Hola Mi Gente,
I have this problem that I run into sometimes.
Generally, I’m pretty good at always making grocery lists when I go to the store, but there are some items that I try to keep in stock at all times: carrots, onions and celery. These three friends are sooo often at the base of my sauces or soups, because they’re perfect matches together. I call them the trifecta of sabor.
Because I always want to keep them in stock, I sometimes end up with multiple bags of each, because I didn’t finish last weeks’ rations. Have you ever done that? Bought a fresh supply of something, only to realize you ALREADY had it to begin with?
The good news, is if you have a stock pile (pun fully intended) of these three, you have the beginnings of some really good vegetable stock! Vegetable stock is a great way to use your unused vegetables, to add some good, vegetarian, and nutritious sabor to your food.
Unlike Bone Broth, Vegetable stock doesn’t take a huge investment in time, and it’s pretty affordable to make with supplies you already have on hand. It’s also really wonderful to keep in supply if you’re doing a round of Whole 30 for quick soups, or flavor on-the-go to infuse your cauliflower rice, or to saute your veggies in.
As you will have guessed, I always add the trifecta to my vegetable stock, but there are a few others that I like to throw in there if I have them as well! First of all: I love adding in mushrooms. Mushrooms are a great source of protein and fiber, and they are packed full of umami–a delicious, earthy flavor. Especially if you’re on an all vegetarian diet, mushrooms can bring in a lot of the same kind of flavor that we often find satisfying in meats.
I also really love adding in fresh herbs. If I know I’m going to be making a pot of stock of anykind, I usually pick up a Poultry Herb packet from the grocery store (usually thyme, sage, and rosemary) and just drop it in. Other favorites include peeled ginger, and turmeric.
Over all though, stock is a really flexible and forgiving recipe, so just use what you have on hand. The only things I usually don’t put into stock are leafy greens, because they can add a sort of bitter after taste.
What can I use vegetable stock for aside from soup?
I’m so glad you asked! Generally speaking vegetable stock IS great for soups, but you can also use it for these other delightful things:
- to cook rice or beans with instead of water (this adds so much flavor–I really love wild rice cooked in vegetable stock!)
- add small quantities to a saute for extra flavor
- for braising meats
- for sipping (this is so delicious when you have a cold)!
- to make a vegetarian gravy
And the list could go on and on and on!
Love, love, love,
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Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
- Oil for sautéing
- 5 Stalks Celery
- 4 Carrots, Sliced
- 1 Large Onion
- 6 Oz Mushrooms of Choice
- 1 Small Knob of Garlic, Peeled
- 2 Stems Rosemary
- 3 Stems Thyme
- 1 Bunch Sage
- 1 TSP Turmeric
- 2 TBSP Kosher Salt
- 1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, celery, and carrots to the dutch oven and saute until the open side of the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and cover with water, leaving about a 1/2" room from the top of the pot.
- Bring to a boil, and a reduce to a simmer for 1.5 hours, or until contents have reduced by about a third. Strain, and store in mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Mary-Beth Johnson
Mary-Beth is a creative, food-obsessed, Georgia transplant living Chicago. She is proudly and fiercely Latina, and more specifically Chapina. In her day to day she is a food educator to students around Chicagoland aged 3 to 80+, both virtually and in-person. She is passionate about cultivating the truth that every person has an understanding of food that deserves being brought to the table, and that time in the kitchen can be sacred, passionate, and an act of love for self and others. Outside the kitchen you can find her at the intersections of infertility, chronic illness, and a deep love for the dignity of all humans. She hopes to create a space that is holistic about the role of food in the social, political, relational, and physiological dynamics of our world.
