My farmers market stopped accepting compost because of COVID guidelines, and so I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with all my leftover food scraps. Finally decided to make vegetable stock as a way to reduce waste and save some money. I use it often for soups, stews, cooking grains, and making ramen. This one is SO much more flavorful than the store-bought kind, and can be easily customized.
I made it with the vegetables I happened to have on hand. Leek tops and the stems of herbs and greens, which I usually toss. Vegetables that were struggling in the fridge also got thrown into the mix, like tomatoes and carrots. You can really experiment with whatever, but just note that vegetables with strong flavors, like broccoli and cabbage, may throw off the flavor. I added @loisafoods sazon spice mix for additional flavor (they were featured in my POC spices lineup also on reels), but you can use whatever favorite spices you have on hand (including some suggestions below!) Store it in the fridge up to a week or freeze in small batches, and thaw when you’re ready to use! Let me know if there’s any tricks that have worked well for you when making stock.
Recipe below xoxo
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, halved
- 3 garlic cloves
- Parsley stems
- 5 carrots, roughly chopped
- Stems from a bunch of leafy greens
- 3 leek tops
- Mushroom stems
- Butternut squash
- 2 crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tablespoon of your favorite spice mix (paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic/onion powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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In a large pot, heat the oil and add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic.
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Saute until golden, and then add the vegetables and 10 cups of water.
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Simmer for an hour over low heat with the lid slightly on, stirring occasionally.
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Drain out the stock, discarding the cooked vegetables, and mix in the spice mix and salt.
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Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze stock you won’t be using. Enjoy!!
