Vegetable Stock

Vegetable stock is made by simmering a combination of assorted vegetables, herbs, and aromatics in water.

It serves as a versatile base for a wide range of dishes, providing depth of flavour and richness without the use of meat or animal products.

How to use vegetable stock

Common ingredients in vegetable stock include onions, carrots, and celery. It can also contain mushrooms for added umami, garlic, herbs like thyme, parsley, and bay leaves, or aromatic spices such as cinnamon, pepper, star anise, or fennel seeds. These components are simmered together to extract their natural flavours, resulting in a delicious broth to form the basis of a dish.

Vegetable stock also reduces food waste. It provides a way of using up leftover or less-than-perfect vegetables, enhancing sustainability in the kitchen.

Vegetable stock isn’t difficult to make, but for added speed and convenience, it can be bought ready-made, or in the form of vegetable stock cubes or vegetable stock paste, which can be reconstituted with hot water.

Vegetable stock is a staple in vegetarian and vegan cooking, used in soups, stews, sauces, risottos, and many other dishes. Its light, clean taste complements a variety of ingredients and allows the flavours of the vegetables to shine.