I’m normally a veggie scrap saver. I have a gallon bag in my freezer where I stash onion skins, celery tops, carrot shoulders, etc… Then when I’ve accumulated enough, I add water, a bay leaf, and some salt and let it simmer for a few hours to make broth. I love how this process makes my house smell delicious all day long.

While I love making a slow-simmered broth, sometimes I have a soup emergency (as in, I need soup NOW), and that is when I reach for my homemade bouillon. Making vegetable bouillon became a part of my annual food preserving to-do list three years ago, and it’s now a staple in my pantry. Beyond soup, I use it for a flavor boost when I’m cooking grains and beans, add it to marinades, and I’ve even put it on popcorn.

This recipe is flexible in many ways; the vegetables and flavorings are totally adaptable to your preference and what you have on hand. Even the state of the final product is up to you; this bouillon can be stored as a paste in the refrigerator, frozen into cubes, or dehydrated, powdered, and kept in your pantry.

(Hot tip: the powdered bouillon makes a great gift for foodies in your life. Include a pound or two of quality dried beans, a small bag of nice bay leaves, or a handmade wooden spoon to make a very cozy gift basket.)

Great Vegetables for bouillon include:

• Any alliums (onion, leek, garlic, etc…)
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Potatoes
• Celery/celery root
• Fennel
• Mushrooms (dried or fresh)

Great additional flavorings for vegetable bouillon include:

• Sundried tomatoes/tomato paste
• Hearty herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage)
• Nutritional yeast
• Nori/seaweed

Ingredients

3lbs veggies, mix of your choice

6-8oz additional flavorings, mix of your choice

3oz salt (Going low/no salt? Adjust this as needed)

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

How to Make Your Own Vegetable Bouillon

1. Chop all your vegetables – they can be small or large pieces, but the smaller they are, the faster they’ll cook and the easier they’ll puree.

2. Cook the vegetables – Put a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add your veggies and salt and cook until the veggies have released all their water and it has evaporated (20-30 min). Stir regularly to prevent browning and scorching.

3. ***If you are using dried mushrooms, give those a few pulses in the food processor before adding the rest of your veggies. They don’t need to be totally powdered, but you want to give them a headstart so you don’t end up with chunks of dried mushroom.

4. Puree – Put the veggies and any additional flavorings in the food processor and process until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed (this might take 5-6 minutes).

FOR REFRIGERATED PASTE: Pack jars with the veggie puree and use within two weeks.

FOR FROZEN CUBES: Line a 9×9 pan with parchment and spread the veggie mixture evenly in the pan. Freeze for at least 8 hours, then cut into 32-46 cubes. Store in the freezer in bags or containers until ready to use.

FOR POWDER: Cut parchment paper to fit the racks of your dehydrator. Spread about 1 cup of vegetable puree per piece of parchment, making it as thin as possible. Set your dehydrator to 150 degrees for 12 hours. You’ll know it’s done if the mixture snaps when bent. If it bends instead, give it another two hours. Snap the bouillon into small pieces and put in a spice grinder or food processor to grind into a powder. Store in a glass jar.

To use: My preferred ratio for soups and stews is: One quart of water + two tablespoons of paste, 1 frozen cube, or one tablespoon of powder.

Taylor Tinkham is an editorial illustrator, Hennepin County master gardener volunteer and food preservation consultant living in south Minneapolis.

Photo credit: Taylor Tinkham.