Vegetable Scrap Broth

As the temperature drops, many of us will begin eating more foods that warm us from the inside out. Plenty of Fall recipes call for broth, and store bought broth can be underwhelming and overpriced. This version of homemade broth may become your new household staple! Not only is this broth delicious, but it reduces food waste, adds layers of flavor into recipes and is virtually free. All you need is vegetable scraps and water.

At Food for People, we distribute an abundance of fresh produce throughout our programs. This recipe is a fantastic way to use the odds and ends that are left over from cooking and stretch them further into your next meal. As you prepare your onions, garlic, celery, mushrooms, carrots and other vegetables, set your scraps aside and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Over time, that container will fill up with an array of ingredients to make a flavorful and nutritious broth. 

Flavorful scraps to use:

• Onion ends and skins

• Garlic peels

• Leek ends/tops

• Carrot tops/peels

• Celery base

• Bok Choy base

• Broccoli stems

• Green onion ends

• Thyme, rosemary or any herb stems

• Woody ends of asparagus

• Kale, chard or collard green stems

• Corn cobs

• Zucchini ends and peels

• Mushroom stems

• Bell pepper scraps

• Parsley or cilantro ends

• Ginger peels

Ingredients

 Vegetable scraps

 Water (enough to cover the vegetable scraps)

Instructions

1. Pour the vegetable scraps into a pot.

2. Pour in enough water to cover the vegetable scraps.

3. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat, simmering the contents on low heat for a couple of hours.

4. Strain out the cooked vegetables from the liquid and pour the finished broth into containers for future use. This broth will keep in the fridge for about one week or in the freezer for a few months.

Not only can you use this broth for the typical application of soups and stews, but you can use it as a flavorful replacement for water while cooking grains (like rice, quinoa, etc.), beans, or steaming vegetables and dumplings. You can even use this broth as a base for homemade sauces and gravies. The possibilities are endless!