How To Make Vegetable Stock in Your Slow Cooker

This tutorial will teach you how to make vegetable stock in your slow cooker using veggie scraps you already have on hand. It’s a two-part process that will help eliminate food waste and save money at the grocery store!

I’ve shared how to make bone broth in both the Instant Pot and slow cooker. Since then, so many of you have made your own broth and discovered how simple it is! I figured it was time to share how to make vegetable stock because a) it’s the easiest recipe ever and b) it’s perfect for plant-based recipes!

There are definitely some decent vegetable stocks on the market but the best ones (without added preservatives and artificial color) can get quite pricey. Turns out, you can make vegetable stock without having to pay a single penny! How? Save your veggie scraps!

How to Save Vegetable Scraps

I’ll be honest, you have to have a system in place or everything goes out the window during dinnertime. I keep a silicone bag or glass container in my freezer with food scraps so when I’m prepping a meal and have stalks or scraps, I’ll just throw the extras in the container! 

What Vegetable Scraps to Use

Basically any other than seeded vegetables (like bell pepper). Here are some examples:

• Green onion bulbs or stalks
• Celery stalks
• Broccoli stems
• Onion scraps – I always recommend including at least a little onion in every batch for flavor! Throw the peels in too!
• Kale stems
• Carrot scraps
• Beet scraps
• Garlic scraps

The options are endless! The color of the vegetable impacts the color of the broth so the more greens you use, the greener it will be. The longer you cook it, the more pigmented it will be as well. Have fun experimenting! 

How to Make Vegetable Stock in Your Slow Cooker

STEP 1: Place your vegetable scraps in the slow cooker and top with water until the vegetables are covered with ½ inch of water. Stir in sea salt.

STEP 2: Cook on low for 12-24 hours. When finished, strain the veggies into a bowl and reserve the liquid in mason jars or airtight containers. 

STEP 3: Discard the vegetables and store the broth for use!

How to Store Vegetable Broth

If you’ll be using the broth the week you made it, you can store it in the refrigerator. If you need to store for longer, I recommend adding to an airtight container (leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion) and freezing for up to 3 months. 

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Like this post? Here are some recipes that use vegetable broth:

• Detox Vegetable Soup
• Spring Vegetable Soup
• Healthy Vegetarian Pho
• Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Vegetarian Tortilla Soup