Quick One Pot Vegetable Broth

Vegetable Broth

For years, I’ve heard of people making vegetable broth from veggie scraps—but then I realized it’s also possible to make broth with pureed vegetables in the mix. That means you get to keep all the vegetable goodness and enhance many recipes with more nutrients. I love this as an option for recipes for kids, as an easy food for sickness and wanting extra comfort, or simply as a way to add nutrients into a child’s diet when variety is otherwise lacking. Also: It’s a wonderful and easy way to add flavor to all sorts of foods. We love this as a base for Pastina Soup, Pasta in Brodo, Tortellini in Broth, Alphabet Soup, Minestrone, and Black Bean Soup. It’s my favorite alternative to chicken stock and it’s so easy to make at home.

Ingredients You Need

Here’s a look at what you need to make this homemade vegetable broth so you know what to have on hand. (I love this since the ingredient list is so basic.) Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.

Carrots: I use regular carrots here and simply wash them and trim the ends. You don’t need to peel the since they’ll be pureed at the end. Celery: Along with carrot and onion, I add celery for that classic flavor you expect in broth. Simply trim the ends and give it a quick rinse. Onion: I like to cook with yellow onion as I like the flavor, but white onion works here, too. Trim the ends and cut it in half. Garlic: I usually add fresh garlic cloves if I have it. I don’t add a ton since I don’t want the flavor to be too strong, but if you love garlic, add more! Water: I use regular filtered tap water as the liquid here. You don’t need anything fancy, just the normal stuff will do.

You can also season this with salt and pepper to taste, or add tomato paste, parsley leaves, or ginger to make a delicious broth for Rice Noodle Soup. I don’t typically add bay leaf, but you could add that and remove it before pureeing.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s an overview of how to make this quick vegetable broth so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full recipe. You can now use this as is or use it half-and-half with chicken stock.

How to Store

Let the homemade broth cool at least slightly and store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to a week. Or, let cool fully and freeze in a Souper Cube or in an ice cube tray. Freeze for up to 6 months. If you use an ice cube tray, you can add one frozen cube at a time to a child’s serving of pasta or rice to add flavor and cool the hot food down.

Recipes that Use Vegetable Broth

Below are some of my favorite ways to use homemade vegetable broth.

Best Tips for Success

Trim and wash the veggies before adding to the pot. Puree really, really smooth for the best results. Add more water or chicken broth as desired to thin out (or lighten the color of) the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Feel free to double the garlic. Add 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste for more Italian flavor. Add herbs such as basil or parsley if you like. To make this into an Asian-style broth, grate 1 inch ginger on a fine microplane into the soup. Then add 1-2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce and 1-2 tablespoons lime juice. Use an ice cube of the broth to add directly to a bowl of pasta or rice to add flavor and cool the food. Stir it in the hot food to thaw and mix.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so please comment below to share and rate it.