Homemade vegetable stock
A light, sweet, savoury vegan stock from everyday vegetables, with no salt and nothing hidden.
Make this once, then cook it into 43 different dishes.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.79 a head
- Makesabout 1.5 litres of stock
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leek and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until lightly golden at the edges.
10 min - 2
Add the garlic, tomatoes, parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns and stir for 1 minute.
- 3
Pour in the cold water and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down so it simmers gently.
- 4
Simmer, partly covered, for 45 minutes, until the stock smells savoury and the vegetables are very soft.
45 min - 5
Strain through a colander and then a fine sieve into a clean container, pressing the vegetables lightly. Discard the vegetables.
- 6
Cool quickly by standing the container in a sink of cold water, stirring now and then, so it is cool within 1 to 2 hours. Chill, then use or freeze.
About homemade vegetable stock
Vegetable stock is a light, savoury liquid made by simmering vegetables, herbs and peppercorns in water, used as the base for soups, risotto, curries, stews and gravies. It is quicker than meat stock, because vegetables give up their flavour in under an hour.
This version is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free, and contains no added salt, so it suits low salt cooking as well. That makes it a useful kitchen staple for families managing allergies, because shop stock cubes and pots can contain wheat, milk, celery, yeast extract and a lot of salt. Check the label on any you buy.
Lightly sweating the vegetables in oil before adding water gives a deeper, sweeter flavour. Avoid strongly flavoured brassicas such as cabbage and broccoli, beetroot, which turns the stock pink, and starchy potato, which makes it cloudy.
Tips
- Do not add salt to the stock. Season the dish you use it in, so the flavour stays under your control.
- Keep clean vegetable trimmings such as onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves and mushroom stalks in a bag in the freezer and use them as part of the batch.
- Avoid cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, beetroot and potato. They make the stock bitter, pink or cloudy.
- For a darker stock with more depth, roast the vegetables at 200 C (180 C fan) for 30 minutes before simmering.
- Add a few dried mushrooms and a strip of kombu for a savoury, umami rich stock without any salt.
- If the stock tastes thin, boil it down uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes after straining to concentrate the flavour.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours, then keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Bring to a rolling boil before using, and reheat only the amount you need.
Dishes you can make with homemade vegetable stock
Prawn Mulligatawny Soup
GFDFEFDal Shorba (Indian Lentil Soup with Ginger and Lemon)
GFDFEFPalak Shorba (Indian Spinach and Potato Soup)
GFDFEFSweet Potato and Coconut Masala Soup
DFEFNFThai Green Curry Butternut Squash Soup
GFDFEFGreen Curry Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew
GFDFEFThai Green Curry Red Lentil Soup
GFDFEFVegan Thai Yellow Curry with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas
GFDFEFThai Yellow Curry Pumpkin Soup with Coconut
GFDFEFVegan Massaman Curry with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas
GFDFEFMassaman Red Lentil and Potato Curry
GFDFEFLaksa Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
GFDFEFQuestions
Is homemade vegetable stock vegan and gluten free?
Yes. It contains only vegetables, herbs, pepper and water, so it is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Shop bought stock cubes can contain wheat, milk or celery, so always check the label.
How long does vegetable stock keep?
It keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge once cooled, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Freeze it in small tubs or ice cube trays so you can defrost just what you need.
Why does my vegetable stock taste bitter?
Bitterness usually comes from brassicas such as cabbage, broccoli or sprouts, from burnt onion skins, or from simmering for too long. Stick to onion, carrot, celery, leek, mushroom and herbs, and simmer for no more than an hour.
Can I use vegetable peelings for stock?
Yes, clean peelings from onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms work well. Wash them first and avoid potato peel, which clouds the stock, and anything mouldy or past its best.
Is homemade vegetable stock low salt?
Yes, because no salt is added. The vegetables contain a small amount of natural sodium, but the stock is far lower in salt than most cubes and pots. Season the finished dish to taste.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.