Make a delicious vegetable broth that keeps all of the nutrients right in the mix with this super easy method. It’s a wonderful way to add extra veggies to soups, pastas, and more.

Vegetable Broth

For years, I’ve heard of people making vegetable broth from veggie scraps—but then I realized that it’s also possible to make broth with pureed vegetables in the mix. Which means you get to keep all of the vegetable goodness and enhance many recipes with more nutrients.

I love this as an option for recipes for kids, for when we’re sick and wanting extra comfort, or as simply 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, 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.)

• 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, as you like, add tomato paste, parsley leaves, or ginger to make a more Asian-style of broth for noodle soups. I don’t typically add bay leaf, but you could add that too 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.

1. Wash, dry, and trim the vegetables. Discard any peels.
2. Add to a pot with a lot of water.
3. Simmer until very soft. I prefer to keep it at a heat level below a boil so it cooks more gently.
4. Puree smooth, thinning with additional water as you like to reach the desired consistency.

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 leas 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.

Quick Pastina Soup

With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can make this cozy Pastina Soup to share with the kids in under 30 minutes. Look for little star “pastina” pasta in the pasta aisle.

Get the recipe

Favorite Alphabet Soup

You can use ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini—or any other very small pasta shape in this Alphabet Soup recipe. And you can start with fresh or frozen veggies. See below for options.

Get the recipe

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids

This easy recipe makes a big pot of comforting soup to feed the whole family—babies, toddlers, and big kids included. The leftovers store nicely so you can enjoy it for a few days!

Get the recipe

Easy Macaroni Soup

Made with mostly pantry and freezer staples, this cozy Macaroni Soup is easy and flavorful—and so nourishing. I love to make this with elbows, but other small pasta shapes such as wagon wheels would work well, too.

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Easy Butternut Squash Apple Soup

With a quick cooking method and the creamiest texture, this easy Butternut Squash Apple Soup is a family favorite. It is great for babies on up to adults, is dairy-free and packed with vegetarian protein, and just tastes so good. We love this with buttered toast or crackers.

Get the recipe

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.

• Peel all of the vegetables and garlic.

• Add to a large pot with the water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are very, very soft. Poke with a knife and make sure it comes out cleanly.

• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a blender with 1 cup of the liquid. Blend smooth. Return to the pot and stir.

• (If you want to lighten the color or make this go farther, you can add 1-2 cups additional water. You can also mix with chicken broth.)

• Use in soups, Pastina, or store for future use.

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or transfer to an ice cube tray or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
• 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.
• Trim and wash the veggies before adding to the pot.
• Puree really, really smooth for the best results.
• Add more water as desired to thin out (or lighten the color) of the sauce.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste for more flavor.

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 19kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 0.5g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.02g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 35mg, Potassium: 126mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 5105IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 0.1mg