This Instant Pot vegetable stock is so much better than store-bought, and is so easy to make at home! A great way to make use of vegetable scraps, this recipe is nutritious and very versatile!
If you've learned how to make turkey stock, and bone broth it's time for a new challenge! Instant Pot vegetable stock is such a great cozy fall staple to stock up your fridge and freezer with.
Vegetable stock is a staple in the Sweet Peas and Saffron kitchen and can be used in so many meals: from soups and stews, to rice, quinoa, and more. This Instant Pot vegetable stock is by far the easiest way to make homemade stock or broth from scratch. Rather than babysitting a large stockpot on the stove for hours, the pressure cooker does all the hard work!
Best of all, it is freezer friendly and meal prep friendly - you can use it in so many delicious meal prep recipes. This Instant Pot vegetable broth is vegan, low carb, and gluten-free.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- it's a great way to make use of all parts of the veggies and reduce your kitchen waste
- it contains many vitamins and minerals which are beneficial to your health
- the Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting - just dump all the ingredients in, and pressure cook!
- it stores really well in the fridge or freezer
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see how to cook this recipe! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Ingredient Notes
This Instant Pot vegetable stock recipe is very flexible, meaning you can use up veggie scraps that you have leftover from other meals or scraps you have frozen. Here are some of the veggies you can include in this stock, as well as some veggie scraps to stay away from.
veggies To Include in Stock
- carrots, including the peels, stems, and leaves
- celery stems and leaves
- onions and onion skins (so long as not moldy, be sure to wash away any dirt)
- green onion
- shallots
- fresh herbs including: thyme rosemary, sage, oregano, chives
- ginger
- garlic
- leeks
- mushrooms
- fennel (in moderation)
Veggies to Avoid Using in Stock
We recommend staying away from some veggies, simply because they do not add good flavor or texture to the finished stock. For example, cruciferous veggies have a bitter flavor, and bell peppers or beets have a strong flavor that is too potent for an all-purpose veggie stock. These veggie scraps are best put to use in a soup or stew instead!
- potatoes
- soft veggies such as squash
- bell peppers
- cabbage
- cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower)
- bitter greens (kale, chard)
Step by Step Directions
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Combine
In the stainless steel insert of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, combine the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, sea salt and water. Add in nutritional yeast and additional vegetable scraps if using.
Pressure Cook
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow for a full natural pressure release.
Strain
Strain off solids and collect stock in a large bowl or measuring cup. Store in mason jars or soup storage containers. Use in soups or as a cooking liquid.
Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavor
- add 2- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- sautรฉe veggies before pressure cooking
- add 1 -2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, or 1 inch fresh turmeric root
- bay leaf
- add 2 tablespoons of miso paste for umami flavor
- add 1-2 sheets of kombu for umami flavor
FAQ
Yes, you can! Instead of pressure cooking, simmer the broth for 2 hours, then complete directions as written in this recipe.
Yes, vegetable broth cooks up really nicely in the slow cooker. Simmer on low for 6-8 hours.
Yes! Vegetable broth contains lots of electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. Including garlic and ginger is a great way to boost the nutritional benefits of vegetable broth as well.
If you added cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or brussels sprouts, they may give your finished stock an unpleasant bitter flavor.
How To Use It Up
- cooking liquid - works great as a cooking liquid for rice (see how to cook rice) or quinoa (see how to cook perfect, fluffy quinoa) to add extra flavor
- in soups - vegetable stock tastes better than store bought and makes the perfect base for this leftover turkey soup or this stuffed pepper soup
- freezer meals - vegetable stock works well in any recipe that calls for chicken stock. Ex: these Instant Pot chipotle lime chicken breasts and this Instant Pot honey sesame chicken
Storage
- Fridge - store in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezer - store in jars (see tips below for freezing in jars) or freezer containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Tips for Freezing In Jars
Here are a few tips for freezing black beans in mason jars to avoid the jars breaking:
- Make sure to select canning jars; repurposed pasta sauce or food jars are not designed to withstand dramatic temperature shifts and can break.
- Avoid jars that have 'shoulders' and taper in at the top, as they are more prone to breaking
- Leave an inch from the top of the jar empty to account for expansion when freezing
- Leave the lids ajar until the beans are frozen solid- at this point, you can secure them!
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Instant Pot Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
- 4 celery stalks coarsely chopped
- 3 carrots coarsely chopped
- 1-2 onions quartered
- 1 head garlic top sliced off
- 1 handful ginger rounds
- 1 handful fresh herbs see note 1
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 cups water
- 2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast optional; see note 2
- other vegetable scraps see note 3
Instructions
- Combine- In the stainless steel insert of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, combine the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, sea salt and water. Add in nutritional yeast and additional vegetable scraps if using.
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow for a full natural pressure release.
- Strain- Strain off solids and collect stock in a large bowl or measuring cup. Store in mason jars or soup storage containers. Use in soups or as a cooking liquid.
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Tips:
- parsley and thyme were added in photos; rosemary and sage are also great
- adding nutritional yeast can add depth of flavor to the broth; sauteeing vegetables first is another way to increase the flavor.
- add carrot peels, celery leaves, fresh herbs, onion skins, and any other vegetable leftovers you have.
- store in the fridge for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 6 months
Video
Nutrition Information
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