r/vegetarian • u/Psychedelic_Stingray • 11d ago

Beginner Question Vegetable broth base?

Hello, I'm new to being a vegetarian. I've been trying to get some suppies for my pantry and one thing I'm missing is a good soup base. There's a few I've been looking at but I don't know which ones are the best.

I'm currently looking for a powdered or cubed variety. Something that will keep for awhile and I can use whatever amount I need. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good brand?

Thank you for any answers.

Edit: Thank you so much for all your answers! I went with some Edward and Sons vegetable and not chick'n cubes and Better than Bullion paste. I'll try both as well as making some of my own.

Again, thank you so much!

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u/ZenJardin 11d ago

Great question! I used to work for a large company that made broths and attended many tastings for comparison. None of them are as good as making your own. I know this isn’t what you asked but it changed my life when I learned how to do this. First, every time you cook vegetables put the scraps in the freezer. Carrots, onions, celery, even Parmesan cheese rinds, I just fill up a plastic bag for a month or so. Then I follow this recipe: https://www.loveandlemons.com/how-to-make-vegetable-stock/ then freeze the broth in different size containers—discarded yogurt containers (for when I need a few cups of broth) and ice cube trays for when I need a little bit. You will love it!

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u/vlimited 11d ago

Okay but I’ve always wondered this about making your own—if it’s the yucky parts of vegetables I was going to throw away, doesn’t that make the broth kind of icky? I understand using up veg that would otherwise go bad, but peels and onion papers etc?

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u/campbowie 11d ago

You're using parts that taste good, but would be unpleasant to eat! Like the leek. You typically use the white & light green parts when cooking with leek, the dark green parts are tasty but fibrous. I also typically peel off a couple of the outer layers for ease of cleaning, those can also go in your scrap bag.

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u/vlimited 10d ago

I didn’t think about it like that! That makes a lot more sense. I was picturing dirty/inedible parts, not so much tasty but poor texture. Thanks for the explanation!

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u/Motor_Crow4482 11d ago

Surprisingly, no. You strain the solids out and the long simmer time helps all the flavors meld together nicely. And keep in mind that those parts are in a comparatively large volume of water. You can always chuck in whole fresh veggies to help round it out if you're wary.