Instant Pot Vegetable Stock - Homemade Broth

Instant Pot Vegetable Stock- Homemade vegetable broth made with leftover vegetable scraps, water, and spices.

This is my way of reducing waste at the end of my week. When only bits and bobs are left in the refrigerator, some are wilted, some forgotten, and some downright iffy.

Well, I use them all.

Any limp herbs in the back of my fridge, fancy lettuce that I didn't use and isn't very crispy anymore. You name it, and I use it!

Once made, this broth can be used to make anything and everything. Use it whenever a recipe calls for water..be it dough to make rotis , or soup, or pasta sauce.

You can make your own vegetable broth this soup season. A broth like this can take your homemade soups from good to amazing. I don't know what's my favorite part, the scrappy saving or the eaking out of every nutritional bit from the veggies!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Vegetable Stock

These ingredients are just a guideline. You can change the type and amount of the ingredient as needed.

• Vegetables or vegetable scraps
• Bay leaf & Peppercorn
• Herbs
• Water

Vegetables & Herbs

You can collect a few cups of vegetable scraps like like carrot peels, onion skins, celery leaves, celery leaves, celery tops. Or you can use vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, green beans and cauliflower florets.

In fact if you are like me and like to order a tonne of salad leaves but forget to make a salad, then you can also add lettuce, baby spicnach etc. The only vegetables I stay away from are slimy ones like okra and some root vegetables like yam.

Homemade stock is also a great way to use up leftover fresh herbs. Use the stems, wilted (not spoilt) leaves of whatever you have at hand- cilantro, dill, rosemary, etc.

Spices & aromats

Add black Peppercorn, bay leaves, whole cinnamon if you have. I also like to add unpeeled garlic cloves and ginger for that extra flavor.

Making Vegetable Stock in Instant Pot

It's quite simple to make homemade instant pot vegetable broth. You can choose to use fresh vegetables or use the food waste like veggie scraps.

Step 1: Prep

Assemble everything. If you are using onion and carrot peels, do not forget to give them a good wash.

Roughly chop the big vegetables like carrots and zuchini.

Step 2: Pressure Cook

Add water till the max fill line in the instant pot. Add everything -the veggies, herbs, and aromats to the instant pot.

Pressure cook for 15 minutes, on high pressure, with the valve in the sealed position.

Step 3 : Strain

Let the pressure release naturally before opening.

For things like soups and stews, you must opt for natural pressure release. Quick releasing the pressure might release too much liquid out.

Use a fine mesh strainer or cloth to strain out the golden liquid.

Variations

You could give this recipe so many different delicious twists-

• Roasted Vegetables - If you wish, you can roast the vegetables in the oven till they are caramelized and then proceed with the pressure cooker step
• Chicken Broth - You can add leftover chicken bones or even a chicken thigh or two if you want to make a chicken broth and boil chicken for your meal plan.

Storing Vegetable Broth

I like to make this in bulk and use it over the week. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days.I like using glass jars or mason jars so i can see it in the fridge.

You can also use a microwave friendly freezer bag instead. That way i can stick them in the microwave straight from the freezer and have a meal ready in no time.

Using Vegetable Broth

This broth can be used in multiple ways. Use it wherever you use plain water.

• Rice and pilafs like this Spanish rice , Indian Shrimp Pulav or Mexican Quinoa Bowl.
• Breads and Rotis
• Soups - vegetarian soups like this Instant Pot Carrot Soup and Instant Pot barley and chicken Soup

Related

Here are some more instant pot soup recipes

If you make this instant pot vegetable stock recipe, do leave me a comment below the recipe. I would love to talk, discuss, exchange notes!

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