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Roasted Vegetable Broth Yield About 4 cups Recipes are rated from 1 to 5 forks, with 1 fork being the easiest and 5 forks the most challenging.
This vegetable broth has a deep and rich flavor and is perfect for hearty soups. There is also an option to make a flavorful vegetable broth without roasting the vegetables first. The choice depends on your taste and how you will use the broth. Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 180 minutes

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
• 2 Tbs low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 medium onion
• 2 large carrots - chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2 large celery stalks - chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped mushroom - shitake, cremini, or white button
• 1 small red or yellow bell pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 medium tomatoes (I prefer to use Roma)
• 1 gallon water (you may need more)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (substitute 1 teaspoon dry thyme)
• 3 bay leaves
• 15 whole peppercorns
• 10 parsley stems

Optional Additions:

• 1 medium red beet
• 1 cup leek greens
• 5 large kale stems
• 1 small sweet potato - chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2 chili peppers (hot or mild)
• 2 tsp other seasonings or spices (cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, etc.)

Special Equipment:

Large stock pot (8 quart pot)

 

Preparation Method:

Notes:

The base broth for any soup or gravy makes a difference in the finished product. When making a soup like pumpkin or butternut squash soup, you may want to add a diced sweet potato to the broth to enhance the flavor of the squash. When making a broth for Mexican style soup, you may want to add a Chile pepper and a teaspoon of cumin and coriander seeds.

For Italian soups, you may want to add a fennel seeds and red or yellow bell pepper (green bell peppers will result in a strong, somewhat bitter flavor). To simulate a beef broth, you may want to add a diced beet to give it a deeper earthy flavor and a darker color. When making Asian soups, you may want to use only shitake mushrooms, add a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, or add a 4 inch strip of Kombu seaweed. There is no magic recipe for making a great broth; it comes down to the flavor profile you like.

Prep work:

Prepare the vegetables in the following manner.

Cut the onion into quarters. Chop the carrots and celery into 1 inch pieces. Cut the bell peppers into 8 equal size pieces. Lightly crush the garlic cloves. Slice the tomatoes in half. Cut any other vegetables you may be using into 1 or 2 inch chunks. The herbs and spices can be added as they are.

Method for regular broth (not roasted):

Add all ingredients to a large stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool about 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a separate pot using a large strainer and use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

Method for roasted vegetable broth:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Mix the tomato paste with soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of water in a large bowl. Place all of the vegetables in the bowl and toss or stir to coat the vegetables. Place the vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast the vegetables for 30 to 45 minutes, or until they become soft and begin to brown.

Add the vegetables to a large stock pot, along with the water and the herbs and spices. If necessary, add up to an additional 2 cups of water to fill the pot. Bring the broth to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the broth uncovered for 90 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool about 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a separate pot using a large strainer and use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

Tip: Do not put hot broth in the refrigerator. If you are refrigerating the broth, you should put the pot of strained broth in a cold water bath to reduce the temperature as quickly as possible before refrigerating.