Learn how to make rich roasted vegetable broth at home for soups, sauces, and for cooking grains. Roasting the vegetables first concentrates and deepens their flavor before a gentle simmer with herbs. If you prefer a lighter-tasting stock, skip the roasting and simply simmer the vegetables in water.
by Susan Pridmore
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Use the Table of Contents in the original post to jump to the sections that will help you most. Below is a clear, streamlined guide to making roasted vegetable broth together with a complete recipe card.
A homemade roasted vegetable stock brightens soups, sauces, and grain dishes such as risotto. Making your own stock lets you control the intensity and seasoning, and it’s an excellent way to use up extra vegetables. Roasting first intensifies the natural sweetness and adds savory depth; for a subtler broth, simmer vegetables directly in water without roasting.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to prepare, using simple pantry vegetables and basic equipment.
- A smart way to use up leftover vegetables and reduce food waste.
- Customizable — adjust vegetables, herbs, and roasting time to suit your taste.
- Freezer-friendly — make a large batch and freeze in measured portions for later.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The flavor of the stock depends largely on the vegetables and how much you roast them. Roasting concentrates sugars and creates caramelized notes that deepen the final broth. If you want a more delicate, purely vegetal flavor, skip roasting and simmer the vegetables directly.
For the full ingredient list with measurements and the step-by-step method, see the Recipe Card below.
- Yellow onion — recommended for best flavor; white onion will work. Avoid red onion for this stock.
- Celery — stalks and leaves add savory aromatic depth.
- Mushrooms — cremini or button mushrooms help round out umami without overwhelming the stock.
- Carrot — provides sweetness and color.
- Garlic — a whole head, roasted to soften and mellow the flavor.
- Fresh parsley — stems and leaves add a bright herbal note.
- Black peppercorns — whole peppercorns for gentle spice.
- Water — use plain filtered water for the clearest flavor.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Baking sheet
- 4–5 quart Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot
- Mesh strainer to strain out vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns
📝 Instructions Overview
Below is a concise overview of the process. Full details and exact amounts are included in the recipe card at the end.
Step 1
Clean the vegetables. Peel the onion and remove the papery outer skin. Wash carrots, celery, leeks, and any other vegetables you use. For leeks, separate the layers and rinse under running water to remove trapped grit. Wipe mushrooms with a paper towel rather than soaking them when possible.
Step 2
Cut the vegetables. Cut vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they roast and simmer evenly. Halve or quarter onions and mushrooms, and slice carrots and celery into 2–3 inch pieces. Cut the top third off the head of garlic to expose the cloves for roasting.
Step 3
Roast. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 15–45 minutes depending on how much caramelized flavor you want. Be careful not to over-char, as that can make the stock bitter.
Step 4
Simmer. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a heavy pot with 8 cups of water. Add parsley stems and leaves, whole peppercorns, and a little kosher salt if desired. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour to extract flavor.
Step 5
Strain and cool. Use a mesh strainer to separate the solids from the liquid. Press the vegetables lightly to extract more broth if desired. Cool the broth to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing in airtight containers.
🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- Roasting develops deeper, sweeter, and more savory flavors than raw simmering alone.
- Cutting exposes more surface area so flavors extract more efficiently into the simmering water.
👩🍳 Preparation Tips
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- A good ratio to aim for is roughly: onion > celery > carrot, using half as much celery as onion and half as much carrot as celery, but adapt to what you have.
- Roast 15–45 minutes depending on the intensity you want; avoid over-charring.
- To produce a lighter broth, skip roasting and simmer the raw vegetables for about 1 hour.
💡 Ideas for Variations
Customize the stock based on what you have and the intended use. When scraps accumulate—peels, ends, and trimmings—about 6 cups of scraps is a good threshold to make stock. Vegetables and herbs that work well include turnip, celeriac, potato, leek tops, scallion tops, corn cobs, cilantro stems, and thyme. Use asparagus only if you plan to make asparagus-specific dishes. Avoid vegetables that can impart bitterness such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or certain leafy greens.
🧊 Storage Tips
Cool the broth to room temperature before storing. Use airtight containers like mason jars, or pour into pre-measured freezer bags and lay flat to freeze for space savings.
- Refrigerate: up to 1 week.
- Freeze: up to 3 months.
How to Make Roasted Vegetable Broth
A simple, flavorful homemade roasted vegetable broth that adds depth to soups, sauces, and grain dishes.
Equipment
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Baking sheet
- 4–5 quart Dutch oven or heavy pot
- Mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 stalks celery
- 4 large cremini mushrooms
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 head garlic
- 10 large parsley stems with leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and prep vegetables. Peel the onion and cut into wedges. Trim and cut celery into 2–3 inch pieces. Wipe mushrooms clean and halve. Slice the carrot into 2–3 inch pieces. Cut off the top third of the garlic head to expose the cloves; leave the skin on.
- Arrange all vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 15–45 minutes until they develop color but are not heavily charred.
- Bring 8 cups of water to a simmer in a heavy pot. Add the roasted vegetables, parsley, peppercorns, and salt if using. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Strain the broth through a mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing lightly on the solids to extract liquid. Discard the solids.
- Cool to room temperature, then transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate or freeze as desired.
Nutrition (per 0.5 cup)
Calories: 16.2 kcal; Carbohydrates: 3.6 g; Protein: 0.7 g; Fat: 0.1 g; Sodium will vary depending on added salt.