Homemade Vegetable Broth Scraps (Printable)

Rich broth made with vegetable scraps, ideal for soups and sauces with minimal waste.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetable Scraps

01 - 4 to 5 cups mixed vegetable scraps (onion peels, carrot ends, celery leaves, mushroom stems, parsley stems, leek tops, garlic skins)

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

02 - 2 bay leaves
03 - 6 to 8 black peppercorns
04 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
05 - 1 handful fresh parsley stems (optional)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed (optional if not in scraps)
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste

→ Water

08 - 10 cups cold water

# How to Make:

01 - Thoroughly clean all vegetable scraps, removing dirt and mold.
02 - Place the vegetable scraps into a large stockpot and add bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, parsley stems, garlic, and salt.
03 - Pour cold water over the scraps, ensuring they are fully submerged.
04 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil on medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, skimming off any foam occasionally.
06 - Remove stockpot from heat and allow broth to cool briefly.
07 - Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl, discarding solids.
08 - Taste the broth and adjust salt if necessary.
09 - Transfer broth to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You're essentially cooking for free using scraps you'd otherwise discard, which feels a little like getting away with something.
  • Homemade broth tastes cleaner and more alive than boxed versions, and you control exactly what goes in.
  • Once you start saving scraps, making broth becomes automatic—no special shopping trip required.
  • The whole house smells incredible while it simmers, which is worth the effort alone.
02 -
  • Never use broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or potato peels—they'll make your broth bitter and cloudy, and no amount of straining will fix it.
  • A vigorous boil creates a murky, unpleasant broth, so patience with the simmer is non-negotiable; low and slow always wins.
  • Skim the foam off the surface in the first 15 minutes—this one step is the difference between dull broth and professional-tasting broth.
  • Taste before storing; a slightly under-salted broth is always better than an over-salted one, since you control the salt level in whatever you make with it.
03 -
  • If you want to add umami depth, toss a dried mushroom or a small piece of kombu into the pot during simmering; it transforms the broth without announcing itself.
  • Freeze broth in ice-cube trays for small portions you can pop into sauces or quick soups without thawing a whole container.

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