Making Your Own Vegetable Broth
Making your own vegetable broth sounds tedious. Rest assured, it’s actually very straightforward, even for the most novice of cooks! Not to mention, it can be packed full of flavor, making a delicious addition to any recipe…not just soups. So, get ready to spice up your life with these insanely delicious recipes.
THE BROTH
There are many important things to keep in mind when making a flavorful veggie broth. First, making sure you salt it properly! Since this is homemade, you’re starting from scratch with only water. Salt will give it that extra oomph it needs. Next is using spices and using them generously. Also, don’t be stingy with your cook time. Simmering your broth for as long as possible can make a world of difference! That being said, here’s the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
Primo® Water (trust us!)
1 large onion, quartered
6 cloves of garlic
4 large carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks
15 parsley sprigs
Black peppercorns
8 thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
Salt (lots of it!)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all ingredients to a large stockpot and cover everything with about 2 inches of cold Primo® Water. Or, if you want a more hands-off approach with an extra punch of flavor, use a slow cooker. This will allow the broth to cook longer and develop better flavors.
Place pot over medium-high heat (or turn the slow cooker on to medium-high) and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for up to 4 hours. Skim foam off the surface occasionally. It’s essential to keep your ingredients covered with water. So, if needed, add warm Primo® Water to the pot as you see fit.
Once your broth has simmered long enough for your liking (this can be anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours), strain stock through a mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press down on the solids (veggies) to release as much liquid as possible. Toss all solids and cool broth to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours.
MORE THAN SOUPS
You might be wondering: can I only use my delicious vegetable broth for soup making? Nonsense! While it definitely makes for a yummy soup, vegetable broth is a flavorful additive to a wide array of recipes. Here are three standouts:
FLAVORFUL MASHED POTATOES – Instead of packing your mashed potatoes full of butter and cream, try adding some of your homemade vegetable broth into the mix. It’ll give the taters a hearty, savory flavor while keeping the timelessness of mashed potatoes.
A FRESH APPROACH TO RISOTTO – Risotto can be a tasty side dish to any meal. Risotto is a beautiful grain that acts like a sponge, soaking up all the richness of whatever’s added. In this case, it’s a homemade broth from all kinds of fall and winter vegetables.
YOUR NEW FAVORITE ALFREDO SAUCE – A beautiful sun-dried tomato-infused alfredo sauce is hard to pass up, but one made with vegetable broth is even better! They make the perfect pair. Your hearty veggie broth magically brings out the aroma of sundried tomatoes, while cutting the heaviness often associated with traditional alfredo.
 
WATER YOU THINKING?
Any broth you make from scratch—vegetable or otherwise—turns out being over 90% water. That means the quality of the water you choose really counts! In this case, don’t diminish the tasty results with tap water. Tap water can bring with it a variety of unwelcome visitors, like harmful bacteria and heavy metals like mercury and lead. Yes, they are as disgusting as they sound!
So instead, reach for Primo® Water. Primo undergoes a 5-step Reverse Osmosis (RO) purification process that eliminates harmful microorganisms, heavy metals, trace pharmaceuticals and more! That means a better, safer water source for drinking…and broth making! In fact, purified water can actually improve your dish’s overall flavor. That’s just one of the many benefits of Primo! Click here to find Primo near you!
