Making Vegan Stock with Celery, Leeks, Fennel, and Carrots

In contrast to broth, stock is not a ready-to-eat dish. This vegan stock made with celery, leeks, fennel, and carrots is easy to make and is a good base to use for soup.

Differences between broth and stock: In cooking, there are several differences between broth and stock. Broth can be used as an ingredient or served as a dish on its own whereas stock has been boiled down, concentrated, and isn’t salted and is therefore only used as an ingredient for other recipes.

Boiling down: You will end up with more or less stock, and more highly or less concentrated stock, depending on how long you boil it down. With a more highly concentrated stock, as is the case with this recipe, smaller amounts are required to season other dishes.

Estimated yield: Although it first seems that large amounts of fluid and ingredients are used here, a recipe to serve 4 people will in the end make about 1 to 1.5 liters. However, this amount depends on the temperature the burner is set to, the time the soup is boiled down, and the size of the pot. If you only plan to use part of the stock immediately, this is an estimated yield you can use to plan the number of containers you will need for canning.

Quick version: If you want to prepare the stock quickly, you can use a pressure cooker. Cook the stock for about 20 minutes, add the herbs and spices, and then let simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Buying prepared stock: Stock is sold in most well-stocked supermarkets, usually in jars or Tetra Pak cartons. However, commercially sold stocks often contain salt. If this is the case, you should make sure to add less additional salt.

Less work with organic vegetables: If you use only organic vegetables to make the stock, you don’t have to peel them first. And this adds extra flavor to the stock.

Using vegetable scraps: Vegetable scraps can also be used to make stock and give it a stronger flavor.

Storage: If the stock is poured into clean containers, ideally sterilized with hot water, it can be stored for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Varying the ingredients: You can ultimately use any type of vegetables, including vegetable scraps, to make a stock. And you might like to add additional herbs and spices such as cloves, allspice, thyme, or garlic.

Serving the leftover vegetables as a side: When the stock is finished, there will be a bowl of leftover vegetables and herbs. Instead of throwing these away, you can use them, for example, to make a quinoa salad. If you use a little of the stock to cook the quinoa, this will bring out the flavor of the vegetables.