by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water
Tip: Starting with cold water helps extract flavor gradually.
7
Bring to a simmer
- Set the pot over high heat, uncovered, and bring just to a boil, about 10 minutes.
- As soon as bubbles break the surface, reduce to low so the liquid barely simmers, with only a few lazy bubbles.
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Ready when: Small bubbles gently break the surface; no rolling boil
Tip: A hard boil can make the broth cloudy and slightly bitter.
8
Simmer gently
- Partially cover the pot and simmer on low for 60 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- The liquid should reduce by about one quarter, to roughly 8 cups.
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Ready when: Broth is deep brown, smells earthy and savory, and tastes full-bodied
Tip: If it tastes thin, simmer uncovered for 10–15 more minutes.
9
Strain and season
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl and pour the broth through it.
- Press gently on the vegetables, then discard the solids.
- Stir in salt, ½ teaspoon at a time, until the flavor tastes bright and rounded.
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Ready when: Broth tastes savory with no flat or hollow note
Tip: Season at the end; reduction concentrates salt and soy sauce already adds some.
10
Cool the broth
- Let the broth cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then divide into containers.
- For faster cooling, set the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally.
- Refrigerate once no longer steaming.
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Ready when: Broth is lukewarm or cooler to the touch
Tip: Do not leave broth out more than 2 hours total.

Good to know

Tips

Roasting the mushrooms until deeply browned is the main source of flavor, so don't pull them out early.
Keep the simmer gentle for a clear, clean-tasting broth.
Freeze in ice cube trays for small amounts to enrich pan sauces and gravies.
The strained shiitake caps are spent, but you can chop and add them to fried rice if you like.

Make ahead

Make up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavor deepens after a day.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: up to 5 days in airtight containers. Freezer: up to 3 months in containers or freezer bags, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace; freezing in 1- or 2-cup portions is handy. Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until steaming hot, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator first.

Substitutions

cremini mushrooms → white button mushrooms, or a mix with portobello. Portobello gills darken the broth; button mushrooms give a slightly milder flavor.
soy sauce or tamari → white miso (1 tablespoon), stirred in after straining. Adds savory depth; add after simmering and not boiling.
fresh thyme sprigs → 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Use less because dried herbs are more concentrated.
tomato paste → 1 tablespoon extra soy sauce, or omit. The broth will be a little less sweet and rounded.