Basic Vegetable Stock

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenBasic Vegetable Stock

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	10 minutes	Total Time	55 minutes
Servings	12 cups	Cost Per Serving	$0.33

6	Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
6	Stalks of Celery, roughly chopped
3	Medium Onions, roughly chopped
6 sprigs	Parsley
2	Bay Leaves
1 tsp	Black Peppercorns (whole)
1 tsp	Thyme (dried)
1 tsp	Canola or Grape Seed Oil
1 tsp	Sea Salt
4 L	Water

In a large soup pot over medium heat add oil. Once hot enough (oil will begin to ripple) add carrots, celery, onions, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme and salt. Stir well.
Sauté for about 5 minutes until some browning (caramelization) occurs.
Cover with enough water to fill the pot about ¾ full. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Strain and discard solids. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for basic vegetable stock

Making your own vegetable stock is a great way to control the amount of sodium in your cooking.
The vitamins and minerals in the vegetables will infuse into your stock for added health benefits. One of these minerals is potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Try using a range of vegetables in your stock, like fennel tops, leeks and asparagus peelings, to get the benefits of a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Mushrooms contain starches called beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are believed to stimulate the immune system and activate cancer-fighting cells in the body, such as T-cells and natural killer cells. Try adding some dried mushrooms to your stock to boost both the flavour and health benefits.