Description
A clean, savory, unsalted vegetable stock that’s meant to disappear into your cooking (in a good way). A short, gentle simmer keeps it sweet and aromatic without drifting into bitter territory.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml – neutral oil
- 2 medium yellow onions (chopped, some clean skin optional)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 2 stalks of celery (chopped, leaves are okay)
- 8 oz / 225 g mushrooms (sliced or roughly chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (smashed (optional))
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp / 3 g black peppercorns
- 1 cup / 20 g parsley stems (optional)
- 10 cups / 2.4 L cold water (plus more as needed to cover by 1–2 inches / 2.5–5 cm)
Instructions
Start the flavor base
- Set a large pot over medium heat and add the oil.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions look translucent and everything smells sweet (don’t brown).
- Stir in the mushrooms and garlic (if using). Cook 5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to soften.
Simmer gently
- Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley stems (if using). Pour in the cold water.
- Bring to a lively simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately lower to a bare simmer (just a few lazy bubbles).
- Simmer, partially covered, for 45–60 minutes. Start tasting at 45 minutes; stop when the stock tastes pleasantly savory and the vegetables look pale and “spent.” Simmering much longer can push it bitter.
Strain, cool, and store
- Turn off the heat and let the pot sit 5 minutes so solids settle.
- Ladle and pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or pot. Don’t press hard on the vegetables (it can cloud the stock and add harshness).
- Cool, refrigerate, then portion once fully cold. Use as-is, or simmer to reduce for a more concentrated cooking base.
Notes
Keep the simmer short and gentle. Vegetable stock gives its best flavor quickly; long cooking can go bitter.
Skip cruciferous veggies and peppers in a “universal” stock. They’re the usual reason a pot tastes sharp or funky.
Don’t overload carrots. If your stock tastes sweet, you probably had too much carrot; balance it next time with more onion/celery and mushrooms.
Leave it unsalted so it stays truly versatile, especially if you plan to reduce it for sauces.
Taste early, taste often. The perfect stopping point is when it tastes savory but still clean and bright.
For cleaner stock, don’t mash or squeeze the strained vegetables; just let it drip.
Cool fast and portion small so it chills safely and freezes in grab-and-go amounts.
Freeze in 1 cup / 240 ml portions (and a few 2 tbsp / 30 ml “flavor cubes” for pan sauces).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: French