Helping Hands in the Kitchen: Kitchen Scrap Veggie Broth

Person placing vegetable scraps into a stock pot, ready to be transformed into homemade veggie broth, showcasing a hands-on approach to reducing food waste and creating a nutritious kitchen staple.

Welcome back to Helping Hands in the Kitchen! We strive to provide you with recipes that are not only delicious and nutritious but also mindful of reducing food waste. This week, we’re excited to share a recipe that does just that—Kitchen Scrap Veggie Broth. This recipe is perfect for utilizing leftover vegetable scraps to create a flavorful and healthy broth that can serve as the base for many other dishes.

To adjust the language: Select the preferred language in the upper left corner.
Para ajustar el idioma: Seleccione el idioma preferido en la esquina superior izquierda.
Щоб налаштувати мову: виберіть потрібну мову у верхньому лівому куті.
Чтобы настроить язык: Выберите предпочтительный язык в верхнем левом углу.

Kitchen Scrap Veggie Broth Recipe

Servings: 4
Estimated Cost: $0.00
Cost Per Serving: $0.00

Equipment:

  • Stock pot with lid
  • Wooden spoon
  • Strainer (or mash wire, colander, or spoon to fish out scraps)

Ingredients:

  • 1-gallon bag of vegetable scraps (e.g., carrot tops, vegetable skins, herb stems)
  • Water
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Collect Vegetable Scraps: Over time, gather vegetable scraps from cooking and store them in a ziplock bag or storage container in the freezer.
  2. Prepare the Broth: Add vegetable scraps to a stock pot and cover with water by 2 inches.
  3. Season and Boil: Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for one hour.
  4. Strain the Broth: Strain the liquid into a clean container. Use a mash wire, colander, or spoon to fish out scraps.
  5. Enjoy: Your veggie broth is ready to enjoy! Use it as a base for soups, sauces, or to flavor rice.

Health Benefits:

Making vegetable broth using leftover scraps is an excellent way to reduce food waste and save money. Homemade broth is a healthier alternative to store-bought versions as it often has a higher nutrient content from fresh ingredients and a lower sodium content since it does not need to be shelf-stable.

  • Herbs: Herbs used in vegetable broth provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support digestion and immunity while adding wonderful flavors to any dish.
  • Vegetable Scraps: Using vegetable scraps not only minimizes waste but also ensures that you’re getting the most out of your fresh produce, maximizing nutritional benefits.
Left: A variety of herbs in bunches Right: Various table straps on a table
Download Recipe

References: Recipe provided by Gabrielle La Chapelle, Maryland Universty of Integrative Health