Transform leftover vegetable scraps into a flavor packed broth. Perfect for homemade soups and even a freshly baked onion roll bread.
To celebrate Earth Day (4/22) this months Recipe Redux is looking for ways to reduce food waste.
One great way to reduce food waste is to compost, which transforms organic waste into a nutrient rich soil. This can be done in your own backyard or through community composting opportunities. I’ve been holding onto weekly food scraps and dropping them off at my local farmers market for a while now.
But, a growing collection of veggie scraps has me thinking…could there be another use for them before their exit from the kitchen?
Enter, the scrap broth.
Saving food scraps
The next time you’re preparing dinner, consider keeping the top/bottom/skin from your vegetables—whatever you would normally trash—to turn into a vegetable broth. Be sure that the veggies you’re saving are clean (wash them first) and discard anything that may have gone bad or still looks dirty.
Collect the scraps in a resealable container stored in the freezer. Once full, these “kitchen scraps” combined with water transform into a flavorful vegetable broth. Save as much or as little as you wish before re-purposing the scraps.
Scraps to save
carrot, parsnip and potato peels
Ends from asparagus, green beans, celery, squash and scallions
mushrooms stems
onion and garlic skins
herb stems (parsley, cilantro, dill)
Ways to use the scraps broth
Once you have this flavorful broth, it can be used in a number of different ways.
Soup & stews
Most obvious would have to be in homemade soups.
Cooking liquid
Use in place of water. Either in a recipe when water is added (sauces) or when foods are steamed or boiled in it (vegetables, grains or beans).
Baking
It can even be used in baking, as the liquid in homemade bread & dough, like these spiral onion rolls.
Vegetable Broth
A flavorful vegetable broth made from leftover pieces of vegetable scraps.
Ingredients
- 3½ lbs. frozen vegetable scraps (my version had red + white onion skins, asparagus + scallion ends, carrot peels)
- 15 cups (120 fl. oz) water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Place frozen vegetable scraps, water and salt into a large soup pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1½-2 hours.
Remove pot from stove. Carefully strain out the vegetables.
Notes
Divide the broth into smaller containers to cool. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for use within 3 to 4 days. Label containers and freeze to keep for 2 to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 11 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 47Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
More great Recipes to reduce food waste.
Really cool!